Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-16
THE OLIVE BRANCH
Hon. Edmund Cooper Holds it Out to
Andrew johnson.

nA1-OH OOAA-AoOA@
A RemarzknbIes Speech in the supreme
Court Yesterday-wbat VIII Come
of It9-Iateresting Senatorial Spec
uIatfens. s rlf ~
1t is now matter of history that, since
the defeat of Andrew johnson for the
United States SenatoTship, in 1869, Ed
mund Cooper, Of Bedford, has been ne
garded as one Of his pet aversions. When
ever and wherever the ex-President makes a
speech, he is pretty certain to lug in
some allusion TO certain distinguished
traitors who had way of going back on
their friends under very ineOnvenient cir
cuInstances. This sort Of thing has now
been going on for about five years. Mr..
johnson is as bitter in his denunciations
as when the rupture between himself and
his old friend and Secretary first occurred,
but the latter appears to believe thas-the
time has at last arrived for burying the
Ratchet.
1t was intimated to a vigilant UNION
AND AMERICAN reporter, day or two
ago, that certain mutual friends of Messrs.
johnson and Cooper were maneuvefing to
bring about a reconciliation between those
long estrangedg gentlemen. Careful inquiry
developed the fact that indirect overtures
had certainly been made. This was fol-
lowed by a deal of wild speculation
as TO how the Senatorial situa-
ton would probably be Affected cnrios-
ity which was intensified by a most re-
markable speech delivered by Mr.. Cocper
yesterday in case pending in the Supreme
Court. The merits Of the case are given
elsewhere in local article headed ssThe
Gentry Lands" During the course of his
remarks, while referring to the relations
which formerly existed between Hon. MGR
edith p. Gentry and Mr.. johnson, Mr..
Cooper said:
"Remember that Andrew johnson was
Military Governor of Tennessee; in times
gone-by they had been fierce political oppo-
nents; they had once canvassed the State
together for its highest Office. 1t is one Of
the common rumors of his neighborhood
that at this very home one evening, when
at the family alter, Senator Brownlow,
then a Methodist minister, was praying
and abiding to the efficacy of the atone
ment of Jesus of Nazareth for the sins Of
the whole world, that he was interrupted
by his host mutteriRg, with but one ex-
ceptiOn, Brownlow-one exception, and
that is Johnson OF course he did not
know Andrew johnson as l have
known him, as many Of us have known
him, or he would have made no such re-
mark; for it affords me pleasure here to
say, that in all the relations of lie, and
particularly that of President of the United
States, or Military Governor of Tennessee,
towards those engaged, or who had been en-
gagged, in the rebellion, he proved himself
. ~ id Isharol nj fufn md that
his great heart always melted to the ap-
peals made TO him for Executive pardon by,
or in behalf of, those from Tennessee,
whom he had always known. l know
whereof write.
1t may be imagined that this unexpected
tribute produced a marked sensation in the
courtroom, and wherever the matter was
talked about. There were a score of diff
ferent theories as TO the nature OF Mr..
Coopers motives in thus pFaising the
man who had denounced him with
such unsparing bitterness from one
end of the State to the other. What
appeared TO be the theory most generally
accepted was this: Hon. w. IL. Stephens,
West Tennessee's strongest candidate tor
the Senatorship, being a brother-in-law OF
Mr.. Cooper, what more natural than that
the latter should desire TO conciliate every
possible element of opposition? IL should
be noticed that, as the basis Of this theory,
it is surmised that a combination might
possibly be formed between the supporters
Of Messrs. johnson and Stephens
by which the prize could be secured TO
whichever of the two might develop the
more strength. In such a case Middle
Tennessee with her multiplicity Of candi-
dates, would stand but a slim show. We
give these rumors-and they may be idle as
the winds-just Is we hear them. Mr..
Coopers speech has, in fact, agitated pOliti-
cal circles to such an extent, that 20 sort Of
conjecture seems too absurd for general &C
ceptance.
And now the great question remains
viii Mr.. johnson accept the olive branch
thus rendered by his Edmund?