The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1869-01-22
'.The Movement in Tennessee. "

Inc movement In Tennessee"
The Louisville Courter-Journal has a
leading article about the political or
party prospects in Tennessee. The
writer is somewhat at fault in some of
ms conclusions, but not altogether
wrong. He alludcs to the disscnsions
in the ranks of the radical party, and to
the course of Secretary Fletcher and Mr..
Speaker Richards; and continues as fol-
lows:
The alienation of the Governor from
the Secretary of State did not affect the
position of the latter in the Radical par
ty. Fletcher was genuine Republi-
can at bottom, and as he monopolized
the brains Of the concern, it could not
DO without him. He has courage, en-
terprise and sagacity; is as daring as
Andy johnson, and as good.naturcd as
Emerson Etberidge; and he aspires,
Wrist, to be the next Governor Of the
State, and thence, to be transferred to
the United States Senate in place of
Brownlow, who can hardly last another
year.
Richards is q New England man, but
he has resided in Memphis for many
years He is intelligent, active and am
bitious; has distinct ideas of his own
upon society and politics; and wants to
become the foremost Republican in his
section of the State.
The gentlemen who follow Fletcher
and Richards are not the most conserva-
tive, but the most intelligent members
of The Legislature, who conceive the
possibilities of the situation and look to
improve it in season. Those who op-
pose them are merely the cob-webs
which have collected about the Brown
low machine; ignorant men who were
put III the Legislature by machine work
manufactured to order in fact. They
will never be heard of when the work
of reaction sets in positively; for their
combined intelligence would not make
up a decent average.
The Radical Tennessee Congressman
at Washington-Maynard, Stokes, Ar
nell, Trimble, ,Mullins-all voted against
the repeal of the tenure Of office act.
The meaning of all this is q split
Grant will not go the ultra Radical fig
ure. Radicalism in Tennessee cannot
stand without it. Hence the ultra Radi.
cal leaders are preparing to make fight
in their last ditch; and. as Fletcher,
Richards & Company think it cannot be
maintained, they propose in advance a
compromise. "all hands round.' and
on this proposition parties will shape
themselves during the spring. 1t will
be contest between Radicals and Re-
publicans. The disfranclised will have
nothing to do with it; and its result
will be the complete overthrow of the
kukluX-Brownlow ring and the as.
ccndancy Of the first liberal, but anti
lJQmocratic organization in the South
Stokes will relapse into his place as
sccond-rate, up-country politician
Maynard will be ousted from q seat
which he has held by a sort of suffer-
ancc. Trimblc, who is rs crazy as n bed
bug, will sink back into an armchair.
from which he ought never to have
Mullins will take to shoeing
horses once more. A new order of men
will rise into prominence; and of these
Fletcher, the Secretary Of State, will be
the chief.
Radicalism, being thing of dark
ness, cannot last. Rcpublicanism, be-
ing at least a thing of progress, will
it. Thence the advance to pure
Democracy, as conceived by the foun-
tcrs of the government, will be only
question of fine