The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-07-31
The Tennessee COnteut-Mr. Bont.
wells Letter.
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The Tennessee COntest-Mr. bout.
wells Letter.
From the ". y. Times.
The wisdom OF the course pursued
by Secretary Boutwell,, In lndenLifyinG
himself with Stokes In the Ton nessee
contest, 10 more than doubtful. Great.
" Interested In the contest he NAV
naturally be ! and right he certainly Il
In believing that the future political
character and general prosperity Of the
state depend largely upon the contln.
uADce OF the Republican party In
power. But we are unable 10 anpre.
OlHte the expediency or Justice OF Inter-
ference In behalf OF one section Of The
Republican party and against another
secIloni the section asSailed by Mr.,
Boutwell being moreover, that which
IL most 10 harmony with the general
policy OF The President and with the
desires and purposes OF the party every.
where.
II cannot be on the ground OF polltl.
cal anLecedentB and consistency that
the Secretary declares himself In favor
OF Stokes. AS between Stokes and Sen.
ter there ls Ia this respect nothing to
choose. Both were hostile to The au.
thority OF the Union at the outbreak OF
the war. Neither became loyal under
circumstances which entitle him to any
special credit. Ex-Governor Brown.
low, who can be no more suspected OF
sympathy with rebels than Mr.. Bout.
we'll, declares that, with twenty. Eve
years knowledge Of both candidates,
his preference IL for Senter. Il have
closely watched their political COURSE
says the old man, and give II % my
candid opinion that Governor Senter's
personal character 10 the better OF the
Two; that his political record IL more
CONSTANT; and that, In point Of ability
and statesmanship, he Is far SUPERIOR
We do not accept this testimony as con.
elusive. But II forms a tolerA6ly good
set. of 10 The SeCretary's partially for
Stokes.
II superior, personal or political
record cannot be claimed for Stokes, 10
he entitled 10 consideration because OF
Is he The regular Republican candidate,
and Senter the boltef2 Certainly not.
The convention called to nominate 0
candidate did not outllvs the prellmIn-
aries; row arose about the chairman.
ship, and the proceedings went no
further. And inasmuch az no nomiuR.
lion was made, neither Stokes nor Sen.
ter can pretend 10 be the regular candI.
date. Both are seli.nominRted. This
fact, however, seems 10 be unqueRtion-
able; OF the delegates to the conVen.
lion, majority were friends OF SsnIsr;
the disturbance which terminated the
convention having been gotten up by
supporters OF Stokes and In his Inter-
est
The consistency Of the two candidates
being equal, judging OF Them In r0la.
ton 10 the Union In the earlier stages
Of the war, and the irregulArlty Of their
candidacy being the same, In what d.
rection shall we look for the lustifoaa
ton Of Mr.. BOutwsll's Interference I?
The proper test, next TO the regularity
OF q party nomination, Is the platform
on which the contest Is conducted
Tried by this standard, we have no
hesitation In saying that the platform
occupied by Senter 10 more In accord
with that of the Administration aud OF
the Republican Party than that OF his
opponent. Toe CANVASS, so far, has been
marked more by an interchange OF OF.
fenslve personalities than the discus,
sion OF principles. But an important
principle, nevertheless, separates the
candidates. Senter and his friends
BrOwnlow lncluded-fAvor the earliest
possible enfranChIsement Of thoge on
whom the local law has heaped dlsa.
biliLieS. They proclaim that pToscrIp-
finn n naNaaatkFR NJ tho Tina NJ
which 1t was resorted to, but that the
necessity for 1t has passed, and that its
continuance serves only 10 keep alive
angry feeling and foster difficulties In
the State. The Stokes Party, on the
other hand, under the plea OF preserv.
Ing partisan ascendency, would pro.
long Acknowledgement, with I'LL its IT.
rItation and Injustice.
Ga the leading issue OF the canvass,
then, Senter 10, and Stokes 10 not, In
harmony with the present policy Of the
Republican party. That policy In re.
gard to prescription Ia happily unmIs.
taxable. The Chicago Convention
which nominated Grant placed him on
q platform OF which the removal OF dis.
abilities was conspicuous feature, and
successive State Conventions have re.
affirmed the same purpose. The latest
Instance Is that.oI the California Re.
pub!tcans, who resolved That the rail
flcatiOn OF the Fifteenth Amendment
should be followed by an act OF univer-
sal amnesty and the enfranchisement
Of the Southern people, The RepublI>
cans OF Mississippi, Radical and Con-
sentative, are agreed upon this point,
which commands the most undivided
approval Of the Republican presB
throughoutsthe country. By Identify.
ing himself with prescription, Stokes
runs counter TO Republican feeling In
other States, and 80 comedies 10 Senter
the vantage ground.
With regard TO the Fifteenth Amend.
ment, there Ia no difference between the
candidates. Senter has avowed him
sell It's advocate In decided terms, as
sorting that lis adoption by the Ten.
nessee Legislature Is dictated by Jus.
tice, sound policy and wise states man
ship" In this respect, therefore, he Ia
unobj eotlonable.
Mr.. Boulwell's letter, then seems 10
us mistaken mistake that Is all the
more serious because involving retlec-
lions upon the patriotism OF the Reppb.
liCan supporters OF Senter, the leaders
o. whom have built up the Republican
Party In Tennessee, and stood BY II
when Stokes was seIhshly calculating
the chances. 1t ia not prudent or lust
for the Secretary Of the Treasury 10 in
terGere between Republicans, aud least
Of all TO accompany interference with
tmputaIions upon those Of them who
have espoused the cause OF Senior.
There IL no valid reason for Identifying
the Administration with the triumph Of
one candidate or the other. Both being
Republicans, with large Republica
following, the interest OF the Admins.
trRLlon and OF the party will be best
promoted by the maintenance Of neu.
trail attitude at Washington. There
may be little apparent IMPROPERLY Ia
an expression OF preference for Stokes;
but Ia 1t desirable to make enemies OF
the Senter Republicans, who Will In ali
probability carry the Slater
ScRAMDLERs.-There are people who
are never what our Northern house,