Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-12
THE sENATORsHIP.
From the ClarksviIle Chronicle, Jan. 9.
a wa are .soon IN have in Our I. .agisIafu

From the ClarksVille Chronicle, Jan. ..
As we are soon to have in our Legislature
an election Of United States Senator, anil
that election. in some measure at least, to
depend on the will Of the people, l deem 10
not improper 10 urge the claims Of one Ct
Tennessee's ablest sons and old Mont
gOmery's choice. l allude % the Hon.
e.. A. Henry, a descendent Of that dis
tinguished champion Of liberty, the elO-
ouent and renowned Patrick Henry. How
ever we do not claim for the Hon. e.. A.
Henry the merit of his ancestors. His
speeches over our State are models Of the
most dignifed elOquence, terse and lumin-
Gus, with the most stateSman-like bearing.
Mr.. Henry is equally eminent as a iUrist,
politician, an orator and a statesman. His
calm wisdom and decisiveneSs Of opinion
in council eminently qualify him for that
high position and prevents the probability
Of his being easily sOaded by any sudden
prCvOcatiOn into rudeness or vehemence, 50
inconsistent with the mild dignity of his
character. He is too high spirited 70 dis
semble, too generous TO his COmpepr5 90
urge his own claims, too dubious Of his
own ability to seek that high responsibility,
too noble in mind and patriotic in spirit tO
truckle for position. True TO the interests
Of his country in peace and war, with az
ability ample 10 adOrn her councils,
when the mutterings Of war were first
heard i'm the North, and every breeze
brought tidings Of the unappeasable wrath
aud threatenings Of our liberties, he was
one of the first in our State to ascend the
battlements of his loved South, sword in
hand, 10 DO battle for her liberties, until
borne down by the tide Of war. When
urged by friends to desist, he shook his
venerable head and said: "When 1 see the
sacred principles Of your organic law OF
equal and exact Justice to all men about
10 be trampled down, / cannot remain IN
active"
The superiority Of Mr. Henry's powers
appears no less clearly i'm private circles.
In his conversation there is a charm that is
always heightened BY a noble franknesS
with which he pOurs ont his soul in be-
nevOlent thought Tie political status Of
/ our country demands the selection of such
an experienced, tried statesman. The
radical change that is gradually taking
place in the pOlity Of our government, CON
verting that nOblest Of democratic cOIlstl-
| tutiOns into one of centralized aristOcraCy,
| a mere instrument Of power TO Oppress the
masses and grant iminunities and priyi-
| leges to the few demand it. These
| changes are the result Of selecting inexpe-
| rienced, bad men, and are OminOus Of ap-
| preaching evils that appeal to the wisdom
| and patriotism Of the country in tones too
audible to be misunderstood, 70 select for
that high p sitiOn one whose character, in
| fuence and efforts will tend TO check the
current of public corruption, and raise
our Government TO its original
purity. In Mr.. Henry we would
have an able exponent Of the
true principles Of free government, patriotic
in character, philanthrOpic in sentiment and
| Cosmopolitan in views. One who will en-
deavor to keep all the constitutional checks
on the maladministratiOn Of your govern
ment in the highest state Of efficiency
and jealousy guard against encrOachments
on our liberties and never suffer iTregulari-
| ties, even when harmless within them
| selves, 70. pass unnOticed and unchallenged,
/ lest they acquire the force Of precedent.
/ The language Of experience in every age,
/ from the earliest government down to the
| present, is that all governmental wrongs
I and departures from the organic law, re-
/ shifting in oppression, have their origin and
/ claim their legality from precedent tthe re-
suit of inexperienced, indiscreet, ambitious
/ legislatOrs), at first Of little importance, but
/ which are subsequently, made the ground
/ Of more serious enCToachments, one IN
/ fringement following on The heels Of an