Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-17
sENTER AND STOKES.
THEY HAVE a TALK At KaOxyilLe
Stokes Ahead in East Tennessee.

Cor Nashville Union and American
KNOXVILLE, June 1.-THE audi
ence in attendance on the speaking of
the candidates for Governor numbered
twelve hundred or moe.
Gov. Senter opened the debate in q
speech of two hours length. Upon
the leading issue-the question Of i'm
mediate or gradual enfranchisement-
he took substantially the same ground
as at Nashville and Cleveland. His
language at both places was repeated,
and he laborcd to make it emphatic
He was for the removal OF restrictions
by the readiest proper mode, and
would so recommend to the Legisla-
tuTe. The remainder Of his speech
was devoted to the record of Stokes
during the rebellion, and as a member
of Congress. He enlarged upon his
tergiVersatiOns on the original ques-
ton of rebellion, his attitude toward
the negro population, and his equivO-
cal position on the extension of the
franchise. He cOntended that he had
played fast and loose on all these ques-
tiOn, but that as his Nashville speech
placed him, he was in antdgonism to
the broad and liberal doctrines of the
National Republican party on the suf-
frage issue.
Gen. Stokes entered on q defense Of
his rebellion record. He attacked in
turn the record of Senter rs a member
Of the Legislature of 1861. In eply
to the charge Of Senter in regard TO
the Cate conspiracy, he said that he
and Cate had right to discuss and
consider Senter's disabilities, and held
as proof that they were correct, that
Senter had been subsequently COM
PEELED to solicit Congress TO remove
them. In relation to the negro ques-
ton, he claimed to have been the first
man in the State to advocate the right
of suffrage for the cOi0red race. He
also asserted that he was the first to
propose any modification of the fran
chisc laws of the State regarding
rebels. He labored this point at
length, and endeavOred to make it ap-
pear that he 1rGS q better dulirerSGE slit-
frdGe man than Se53ter. He referred
to eX-Gov. BroWnlOw's card, and said
that Senter endorsed ii. Under that
position, he said il would take at least
two years to enfranchise rebels, whilst
on his plan the process could be com
meBced at once. He hoped that Gov.
Senter would not use his official posi-
tion to tamper with the registration
of voters. He assailed vigorously the
railroad management and the school
fund business. He demanded an en-
tire change in the financial adminis-
tratiOn of the State, and urged econ
omy in the public expenditures.
Gov. Senter, in his rejoinder, charged
Gen, Stokes with trying to tack on
the suffrage question. He defended
his course in removing Commissioners
of Registration in the counties of
Maury and Wilson, on the ground
that the officers in these counties had
failed to do their duty by refusing to
register men entitled under the de-
cisiOn of the Supreme Court.
Gen. Stokes reioinder was merely
to an exhibition of his Con-
gressional services in behalf of the
people. He spoke specially of the i'm
provements made by the Government
in the navigation of the Tennessee
river, and claimed special credit for
them.
The debate was attentively heard,
and spiced literally with sharp per-
In these Stokes had the
and evidently had the en-
couragement and sympathies Of the
listeners generally.
The crowd in attendance appeared
to- be largely in favor of Stokes. Sem
ter's doctrine of universal suffrage is
not popular with the Radicals of East
Tennessee. Brownlow's card even
does not suit them.