Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-05
THE HERO OF THE CALF-KiE.LER
DEFINES IFYS pOSTrIoN.

ult., informing him that ait is ru-
mored and currently reported that
he is .in favor of universal suf-
frage;" and that elf such. be true,
they desired to know it, and asking
him to respond Immediately"
That Duncan letter has caused
even Radicals to look upon Stokes
with suspicion. A report may be
put in circulation that he favors this
or that policy, not in accord with
Radical plans and purposes, and
forthwith they prick up their ears
to catch the rumor, and look at
each other with a shake of the head
which means "he's.a slippery fell
fow." Poor Stokes, he deserted
the Union just at the moment when
the poised scales were turning, de-
nounced its President as a usurper,
and declared that he had enlisted to
resist the tyrant. When the scales
turned the other way, Stokes was
found again on the heavy side. This
facility of adjusting his position to
suit circumstances has caused his
Radical friends to regard him with
suspicion, and when a rumor floats
along that he is not exactly
with them, they are ready 10
believe it. They should not
treat the poor fellow thus. There
is no possibility that he could get
into any other party, and the fact
that he has shown peculiar aptness
for getting on the strong side in
emergencies like that which called
forth the Duncan letter, and that
which succeeded that memorable
epistle, should not be held to his
discredit under present circumstan-
ces. Mr.. Stokes is smart enough
to feel keenly the suspicion which
his little contretemps Of a few
years ago has brought upon him,
and thinks, no doubt, that his de-
votion to the party " since his last
flank movement should atone for
the other little affair The interTo-
gatory addressed him by the East
Tennessee members Of the Legisla-
ture, touched him on that very sore
point which implied want Of conf
dence in him, and he answers "em-
phatically, that he is not, nor never
has been, and don't know that he
ever will be-" in favor of universal
suffrage. He is thus emphatic be-
cause he aspires to govern this
commonwealth, and to WAIVER in
the least would lose him the support
Of loyal East Tennessee. But he is
not content with this declaration Of
his present position and future in
tention. He tells his interrOgatOrs
that when the killing of Union
men ceases, the hellish organisation
known as Ku- KluX disbands, and
the laws are observed" he would
then be "willing to amend the State
constitution so as to allow the dis
tranchiSed to come in gradually"
"This would not endanger the Re
publican party" he says, "for the
reason that it would require a two
thirds vote Of each house to re-
move their disabilities, and he con-
soles himself with the reflection
that at will be some time before
the Conservative Democracy will
have such a majority" Mr.. Stokes
is decidedly opposed to endanger-
ing the Radical party by letting
too many of the tax payers of the
State vote. He does not pretend
that it would endanger the public
safety or the credit of the State
'to allow the DISTINGUISHED to come
in, but it would endanger the Rad
ical party, which he thus sets above
the State and the interests Of
great people Mr.. Stokes is sharp
enough to appreciate the fact that
universal suffrage would consign
him to a political oblivion from
which the hand Of resurrection
could never bring him forth. Be
fore such a hypothesis all his
dreams of exercising the regal
power which BrOwnlow has swayed
over this unfortunate State
melt into thin air. OF course
he is opposed to the extension of
suffrage which would in the least
jeopordise his prospects for that
glittering prize Extend suffrage,
and the hero Of the Calf Killer
would subside into simple Bill
Stokes, with "none so poor as to do
him reverence. The "well dis
posed ex- Rebels" are tax payers
they constitute the wealth and in
telligence of the State, but the con
sequences of Trimmings bullet
upon Stokes at Murfreesboro,
would be a mere circumstance to
the effect upon him of the ballots
ofthese men. Oh. no it will never
do to place in their hands so dan
gerous, so fearful weapon as the
ballot. Before the men Of Tennes-
see, armed with so terribly destruc
tive an instrument as this, Stokes
would go down to the depths from
which he was thrown by ADVENT
tious circumstances. No wonder |
he is emphatic in declaring