Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-10-26
FOR CONSERVATIVE UNION MEN.

FOR CONSERVATIVE UNION MEN.
For four years past the Conservative
Union men Of Tennessee have given their
votes and influence to the Democracy OF
the State. They came forward in 1869 ana
even in 1868 and gave the weight OF their
influence as Union men, to place in power
in the State the present Democratic organ
ization. Every sensible man knows that
had the issue been sharply defined be-
tween the rebel element Of the Democracy
and the united Union element OF the
State, the advent Of the former into
power in Tennessee would have been
long postponed, But to relieve themselves
of supposed grievances, the Conservative
Union men allied themselves with the
rebel element and placed in power the
present intolerant democratic party. Now,
in return for this aid, what have they re
ceiyed from that extreme element of their
party? What has been the treatment OF
these Union men since the Democracy
came into power in Tennessee? Is it
not a fact familiar to every intelligent
man in the State, that from Senter down
the Conservative Union men have
been but hewers of wood and
drawers of water for their confederate as
sociates Has there been even a DISPOSE
ton shown to consult them about the NOM
ination for offices or about the policy OF
their State administration? Not at all !!
On the contrary, what are the facts
After the Senter administration was in
stalled there was enacted a series OF pro-
scriptive statutes, that for intoler-
ance and vindictiveness are without
parallel in the history of Tennessee
legislation. Senter was treated with con-
tempt and tolerated only so long as
he had authority. When his term of Of
fice-expired he retired to his rural home
and he has never been heard Of since. The
Democracy bave no further use for him.
When the last Legislature convened the
candidates for the second office in the
State-President of the Senate-were
Hon. w. r. Sewer, of JOnesboro', and
Gen. John c. Vaughn, of Monroe. Both
were East Tennesseeans. The former had
been a staunch Union man, and the latter
had served in the confederate army. Sc
vier was a gentleman of education and
we'll fitted for presiding officer. Vaughn
was VIGOROUSLY untitled for the place.
Yet Vaughn was elected over Sewer,
Why, is it asked? Because the latter had
been Union man. He was obnoxious for
that reason and no other. Take another
example When under the new constitu-
ton the people of the Chattanooga Chan
Gerry division were Gale dupon to elect their
Chancellor, the Conservative Union peo-
pie of the district looked TO Jesse Gaut,
ESQ.,, of Cleveland, as a suitable man. He
consented to the use of his name, upon
the understanding that Chancellor Key
was not candidate.
Yet, when the time came to name the
man, Key suddenly appeared and was
chosen and Gaut was set aside. The for
mer had been a rebel and the latter Union
man. Gaut was an excellent lawyer, emil
nently qualified for the position, but he
was obnoxious because Of his loyalty, In
the same section when the Congressional
Convention met last summer and the
choice for Congressman lay between Key,
rebel, and Blizzard and James, Conserva-
tive Union men, the former was, as mat
ter of course, nominated. 1t was publicly
charged then and there, and never contra
verified, that Blizzard was defeated be-
cause he had been a Union man. In
eur own district, strong movement was
projected at one time to nominate Hon.
Thomas A. r. Nelson for Congress, to
make some reparation to the Union Con-
sentative element for the shameful treat
ment they had received. But it met with
so little encouragement from the rebel eIe-
ment of the West and, that it was noise ri
ously urged by Judge Nelson's friends.
Col. John Williams and John Fleming.
Esq, were both candidates for the nomi-
nation. 1t is fact too notorious for dis
pute that o. Caldwell was nominated be-
cause of his rebel record. If Williams or
Fleming had worn the gray, one of them
would have been chosen. But we need
not press the examples farther.
The Nelson's, Crawfords, and Union
Conservative candidates for local offices in
Knox county, know they were marked in
our elections two years ago. Every intel
ligentma in Tennessee knows that for
four years this proscriptive policy has been
pursued.