The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-10-27
ANDREW JoaNs0N-HIs DEFEAT foR
THE U. 8. SENATE.

The dafeat of Andrew johnson as can
dids,e for United States Senator in the Ten
nessee Legislature, is quite disappoint
ment. indeed a real surprise, to many OF his
friends in the northern states. 10 those
who know some Of the local influences
which brought it about it was not enhrely
however much regretted oy
those who wished for different result
Mr.. Johnson, az his Presidential course
illus,ra,edefs one Of those public men who
has such deep convictions of what is night
and follows up his convictions with such
violence and in such uuequivocal and de-
cided manner, that he makes for himself On
enemy or friend Of every man who takes any
interest in his course, and character Of
this kind leaves but little room for indiffer.
ence to itself Hence the last eight years
have at some time or other Of the term, ar
rayed against Mr.. Johnson, in bitter anteg.
ouism, every man in Tennessee. 1t will not
be forgotten, BY Democrats particularly, that,
prior to Mr.. Johnson's breaking of from the
people Of his state on the question oil dis
union and secession, and throwing the whole
force of his ardent temperament and dis
tinRuished talents into the Union scale, he
was the most popular man in Tennessee.
No public man in the south probably
was more strongly entrenched in the hearts
of the people Of his state than was Mr.
Johnson. The Democracy of Tennessee
rendered him a sort of political alteration.
There was no mere man, in their estimation,
who could be compared with him, and gods
were but little above him. This was par
ticularly the case with his party in East
Tennessee,-a section of the state not re.
markable for intelligence and the seat Of
much violent political feeling especially du
ring the war /. was there more than else
where probably that Unionists and rebels
were divided on mere dead line. There
was no federation or magnanimity or half
way ground. In this region many of Mr..
Jbhnsons party friends, who never failed to
support him for office and advance his stan
dard by every means possible, adhered to
the cause Of the Union. The Democrats of
the middle and western portions Of the state
with almost perfect unsnimity cast their lots
with the South.
His prominent adherence to the cause OF
the Union brought upon him the most bitter
inveetives and hatred from the great body
of the party which had so long and SO Ell.
Enthusiastically supported him, the portion
in East Tennessee who failed to 60 into the
rebellion being uncomfortable. During the
first two years of the struggle there was
probably not man in the universe who
was more cordially and deeply hated thar
was Mr.. johnson by all Tennes' eeans, ex
cept those who adhered to the Union, ant
among these there was but new born ad
mirauon for him, as nearly the whole Uniol
element had been Arrayed against him il
the most violent political hostility,
This was the situation until after he bros
with the Radical party. Then his ante.w
Democratic friends came back to him wi
new born admiration akin to that that b
received during the war from the Unto
element of the state. II was half hearte
and not oblivious of the past. Of cours
this breaking off from Radcalism receive
and intensified the opposition to him amonl
the Radicals of the state. So that when
contest was made upon him as g an-andth
senatorial contest was upon men, not prime
ples-there were two different flames from
which opposition the most deadly and IN
compromising could be fed. The stronges
opposing candidate against him united j
his own person both these intsgonistic III
huences. Mr. Etheridge, in the days {
Wing and Democratic campaigns, had bee
pitted against Mr. Johnson on almost ever
stump in Tennessee. The war threw thel
temporarily together in action, but CAV
each nothing more than sort of tolerate
for the other; and very early in the Stru
gle, while Mr.. johnson was vet in full fl
lowship with the Repl blican and Radio
party, Mr.. Etheridge became disguised al
abandoned any active participation
politics and returned to Tennessee and to,
imprisonment and oppression with bis pc
pie, while Mr.. johnson was at Washingt
helping administer these doses. Indeed,
we mistake not, Mr.. Johnson in the cal
part of his Presidential term either procur
the arrest and imprisonment of Etherid
OF refused to order his release. OF coul
the feelings engendered by such course
not soon die out; and Mr.. Etheridge and
friends went into the fight against Mr. Jot
son with all the esrnestness which an i
plHcabie hatred could impart to it. T
hso'eal representatives in the LeQislatu
would oil course have supported the M
unrepentsnt rebel in preference to J
johnson.
There was, under al the circums,anc,
but one solitary fact which made.Mr. Jol
son strong candidate, and one which
confess we believed and hoped would seer
his election He was known to be the nj
obnoxious man in the whole state, or pa.
as to that to the Radical party. They
ted him for righteousness sake too, and