Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-04
1.-THE UNITED STATES sENATOR.1
SHIP

4
giant. The next House being already
ours by seventy majority, the crisis must
come during the six years of Brown
lows successor, when a closely balanced
Senate win give need and scope for the
display of the amplest powers.
Throughout the State, the sentiment
is universal that the coming Senator
from Tennessee should be a man of
ability and stability, of wisdom and
experience in public affairs, of pru-
dence, and, withal, positive man.
Thechoicerests with the Legislature.
We reproduce elsewhere an article
from the Memphis appeal, suggesting
a legislative caucus to make the nomi-
nation. The reasons given are the
saving of time, the preventing of a
disgraeeful general scramble for this
digDifed Office, and the preservation OF
harmony and good will in our ranks,
which might be jeopardized by the
acrimonies engendered from a prolong-
ed contest. We are sorrow to differ
with our contemporary, but, in view of
all the circumstances, the reasons given
are hardly sufficient to require caucus
nomination.
1t is true that in Tennessee, and in
many other States, it has often been
found polite and necessary to resort to
the caucus. Such a course is eminent
ly proper in a closely-balaneed Legis-
lature, or where a large minority are
ready to take advantage of divisions in
the majority, or are striking under
hand bargains. This, happily, cannot
be the case with our incoming Legisla-
ture, composed Of 50 Democrats to s
Republicans in the Senate and in
the House. a Democratic caucus
would differ precious little from meet
ing of the Legislature itself. The ad-
vantage gained by excluding the eight
Republicans would be infnitessi-
mal-hardly sufficient, in our opin-
ion, to justify resort to a piece of
party machinery which is designed
only for emergencies. In the
Senatorial contest it takes a majority
to elect. 1t is not like race for Gov
ernor before the people, or the Con-
gressional race in the Fourth District,
where a multitude of Democratic can
didates would elect a Radical by a
mere plurality vote. The successful
candidate for the United States Sem
ate must receive more than a plurality;
ne must secure a majority. The peo-
pie vote but once for a Congressman,
and the highest man takes the prize.
Not so with the Legislature, which
can vote again and again, till the ma
jority agree. If the Senatorship de-
pended on the first ballot, we should
advocate a caucus nomination most
strenuously. If the Legislature were
closely divided, or if twenty or thirty
Radical members were understood to
be for sale, we should advocate it.
But in view of our Legislature being
almost unanimously Democratic, we see
no necessity for it.
The question of the saving of time
by a cacus nomination has some weight,
in view of the many other important
measures that viii demand the study
and earnest elaboration of the Legis-
lature during its seventy-fve days ses-
sion. Yet we think the temper of the
members, as well as of the people, and
also Of the various Senatorial aspir-
ants, is such that a lengthy struggle
viii not be tolerated. The man who
stands in the way of a speedy election
Is likely to be speedily set aside.
Enough time should be devoted to it,
however, to make good and satisfacto-
~ work.
This disposition goes far with us to-
ward dissipating any fears of discord
and acrimonies being bred of a pro-
lopged contest; and we are of opinion
that an open course, dealing with the
whole subject in the Legislative CHAM
Der, before the people, so that all may
see exactly how thefnalresult is brought
about, viii prove the surest means for
preventing after asperities and pre-
serving the harmony now happily pre-
vailing in our ranks. Il must be
remembered that, justly or unjustly,
some men are credited with greater
experiences than others in managing
caucuses. Better give all an even
chance in the open field, so long as
there is no possible chance Of Radical
being elected. The very last Senatorial
caucus in this State has been a subject
of annual animadversions ever since,
although the need for it was a hundred
fold greater than any that now ap-
pears.
Entertaining these views, we cannot
endorse the Appeals call for a caucus
nomination. The friends of the various
aspirants will wish to give then a
complimentary vote. Two or three
votes will develop the available man as
clearly in the legislative hall as it
would in caucus. The eight Republican
votes can be readily discounted. The
Democracy has naught to conceal.
THE EMIGRATION FEVER AMONG
THE GEORGIA DARKIES.
Monday last the State House at At