Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-09-12
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer
LETTER FROM TENNESSEE.
AZ Ca.l e 1910
NASHVILLE, Sept. 6, 187
A THREE.CORNERED FIGHT


Tennessee politics is becoming decidedly in
teresting. The movements upon the political
chess-board may not be fully understood at a
distance, but feel quite sure that the readers
of the ENQUIRER will be kept tolerably we'll
posted. This is the third or fourth letter l
have written to you from this interesting camp
ground, and have thought each one would be
the last, as contemplated moving headquar-
ters to another State, but have delayed from
week to week as the complex situation be-
came gradually unfolded. Most of the inter.
est here is now centered in the Johnson
Cheatham-Maynard campaign. Greeley and
Grant are both in danger of being lost sight
of in the uproar occasioned by the independ-
ent candidacy of ex-President johnson. The
Greeley party is so split about this, and each
wing 80 violently for or against Andy, that
they would give the State to Grant in order
to carry it for one or the other Of their favor
ties if it could be done in no other way. The
bitterness between the johnson party and the
Cheatham party is greater than between the
respective hosts of Grant and Greeley. .,;.
This may seem strange to outside ears, and
you of South Carolina may say that the Ten
nesseeans are lacking in sense or patriotism,
or both but such as are here will verify its
truth The campaign between Greeley and
Grant is comparatively tame to what it is be-
tween Cheatham and johnson.
AS between Greeley and Grant, there is no
occasion for excessively violent feelings either
way The Democrats will vote for Greeley
because he is the Baltimore nominee and
better man than Grant; and the Radicals
will vote for Grant because he is the party
candidate. There is no great amount Of en-
thusiasm upon either side. The Grant men
concede the State to Greeley, and the Greeley
men know they will get it, so there is not
much to make a fuss about. Indeed, the
Presidential campaign in Tennessee has been
dull from the first. The meetings OF the res
pective parties have not been marvels in size
or in enthusiasm. 1t could not be otherwise
when the November result is so easily read in
everybody's face.
Such was the lax condition Of the Presiden-
tial campaign when Andrew johnson came
down from his mountain home and began
stirring up the animals. 1t was known that
he aspired to seat in Congress from the
State at large, and when Mr.. Cheatham's
convention nominated Mr. Cheatham, and
ANDY announced himself as an Independent
candidate, there was commotion broader
and deeper than anything the ridiculously
one.sided Presidential campaign had brought
ought. Since the mammoth demonstration
on the public square in favor Of johnson, and
the announcement of his intentions to stump
the State, there has been no more dullness in
Tennessee politics.
There are now three parties in the State
the johnson party, the Cheatham party, and
the Radical party. The fight will be three
cornered one with the chances very much in
Johnson's favor.
The Radical State convention met here on
the day before yesterday. Their action has
not been as oil on the troubled waters. Rath-
er has it been as fierce north.easter upon
sea already lashed to fury and foam by con-
trary winds. The Radicals had great op-
portunity to have gained something by the
split in the enemys ranks; but with their
usual stubborn stupidity they neglected to
take advantage of it. Had they possessed as
much craftsmanship in their councils as is or
dinarily found in board of common school
directors, or bench of justices of the peace,
they would have made no nominations, but
left the enemy free to tear themselves to pieces
without outside embarrassment. By doing
this they could have gained at least dozen