The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-08-20
The Tennessee Electinn.

reputable political campaign in Ten
nessee will astOnish nobody. Mr..
Senter has been elected by a majori.
tY of more than thirty thousand over
William b. Stokes We apprehend
that the complete figures will increase
instead of diminishing SeBter's ma
jority. In this result, we repeat,
there is nothing surprising. Mfr.
Senter was at the outset the choice
of the majority of the Republican
party, and pronounced himself
throughout tie canvass, emphaticaily
and dIstinctively a Republican. In
addition TO the Republican support,
most Of the Democrats, realizing
their inability 20 elect candidate Of
their own, voted for him, and the
combination was 50 strong that we
only wonder that Seniel's majority
was not still more overwhelming.
The contest between these two
candidates has taken such a turn
that 1t would seem a national, Il state
and \ party misfortune that either
of them should be successful. They
haye both sisg-y.!.SSs, vulgar, i'll man
ncred fellows, incapable OF under
standing the common laws of decen-
cy, and not ashamed to resort to the
vilest arts and the meanest subterfu-
ges, if thereby they might promote
their rival ambitions. The canvass
has been distinguished by personal
abuse and low blackguardism. If
the candidates are to be believed, in
their charges concerning each other,
there is not crime in the calendar
of which they are not capable. Each
seems to have eRdeavored to Outdo
the other III abusive language, and
so far as they are concerned we had
no care which one wins. But if we
consider which of the two was the
least evil, Senter has an unquestion.
able advantage. He would have
been nominated by the State conven-
ton il disorderly supporters OF
Stokes had not broken il up, lie
was endorsed by nearly every Re
publican local organization. All the
leading Republicans, like Brownlow,
who fought to keep Tennessee in the
Union, when loyalty required pluck
aud courage, uphold the Senter tick
ct. Stokes was an irregular and self
chosen candidate, and until he was
endorsed by Secretary Boutwell, and
Postmaster General Creswell, cannot
he said to have had any prominent
Republican supporters. Again, Mr..
Senter occupied the platform which
comes nearest to the proper pro-
gramme for restoring the South to
peace and harmony. He holds to
the policy of restoring the franchise
to the Southern people jnst as soon
as it can be done with safety to the
interests Of the Union and Of Union
men. This is the position OF the
National Republican Union party,
announced at Chicago, and it is the
only one which will restore harmony
TO the country. The presence of 4
large disfranchised class i'll 4 repub-
lie is always an element of disc0n-
tent and of danger.
1t has been charged that 1Ir. Sen
ter, to secure his election, has enter
ed into compromises with Democrats.
We do not believe any such bargain
ing has been made. Senter would
not have such enthusiastic support
from the most thorough-gOing Re
publicans if he had thus sold them
out. The Democrats have generally
preferred to vote for Senter, who
favors Immediate enfranchisement of
the rebels, rather that for Stokes,
who would still keep them out in the
cold. They have tried to ''cut in
between the two Republican factions,
and secure possession of the Legis-
Iature. Senter is no more RESPONSE.
BILE than is Stokes for a condition of
affairs winch makes it remotely pos
sihle that Andrew johnson may be
returned to the United States Senate
from Tennessee.
The election of Dewitt G. Senter
as Governor of Tennessee is by no
means good thing, but we believe
it 10 be the least OF two evils. 1t
seems impossible that such men as
either Stokes or Senter should ever
succeed in attaining so exalted a po
sition; but we must remember that
the contest took place in State
which has contributed Andrew John
son to the Presidency, Patterson to
the United States Senate, and Mul-
lius to the House of Representatives,
and whose people regard I. A. r.
Nelson as the greatest legal luminary
IN the world.-elspslaad Leader.