Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-10-11
NAsHymLE CoRRRsPoypEyCE.
BATTLE HOUSE, NASHVILLE, Oct. 8.

Assembly have fully developed the political
.animus of the men composing il. To be- |
gin with the Senate, the election of Crawl |
Vaughn, the hero of the "brimstoner cam
paign, as Speaker, is striking comment
on the mental calibre, as well as the polit- |
ical animus, of those who did it. Those of
them who voted for him, who are able to
judge of his fitness for the position, already
regret their blunder. His incapacity is
about as prominent as the nose on his
face, and his friends are mortified at its eX
hibition. The fact is, his incapacity is be-
yond reach of remedy, for his Uranium is
full of emptiness, and he can never COM
prehend the nature of his duties. 1t will
he utterly impossible to dispatch business
in that body with him in the Chair. But
ne ranked higher on the muster-rolls of
the late Confederate army than any of his
colleagues, and we suppose this secured his
election. 1t is the only rational reason we
have heard given.
In the House, Mr.. James d. Richardson
was chosen Speaker as the readers of the
CHRONICLE lave already been told. Mr..
Richardson was a Major in the late
Confederate army. He is only twen-
ty-eight years of age, being one
of the youngest men in the House.
He appears to be man of talent, and after
a few days experience will no doubt make
"A good presiding officer. He was voted
'ior on final ballot by the Republican men,
,bers, they understanding him to he man
of more liberal views than his competitor,
Mr. Martin, of Wilson county. A. l..
Spears, of Bledsoe county, was put in
nomination, but he had been in the Fed
eral army during the war, and had there
by acquired disabilities which, it is to be
feared, will never be removed by the DEM
ocratic party to which he now belongs.
Ten votes were all that he could command,
more than half of which were given by
Republican members. Spears made a
Off 1ich
officer, as we happen to know, and it will
take long probation in the ranks of De-
,mocracy to atone for the course he took in
1861. He is man of more experience and
equally as well qualified in every way as
either of his competitors, but his name
could not be found on Hoods muster-rolls,
and he was ignored by the faithful Of the
party.
The same spirit exhibited itself in the
organization of both branches, from the
highest to the lowest offices. Both speak
ers, the Clerk and Doorkeeper of the SEN
ate, Engrossing Clerk and Doorkeeper of
the House, were all in the rebel army.
The Engrossing Clerk of the Senate,
lady, and the Assistant Doorkeeper of the
House and Senate, both boys, are the only
selections made, from names not appear
ing on the muster-rolls aforesaid Col.
Thos. III. Reeves, of the Jonesboro Patriot,
whose devotion to Democracy has never
been questioned, who had once before filled
the position with credit to himself, was
"a candidate for Assistant Clerk, but his
name was on the wrong muster-roll, he
having been in the Federal army, and he
received only seven votes, some of whom
were Republicans Mr.. Schultz, of Cooke
county, was a candidate for the same posi-
ton, but his name was not on the muster
roll of "Hood's army" and with the aid of
Republicans, he polled thirteen votes.
Jeemes White, of Hawkins, whose clar-
Id, a tl,a
hills and valleys of East Tennessee in de-
tense of Democracy, and who has encoun-
tered Radicalism in its stronghold, was q
candidate for Engrossing Clerk of the
House. but his name didn't appear on the
aforesaid roll, and Mr.. Williams, of West
Tennessee, whose name did SO appear, was
chosen instead. So it is. A man who has
no rebel record to back him cannot sue
cessfully compete for any position within
the gift of either House. A friend who
puts the matter strongly, suggests that a
man would appear about as favorably here
with the record of convicted criminal, as
with the record of a Union man, and espe-
-cially of Union soldier If any differ
.ence, he thought the latter would be the
more odious.
These Union Democrats are very natu-
rally feeling sore over this condition OF
affairs in their party. They not only feel
that way, but they don't hesitate to give
expression to their feelings. They talk
right out. heard very prominent mem
Der of the Senate talking to an ex-rebel
who is a prominent member of the
House. why" says the Senator, who
was Union man, but was elected
as Democrat, "the chasm between
the Union men and the rebels IL
Just as deep, as wide and as visible
to-day as it was when Hoods forces
invested the city of Nashville when de
Tended by Gen. Thomas, and you rebels by
your acts have rendered it So" The eX
rebel tried to convince him otherwise, bu
the Senator was implacable. This Sena
tor is an honest, upright man who ha!
the entire confidence of all who know him
regardless of sect or party. 1t may wei
,be imagined what effect such declarations
will have if made among his constituents
four-fifths of whom were Union men dur
ing the war. The matter shows for itsel
in the selection of Speakero of the Senate
DIR, Sewer is a man of capacity, honesty
integrity and is universally esteemed. HI
would have made an excellent presiding
officer. If by any contingency the Offic
of Governor should have fallen upon him
he would have filled it with credit to him
self and with honor to the Common
wealth. But Vaughn-whose forces occu
pied the country where Sewers home is
while he was forced to flee for safety to
loyal State, who has no qualification which
would fit him for presiding over schoo
boys debating society--is elected to the re
.sponsible position. His disabilities hav