Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1875-02-03
FACTS ABOUT JOHNSON
ELECTION.

ABOUT VIII pear lurIne1 comment /
To better appreciate their force let
us briefly review the relations the
ex.President has sustained to his
party in this State since his defeat
for Senator in Democratic Legisla.
ture, four years ago, by Hon. Henry
Cooper. We but state facts. undis
puted in Tennessee, when we say
that in the political campaigns of
1872 and 1874 Mr.. Johnson made
open. bitter and mcompromising
war upon the Democratic organiza-
ton i'm this State. seized as it had
. been by what he called the rebel
military ring In 1872 his open
canvass against Gen. Cheatham elect
ed Hon. Horace MAYNARD, Congress
man at Large for Tennessee. In
that canvass his chief blows were di-
rected against the rebel military
ring of the Democracy, which UNI
QUESTIONABLE then controlled the
machinery Of the party in this state
as it does now. johnson polled the
smallest vote in the great triangular
Congressional race referred to, but he
demonstrated to his party that he and
his iriends-the Conservative-Union
Democracy held the balance Of
power in Tennessee.
In 1874. though Mr.. Johnson can
vassed the State in his own behalf,
the Democratic leaders could not per
suade him to say word directly ia
voring the election OF Gen. Porter, the
regular Democratic nominee, for Gov.
ernor. On the contrary, the heaviest
blows ne dealt on the hustings, were
leveled against Gen. and Gov. John
c. Brown and his Democratic Admin
istration of four years. All through
that canvass, Johnson was regarded
as warning upon the Democratic party,
and nothing but fem Of him prevent
ed its leading newspapers from max
ing open war upon him. Many of the
party journals did attack him. Pri-
yately it was we'll understood the
party leaders were cursing him and
threatening him with vengeance in
the future. That Mr.. Johnson pri-
vately enjoyed Maynard's eXcoria.
tons of Gov. Browns Administration
and his arraignment of the military
ring" at Nashville is well under.
stood.
This brief review brings us to the
opening Of the recent memorable Sen
atorial contest. The Legislature, il
round numbers, was composed Of sew
enty-eight cx-Confederates and TWEEN
ty-two Union men. Politically, it was
divided, ninety.two Democrats, sever
Republicans and one Independent
Republican. Johnson went 10 Nash
vile with the rebel military ring
bitterly opposed TO him. His sup
porters were in a large minority il
the Legislature, and it will hardly b'
controverted, even now, that hi
chances for election were considered
e very poor. The people recognized
2 the issue. In the Legislature tn
q lines were drawn between the Uniol
r and ex-rebel element. The eXcer
. lions. were, when some Of the eX-CoI
f federates represented constituent
,. who Dieiged them before election t
q vote for johnson. Among the people
@ especially in East Tennessee, tn
Il lines were not so closely drawn, &c
e many Of his supporters here were e'
Y Confederates. But we fairly stat
e the case, leaving out these exception
" when we say the issue was betwee
&c those who wore the gray and thos
t who wore the blue. Gen. Brow
= Gen. Bate, Gen. Quarles, Mr.. St
\. phens, Mr.. Ewing and Mr.. Henr,
t. were all ex-rebels and bitterly no
e tile personally to Johnson. In an
e about Johnson's headquarters
il Nashville, the fight was Away
/ claimed TO be against the Is rebel Ge
IS erQls." With this issue clearly def
E.. ed, tie eight Republicans voted ma
e urally with Mr.. Johnson. I'll
II | uion Democrats stood by them, an
o. among them the issue was well III
R. derstood. As the fight progresse
and the issue became too plain TO b
y mistaken the liberal element Of til