The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-08-27
The Senter Movement,


EDS. BULLETIN II see a corresponds
ent Of the Memphis Appeal urging the
appointment of 2. 7. Scruggs for the
United States Senate, particularly on ac,
count of his being the originator of the
Senter movement, by which action or
movement the State was redeemed from
Radicalism. see it also credited to a
gentleman in East Tennessee.
Fraber City claimed a Homer dead
When q living Homer begged his bread.
was present at meeting in Bolivar
when the resolutions were introduced in
@ public meeting Of democrats, nomI-
mating Governor Senter for Governor,
which was Kissed and hoOted, but or
Maj. Bills rising and explaining and ad-
vocating it, it was finally passed by the
meeting. a copy of the proceedings
had were handed to John Miller, Esq,
then on his way to Nashville, and the
next morning was handed Governor Sen
ter in Nashville. 1t got into the papers
From that beginning the Senter move.
ment began or originated Thus you see
Phineus II. Scruggs should not be ap-
pointed United States Senator for that
service. OBSERVER.
There is no doubt that the correspond
ent of the Appeal is mistaken in attribu>
ting the originating of the Senter move
ment to Mr.. Scruggs. Whatever credit
there my be belongs to the citizens of
Harieman county. In April of 1868, it
had become manifest that Stokes would
be the Radical candidate for Governor Of
the State. a meeting was called IN the
town of Bolivar, if we recolIect rignt,
on Wednesday after the first Monday in
April, 1868, of which Mr.. Pitser Miller
was chairman aud Mr.. Frank Fentress
was secretary. A committee was APP
pointed on resolutions, of which james
b. HaTriss was chairman. This commit
tee introduced the resolutions recon
mending Senter as a suitable man to be
elected Governor over Mr.. Stokes. The
movement was not a popular one at the
time OF its conception, and there was not
a unity of feeling in the matter, but was
finally acquiesced in with a view of di>
yiding the republican party. This sues
ceeded, and the contest which ensued
eventuated in enfranchising large mum
Der of the white citizens Of the State
who were at that time DISTINGUISHED by
odious laws discriminating against the
white voter.
This was one of the fuy0ri.e outrages
upon freemen, by which the radicals
hoped to hold the Southern States in
subsection to radical rule. During the
canvass Senter had every body enfrans
chiscd and the ballot once more in the
hands of the white citizen decided the
fate of radicaism forever in Tennessee.
Many Of US were then, for the first time
since the war, permitted to vote, who
had long been debaTred by arbitrary and
oppressive regulations, from exercising
the elective franchise; and to effect the
election Of Senter it was considered by
him, and those who ruled the dssi,
of the State, that it was good policy to
entranchise those who had been disfrano
chlsed, and to acknowledge a white man
equal to negro at the polls. Scuter
was elected, ana the control of the desti,
MES of the State handed over to the en-
franchised white people of Tennessee.
The facts connected with the Senter
movement can be found in the BULLETIN,
and Col. Wisdom's paper, the Wig G
Tribune Of that date.