Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-21
THE SENATORIAL QUESTION.
To the Members of the Tennessee
LEGISLATURE.

An humble citizen, with no office and no
aspirations for one, and certainly with no
desire to intermeddle with things which do
not belong to me, but being directly inter
estedin the great question which Tennessee,
! through YOU, must decide, l feel at liberty
to offer suggestion.
| One of our leading papers, the other day,
! advised, in the matter of the Senatorial
| election, that the struggle should be pro-
tracted; that the members who might start
| out votingfor their favorite land, of course,
meaning to cover the case where personal
considerations, local or other questions,
| should prompt sueh vote-should continue
indefinitely to stand by such fayorites, in
the hope that finally chance might make a
choice of such fayorite. After the work of
to-day, much apprehension is felt on this
| subject. Is the suggestion to be adopted
If so, how long will or can the body main
tain its present high position in public
esteem? / only bring to mind the evils of
| such course.
But this is an incidental question and l
| do not dwell on it, because apprehend no
| such danger from body of SO much intel
hgence and especially from body whose
election meant business, and whose voea-
ton is work, work, work.
The question which desire to bring be-
fore You, gentlemen, is Mr. Johnsons cleo
ton. Read what l have to sayssand take it
for what it is worth.
So strong is the demand from our friends
abroad to elect Mr. johnson, that the entire
Northern Democracy is assailed by the
organ of the opposition here at home, and
YOU are asked, and asked with vehemence,
to cut loose from it. If you cut loose from
our present friends, one of three things is
TO be done.
Give up the contest form new party,
OF Join the Radicals And there is no way
of escaping one of these alternatives.
Gentlemen, as an humble citizen, beg
YOU to reflect upon this ISSUE Our friends
have accomplished wonders-they have no
thought of surrendering. To do so is TO
give up the Constitution. They believe
the way TO save the Constitution is to ex-
poseits despoilers. Who, in all Tennessee,
would say nay to this proposition outside of
this CITY? n defense ofrght the boldest course
is ALWAYS most successful Our friends
demand Mr. johnson. Shall we heedthem,
or shall weheed the Constitution despoilers
who do not want him? A graver question
gentlemen / presenter your consideration.
Do YOU approve the canvass'as conducted
against Mr.. johnson? All will admit that
Mr. johnson, since he came to the
CITY. has conducted himself with extreme
propriety and dignity. Not one word of
reproach has been uttered by himself or
auy of his friends against the numerous
gentlemen who are candidates against
him. The canvass on the part
of MIR. johnson and his friends would do
honor to any people. This course is pur-
sued under a high sense of propnety. The
high position to which Mr.. johnson aspires,
in the estimation of his friends and him
self. forbids its attainment by detraction.
They have proceeded alone upon merit.
Will not the enlightened people of Ten
nessee approve this when the passion of the
hour passes away?
But the other side-the picture makes
one start For virulence, for. defamation,
nothing like it has occurred in Tennessee.
Denunciation and epithet are the arguments
against Mr.. johnson; and if one-half what
is said about him were believed he would
be mobbed before he left town.
This is the course pursued to drive the
Legislature from a man who is admitted on
all hands to be overwhelmingly the choice
of the people. But, after days of abuse
and vituperation, your body votes, giving
Mr. johnson 43 votes, and the next highest
man 20. And then this organ of the oppO-
sitiOn, as an unanswerable argument, adj
dressed to, or at least for you, proclaims
that Mr.. johnson ought to get off the track
because he is condemned. If he ought to
get off because he only gets 40, what ought
the man to do who only gets 80? But the
consistency of this organ, which, not SIX
DAYS ago. advised all to stay On the track if
they got but one vote, as they might be
chosen.
The great question before the country Is,
will the Legislature be influenced by abuse
of johnson? viii the terrorism which Is
held over some of them have its effect
Can combinations first draw off and then
transfer members and in this way can the
peoples wish be thwarted? 1t is a known
fact that a number of Mr. Johnsons friends
are now voting for favorites who, however,
have no chance to be elected. These votes
the combination expect to transfer finally
to the opposition and at last use them.
This am sure can not be done. Having
| favorite and being transferred are two DIFF
ferent things.
Who is Andrew johnson? Years ago, a
boy without money and without friends,
| and with an aged mother on his hands
he came to Tennessee for home. By the
| labor of his own hands he supported him
| self, his mother and her children until he
| grew to be a man. He not only learned q
| trade in the meantime, but he applied
/ himself to books until his attainments are
much more than We find among our public
men generally. BY force of his own char
acter he came into public life, and from the
| Legislature to the lower house of Congress,
where he served~4or many years then
| twice elected Governor of the State-then
| United States SenatOr-then Vice President
| and then for four years the constitutional
| President of the United States. In ali
these positions he has been felt. In point
| of intellect, by common consent, his rank
is with the first men of the nation. He Is
now advanced in years, and is man OF
| great dignity, as well as force of character.
The bitterest enemy he has-a man who
travelled half across the State to aid in de-
feating him for the Senate-in a TRADE OF
abuse the other day at the Maxwell House,
paid Mr. johnson high compliment. AZ
ter pouring out walls of wrath upon his
head, he stopped and said: But, there Is
one thing l will say for him, d-n him; and
that is. they never could buy him with
gold He Is incOrruphble.
| ms Is true, ana II retlectS more llBns
upon the character of the man than a whole
newspaper of abuse.
| This man, who has made himself, is {
man of general information and of great
ability-is an acknowledged statesman
| whose presence in the Senate would itsel
he some security for the constitution
becoming a candidate displeases some peO
pie, especially newspaper editors; and t.
defeat him and drive you from his support
they assail him with bitterness and fierce
ness never before known.
If Mr. Johnson had been known pick
pocket for years the denunciation could no
be more violent This is the mode adopte,
to control the Tennessee Legislature, ant
the people are greatly interested in the de
cision. If mere defamation and abuse ar
to so far succeed as to defeat a man so EN-
inently qualified as he is for high position
what motive can be held out to the hOnora
BILE boy to strive to make a great name
Mr.. Johnson is now a national man-wOul,
f be a tower Of strength in any legislativ
body in the world; is q man of age AM
dignity calm but firm statesman re
spected among friends and foes as honest
and as the Constitutions defender in tn
greatest struggle of modern times owe
constitutional liberty. To defeat this ma
defamation is the watchwOrd. The exam
pie will be terrible if it shall succeed.
TENNESSEE.
| ----l------@--.-.
Mr.. Bowers, of HarrisonviIe, Gas
1 IL. I