Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-22
FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DIS
TRICT.


The Canvass between Carter and R cd
erieK Buuer-Cheatham VS.. John.
son.
To the Editor Of the Union and American:
NEWPORT DEPOT, TENN, Sept. Is, 1872.
-Thinking few lines from this section
may be of some interest to your readers, /
bave concluded to give YOU a few items in
reg I'd to the political outlook from our
standpoint. w. B. Carter and R. Butler,
candidates for Congress, spoke at this place
on yesterday to large, orderly and aften-
tive audience. The people seem to be
taking deep interest in the pending poiit-
ical contest, knowing that it is one of the
most important that has taken place in our
history.
Carter is very efficient speaker, and
makes Roderick Yrithe and agonize be-
meath his pOnderous blows in a manner
That should be fearful warning to all po-
litlcal sinners. Carter is sanguine of sue
cess, if the full conservative vote of the dis
trict can be got to the polls; hence the great
Importance of thorough organization, and
active, unceasiDg efforts TO influence every
voter TO come out and throw bis vote
against Capitalization, and impending mill
iary despOtism. Can it be, that any will
stay away, as in the past, and sullenly
brood over the wrongs of the psst-this Is
not The part that noble, generous, brave
men should play in this stupenduous strug-
gle Tor constitutional government. Awake,
arouse from your fatal lethargy and seize
the golden opportunity of redeeming the
first district from the blighting curse of
Radicalism.
Andy johnson is an enigma that is lust
now puzZlmg the brain of many Of his for
mer friends and admirers. We look on in
wonder and amazement at his strange
course; and if possible are still more as
founded az some Of his declaration. He
bitterly denOunces conventions, and charges
that they brought war and ruin upon the
country, and perhaps they did contribute
something toward it by putting such men
in office as himself, for he has certainly
been the nominee of many conventions,
and has all his life been supporting the
nominees of conventions. Strange and
unhcard of inconsistency.
We thought him tue TO our party and
ats organization, and instructed our dele
gates TO vote for him, but alas, how wofully
deceived. He raises the notes of discOrd,
and seeks TO rend in twain our party, pro-
claiming bOastfully that he is the candi-
date of the people. He tries to cleaYe as
sIIndeT the bloody chasm by proclaiming
that It was politicians war and the poor
mans fight, and that the officers kept out
Cf harms way. Go read the names of the
H0b,e and gallant dead, beginning at Stone
wall jackson, Sidney johnson, Stuart, Zol-
iico1er, Ashby, and ON down the long
list, and tell me not that this
is The Andy johnson of the past, that thus
ISLANDERS the gallant dead, whose mangled
forms sleep in that bloody chasm that he
processes a wish TO see forever closed. He
thanks his God that his paths have been
those of peace and that no mans blood is
upon him. Go, ify you please, and read bis
speeches made long before the war, and
Tell rue if he did not fire the Southern heart
by his bitter and unmeasured denuncia-
tons of aboitiOnism. He told us that we
lad compromised and compromised with
the North uniil all our constitutional rights
we're wel-nigh gone; that he was opposed
20 any more compromises on the part of
hc South; that Heaven itself would 5e
compromised away, if Satan could get up
one now aud then in which concessions
were continually made. See linn few
years later, standing in Congress when dark
clouds Of war were gathering along
the horizon. That hated party that
he so denounced had triumphed.
The whole sky was growing dark, and
,'e were on the verge of great and bloody
war. Efforts were made by noble men to
avert the awful calamity.
How spake our trusted leader in that aw-
ful hour, did be speak words of peace and
reconciliation, did he say to the North that
they had lrampled under foot the Consti-
tuition and that the South had just cause of
COMPLIANT, and had a right to be appreben-
sivs for her safety, did he stand calm and
'eif-poised pleading earnestly for peace, or
did be turn upon those who
had made him all that he was, and
denounce them as traitors, and hiss on the
dogs of war. When the South was lit up
by burning cities, and ruin, woe, misery
and desOlatiOn were seen on every hand,
was his voice raised on the side of mercy;
did he say, be lenient kind, magnanimoUs
for We were brave aud generous people,
30 had been driven to war by your aggres-
siOgs. There stands the gallant Cheatham
--f.ad bis history and see if he was one
thG. kept out of harms way. VIII Ten
uessee aid johnson in crushing him, OF viii
hey, by voting for johnson, put Maynard in
Congress? These are questions for South
eru men to seriously ponder.