The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-01
Ia8L {, A. ].
The Old Mans Last and Great
est Struggle.
Showing How Grant and Sheridan
Helped Their Worst Enemy.
The Manly and Patriotic Position As'
sumed by Gov. Brown.

Special Correspondence st. Louis Republican,
NASHVILLE. Jan. 81. lS75.-It is not Of
ten that all parties are SO well satisfied
with the result of desperately contested
fight as is the case in Nashville and the
state of Tennessee with respect to the
choice Of ex- President johnson for United
States senator. To give correct idea OF
the nature of this conflict II is necessary 70
20 back to the canvass of 1870, when Mr..
Henry Cooper was elected to succeed Fow-
Ter. At that time Mr.. johnson was can
didate and he had more strength at the
outset than when the ballOtlng began In
the present contest. He had intrusted the |
management of the canvass to MIR. Edward
Cooper, q brother of the present Senator
Cooper, and who had been his trusted and
confidential private secretary when he was
President. Mr.. Johnson's confidence in
Mr.. Edward Cooper was unlimited and
that gentleman had been made plenipoten
tiary to conduct the canvass in his behalf.
Mr.. johnson lacked several votes and, as
the opposition to him was determined. Mr..
Cooper, ..,.s...-r ,..-- ..........rs
WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF MR.. JOHN
SON,
succeededin effecting ompromisewhereby
his brother,the present senator was elected,
tothe astonishment of Everybody. and of none
greater than of the redoubtable defender
of the constitution himself.
The career of Mr.. Henry Cooper in the
senate has fully justified the establishment
with which the announcement OF his cleo
ton was received, as he Immediately sunk
into a senatorial obscurity less dense than
that of his prior life only because the con-
tinual recurrence of roll call in the senate
kept his name before the people. Mr.:
johnson, as soon as he found himself sold
out 10 this manner, Immediately returned to
Greenville and devoted himself to gaining an
honest livelihood, necessity which the
difference between the maxims OF his ad-
ministration and that of his successor, the
present incumbent, had entailed upon him.
BUT HE NEVER DIsPAIRED.
He held that Tennessee. on behalf of the
South. oaoed him an opportunity to vindi
cate in the councils of the nation before hs
died the policy for pursuing which thu
dominant party had prosecuted him a.
no President ever had been prosecuted
and his soul was filled with the bitter re
Election that, after his manly and reso
lutte attempt to stay the tide o
carpetbageery. the confederate element, il
whose behalf he had incurred all his ills
should turn upon him the cold shoulder
In 1879 he became q candidate tor tn
democratic nomination for congress al
large, but finding the confederate elemen
too strong for him inside the party b
entered the lists as an Independent car
didate. Now that MIR. Johnson's seat i
the senate is assured it will not be to hi
detriment to say that his candidacy in 1877
was solely for the purpose of
BEATING cHEATHAM
And that he had no hope or expectation
being elected himself He had detel
mined to show to the confederate elemel
that by antagonizing him they could on
secure the triumph of Radicalism. I'll
proposition he held out to them was thi;
Gentlemen, you represent one extren
and Mr.. Maynard represents another.
hold the middle ground but under sue
circumstances that l cannot accept tern
from the extreme represented by Mr. Ma
nard. Therefore propose to compel "
TO make terms with me-" The vote wi
us follows Maynard, (Repubican non
inee) S0,S25, Cheatham democratic nor
ineel 65,lss, Andrew johnson (Indepe
dent) 81 800.
The canvass of 1872 resulted in accor
ance with MIR. Johnson's designs, and
again retired to the seclusion of his hur
BILE Greenville, to make his living and
bide his time. The canvass of 1874 ope
ed with many misgivings on the part
tho Democracy
AS TO WHAT COURSE
Mr.. johnson would take. Some fear,
that he would enter the field as a cane
date Tor governor. Others that he wou
attempt to bring his adherents in Il
Democratic party over to the support
the Republican nominee, under compr
mise whereby the Republicans were
support johnson candidates for the legi
ture. But the extreme Radicals got CO
troll of the Republican convention al
nominated Maynard, which blocked tn
latter scheme, though if an anti-civi
rights or conservative Republican hs
been nominated there is good ground Il
the belief that a coalition could have bee
effected between him and Mr.. Johnso
However, Mr.. johnson would not ha,
formed an alliance with the Republic;
party Of Tennessee upon any platfor
which Involved either a direct indors
ment or an indirect countenance of Gran
ISM His favorite plan would have bet
people movement, or rather
JOHNSON MOVEMENT.
AS against what he termed those rer
nants Of Tennessee Democracy which su
vived Hoods last campaign.
The nomination of Mr.. Maynard fore.
Mr.. johnson to take the field in the nov
role of an Independent candidate for U,
senator, seeking to secure the election of
legislature favorable to his aspiration
without any regard to the contest b
tween the two parties for state ar
county Offices. 10 his canvass for this o
ject the ex-president paid but little atte
ton to state questions and did not anita
onlze either Of the gubernational cane
dates. He did, however, vehemently o
pose the Republican congressional canC
dates aud support their Democratic ODD
nents wherever he went, and the gener
tenor OF his canvass was to strengthen Il
Democratic cause as whole. The resu
OF this canvass was the election of twent
eight out and-out johnson men to the LEI
islature, together with about thirteen wi
leaned toward him as second choice.
put those best acquainted with men an
Ieehng 10 Tennessee felt sure when the r
suit OF the November election became full
known that Mr.. johnson could never 90
at the outside. more than o.
FoRTY-Two VOTES
on the first ballot. The old man b;mse
never gave up. About fortnight befo,
the election. and shortly after the Chat,
L.