Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-14
wAsHINGTON GOSSIP.

w yin UO0cAA
Radical Alarm at the Aspect of Affairs
at the south Election
Deferred Until Observation-Disclosures
of Colonel Warren With Secretary
Fish-rne Fenian Question Before
the CabiOet.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
WASHINGTON, July 9.--Among mat
tiers discussed at the cabinet meeting
to day the election in Mississippi and
Texas is said to have been the only
one Of importance discussed. The inter-
est centred in the election in the former
State and the time ofholding it. Before
the cabinet met delegation of Missis ;
sippians had called upon the President to
consult as to the time for holding the.
election in that State. After full ex>
change of views the President came to
the conclusion that the best time would
be about the 1st of September. This
suited the Missssippians. They had
explained to the President that this was
the best time, when the lsboring inter-
ests of the State needed least attention,
and when the negroes could best be
spared from the cultivation of the cotton
crop. They left the President with the
understanding that the LIST of Septem-
Der would be designated as the time
when the election should take place.
When the cabinet met the President
brought the subject up and presented his
views, which were the same, it is under
stood, as he had stated to the Mississippis
ans. The extreme Radicals of the cabinet
took exceptions to the LIST of September
at the time for the election. They thought
it should be postponed to a later day.
Mr.. Boutwell,, it is understood, led off
in advancing this opinion, and was second
ed by Mr.. Creswell. In the course of
the long discus sion which followed, the
result of the recent election in Virginia
naturally came in for comment. The
Radical members of the cabinet did not
seem to be pleased with the result.
They thought its effect upon the cleo
tons to come off in the Northern States
in the fall would be bad for the Republi>
can party. The indications were that
in most Of the States, especially PENIS
sylvania and Ohio, the elections would
be closely contested and the Republicans
could not afford to lose any ground. It
was conceded Mississippi would follow
the example Of Virginia, and give large
majority for the Conservative ticket.
Texas, Of course, would do the same.
This would tend to increase and inteAsi~
f. the effect produced by the Virginia
election. Mr.. Boutwell,, it is stated,
suggested that, in view Of all the cir.
cumstances, the best policy would be to
postpone the elections in Mississippi and
Texas until after the elections in the
Northern States. In this he was very
warmly seconded by Mr.. CreswelL The
asst Tuesday in November was proposed
for the election in Mississippi. The
President and one or two members
of the cabinet thought this would
be too late. Mr.. Boutwell, however,
argued his point so persistently that
he succeeded in getting a majority
of the cabinet on his side, and the pro-
position was finally agreed to. The Mis-
sissippians are very much disappointed
| at and dissatisfied with this arrangement.
They say it will interfere to an alarming
extent with the material interests of the
State. The time fixed upon occurs in
the middle Of the cotton picking season,
and the negroes cannot be spared from
| the cotton fields without detriment to
the crop. The result politically, they
say, will be the same whether the cleo
tion takes place in September or Novem-
Der, so that on that account nothing can
be gained. 1t is expected that the Pre-.
sident will issue his proclamation in a
day or two ordering an election in Mis-
sissippi in accordance with the decision
of the cabinet.
Col. John Warren, the famous Fen
ian, who suffered Imprisonment in Eng
land and was released through the in
terposition Of our government, had an in
terview with Secretary Fish to-day. Col.
Warren represented the cases of several
American citizens incarcerated in England
on charges of Fenianism, and urged
prompt interference in their behalf Some
of the Fenisn prisoners were tried and
convicted for acts done and words spoken
in America, and not for any reasonable
conduct on British soil. Col. Warren
told Secretary Fish that in all such cases
the American government should make a
demand for their immediate release. II
American citizenship was to be no protec-
ton abroad the fact should be understood,
so that foreigners may know hereafter
what it is worth to them to swear alle>
glance to the United States. Secretary
Fish asked Col. Warren what he would
have the government do in case England
should decline to release the prisoners
"You should insist upon it," answered
Warren.
"But suppose England should still re-
fuse?' suggested Fish. --,-g
"Why, then, you should fight for it, ,
replied Warren. "You have promised
protection to naturalized as well as native
: citizens, and you should extend it to
: them at every hazard. England has al.
ways protected her subjects under sim
liar circumstances, and has more glo'
rious record in that way than America
, Secretary Fish promised to lay tht
| matter before the attention of the cabi
met, and it is understood that the sub
ject was among those discussed at the
,, unusually protracted meeting to-day,
The cabinet remained in session until
four O'Clock in the afternoon, q fac
7 which has led to various rumors as t
the subjects that occupied so much at
tention. One authority has it that thu
Alabama claims were discussed, in con-
: sequence Of certain supposed information
: that dispatch had been received from
! Mr.. Motley detailing the particulars o
! an interview with Messrs. Clarend,
: and Gladstone. Another declares tia
Cuban matters were the great theme o
= discussion. Still another has it that al
a the talk wss about what was to be dom
. with Virginia-whether the Old Domin
e ion was to be constructed according t
n Radical requirements, and whethe
3 Walker could be allowed to zofficiat
n until Congress should declare the Stat
n properly restored. Yet another make
e Warren and his Fenian demands tn
IT great question of the four hours confer
d ence; while lastly, there are few VIII
d lean to the opinion that reciprocity wit
Canada monopolized pretty much the en-
J. tire sitting of the cabinet. The truth is
n perhaps, that all these subjects occu
je pied the attention Of the meeting, bu
IT now and to what end of course is NO
r, known.