Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-16
GREENEVILLE CONGRESSIONAL
CONVENTION.

To the Editors of the Union and American:
GREENEvILLE, Tenn, Sept. II, 1870
Dear Sirs: The Congressional Convention
for the first district assembled in this
place on the 10Th inst, and after ten bal
lettings, adjourned to meet on the oath
inst, having failed to make nomination.
From the dispatches sent to the Knoxville
press, which gave simply the names bal
loted for, and the number of votes received
by each, the public have been misled into
the belief that ex-President johnson was
candidate before that convention, which
was not the case.
The twO-.hirds rule for nomination was
adopted. Sixty-eight votes were neces-
sary to choice. On tue first ballot, COM
plimentary votes were cast for various
persons, none receiving more than TWEEN
ty-One votes, except Hon. James White,
whose friends, meaning business, started
out on a compliment of the more substau-
tial kind, and gave him fOrty-one votes.
For several ballOtings there was little
change, the opposition of Mr.. White pre-
pairing in the meantime for concentration.
They put in nomination Hon. w. B. Car
ter, of Carter county, after the fourth
ballot was had, ald attempted to unite
upon him on the fifth ballot, but failed,
for on that ballot Sullivan county, in ODE
dience TO instructions, cast its eighteen
votes for Mr.. johnson, as it had on each
proceeding ballot. The sixth ballot msde
little or no change Then followed vehe-
ment speeches. Mr.. johnson had not
been put in nomination; none had the
authority to do this; yet Sui
livan county delegates said they
could not do otherwise than
vote according to instructions. This was
keeping Mr.. Johnson before the conven-
ton as an aspirant, and Greene county
knowing be was not only not an aspirant,
but that he would not, under any circum-
stances, as he had repeatedly privately
and publicly declared, accept a nomina-
ton; yet, lest the public might think she
would not support her favorite and distin-
guished son, she dropped her candidate
and cast her vote on the 7th ballot for
Mr.. johnson. Washington followed suit,
and so did Carter, giving Mr.. Johnson
fifty. eight votes, to forty-four for Mr..
White. Then followed more vehement
speeches and much confusion. The
friends of Mr. White thought it folly to
vote for a man who had repeatedly de.
clared he would not accept unanimous
nomination. They proffered to vote SOL
idly for Mr.. johnson if any member
would put him in nomination, and
pledge him to accept unanimous nom
inatiOn. None could do this. 1t could
only be argued that the public had a right
TO demand of Mr.. johnson an acceptance
of a nomination, and that possibly he
would do so. The delegates from Sulli-
van, said they had no discretion, but
must continue to vote for Mr.. johnson,
and so for three more ballots there was
balloting between the only candidate that
was any longer before the convention, Mr.
White, and the name of Mr.. Johnson,
falsely put before that body, the tenth
ballot being fifty for Mr.. White and fifty
two for Mr.. johnson. The Convention
was locked and an adjournment till the
oath inst, was made.
Mr.. johnson, who was at the time in
your city, will undoubtedly be indignant
on hearing of the unwarrantable use of
his name in the convention, which places
uiLl IL SUCH idlst dlJlluuO DelOI6 lue
public. Some of the opposition to Mr..
White, seeing that Sullivan county would
| likely instruct her delegates in favor of
Mr. White, induced the county cOnven-
ton to believe that Mr.. johnson would
accept a nomination, and succeeded, I'M
fortunately, in having the delegation in
| struCted accordingly.
If Mr.. Johnson had been candidate,
or if the Convention had believed that he
could, by entreaties, have been prevailed
upon to accept nomination, be would
have been nominated by reclamation. If
he so desired he could not only get the
vote of every county, but we believe that
he could get the vote of every civil dis
triCt of the eleven counties composing the
! First Congressional District.
In justice to Mr. Johnson, and that the
public may know why it was that the
name of Andrew johnson was before a
nominating convention of Con-
grlssional district do l write this
article, knowing well the facts given,
having been a member of the Convention.
Yours, respectfully, E. c. REEVES.