Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-09-19
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LETTER FROM MEMPHIS.
MEMPHIS, TENN, Sept. 12

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Sept. 10, 1872.
JoHNsoN-CHEATHAM-
The fight for Congressman at large in this
State is the only one worth speaking of at
present Our old friends Grant and Greeley
are out of sight in the dust kicked up by this
remarkable contest. The Radicals in seeking
to take advantage of the split in the Greeley
ranks over Cheatham and johnson, have put
out Horace Maynard, the brightest man they
have in the party. The fight hence forward
will be threecornered and lively, ard spirited
enough to suit the most exacting.
Saturday last the Ex-President spoke at
Columbia to an audience of two or three thou
sand. He was we'll received and his speech,
which was able and lengthy, made profound
impression.
Bitter attacks have been made upon him
on account of his Union sentiments during the
war, and in his Columbia speech he took oc-
casion to defend himself. Hemaintained that
his course was the best, and that if the South
had remained in the Union and fought her
battle under the constitution, all the misery
and woe Of four years of war would have been
averted. He makes the issue plainly that the
South was not justifable in Withdrawing from
the Union, and that her hot-headed po Eticians
were in great measure responsible for the
war. Thisdoes not suit the leaders here, and
they are making every effort to crush johnson
and drive him from the field. But they will
hardly be able to do either.
1t is noticeable that perhaps majority Of
the Confederate soldiers support him, while
the general officers are far from it. The Col
onels and Generals are opposed to his election,
and in favor of Cheatham. The politicians
are also against him as well as six.sevenths
of the papers, in the State. Yet, such is his
strength with the masses Of the people that
he is likely to be elected over all opposition.
The mechanics and workingmen are for him
because he has always advocated their inter-
ests and is mechanic himself.
NASHVILLE TO MEMPHIS.
came here upon the same train with the
Ex-President, leaving Nashville at two o'clock
Monday. At several of the stations the peo-
ple crowded around his car and insisted upon
speech, or at least hand.shaking. The en-
eineer of the train invited him to ride upon the
engine with him, and indeed all the railroad
men seemed to vie with each other in nantes
ting their esteem. At some points the section
hands would pass by in file, shaking his hand
and expressing determination to vote toI
him no matter who ran. Take the railroad
men of the State right through, and [ think
he will get four out of FIVE of their votes.
When the train reached Mckenzie the
hour was late, and Mr.. johnson had retired
to his berth and was asleep. AS soon as the
men about the station learned that he was
aboard they event for him" with lanterns, and
made him get up and address them. Mounted
upon dry goods box he spoke ten minutes
or as long as the train remained. He told his
hearers that he was not a candidate for Office
on account ofthe money or the honor it would
bring. He had been economical all his life
and had enough for comfortable support as
long as he should live. AS for the honor
that was nothing to him, as he had held al
the Offices from the lowest to the highest, and