Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-15
WEST tennessee AND THE sENA-
TORSHKP.

10 Lne Union and American:
In yoJr issue Of the 10th inst, you pub
lish from the Winchester Home Journal a
geographical argument in favor Of electing
an East Tennesseean to the Senate to fill
the place Of Mr.. BrOwnlOw, who, himself
resides in that division of the State. The
argument is intended to show that East
Tennessee is entitled to the Senator as
against both the other divisions. Now if
we concede, as contended for, that geo
graphy is a proper element in this election,
let US see how it will work out in regard to
the claims Of West Tennessee.
The point made against her is that for
the next two years she will have the Gov
ernor, the Secretary Of State, and the
Speaker Of the House, and that therefore
she forfeits all claim to a Senator. This
proposition is wholly untenable. Tennes-
see has had Governors for seventy-eight
years, and Senators for the same period,
except for the short interval when, in 1841,
the Legislature failed to make an election.
In all that time West Tennessee had only
one Governor, and one Senator, the term
Of each being six years. During all the
rest of the seventy-eight years, Middle and
East Tennessee had the Governor and
both of the SenatOrs-that is, they had the
Governor seYenty-two years out Of seventy
eight, and as there are two Senators at the
same time, they had a Senatorial represen-
tation of one hundred and fifty years out
ofone hundred and ffty-six. Moreover,
during nearly ali that time they had the
Speakers of the two Houses and most of
the great State officers.
But If it should be said that West Ten
nnssee has only been settled since 1920,
this would still leave period of fifty-four
years. the double Of which is one hundred
and eight. Therefore, even on this basis
West Tennessee has had the Governor only
one-ninth Of the time since 1920, and Sen
ator only one-eighteenth Of the time.
If we accept the rule proposed in the
Home Journal, West Tennessee is entitled
to the Governor for One-third of fifty-four
years, and the Senator for One-third of one
hundred and eight years; and as she has
had only six years Of each, she now has,
according TO the Home Journal, a valid
claim to the Governor for twelve cOnsecu-
tive years, and to a Senator for thirty years.
But she is not asking for this. Indeed she
does not demand anything. She does de-
sire to have a representative in the Senate,
and she hopes her sister divisions will
grant her request. Claiming a common
Inheritance in the illustriOus names
which adorn this old Commonwealth,
she cannot consent TO OCCUPY a
position Of rivalry toward any Of its geo
graphical divisions. But she does object
to the rule now proposed for the first time
in our history, that the division which has
the Governor thereby forfeits all claim to
a Senator. She does not believe that the
other two divisions, or the candidates who
reside in them, would consent TO place
their claims on such a basis as this. In
1865, when Mr.. Brownlow was Governor,
Mr.. Patterson was chosen Senator from the
same division Of the State. In 1865, when
Mr.. BrOWnloW was elected Senator, Mr..
Seuter, the Speaker Of the Senate, and re-
siding IN the same division, became Gov
eTnOr. In 1870, and again in 1872, while
Mr.. Cooper was Senator, Mr.. Brown, re-
siding in the same division, was made Gov
ernor. Similar examples extend all the
way back 20 1896. FRATERNITY.