The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-02-10

place with the odds about even, while
: Quarles moved up from to II votes,
and Ewing from to 8 votes.
At the opening of the afternoon SEES
sion the name OF Gen. Quarles was with
drawn, and it was manifest that the ex-
element was rapidly on the increase.
The crisis which had been looked for
had ariyed. Johnson's friends were ev-
identity uneasy. The friends of Bate
and Stephens marshaled their forces for
the contest, but Stephens did not play
his hand dexterously. To have pro-
longed his precarious existencehe should
have asked the johnson men of the
| West for loan of few votes to enable
him to measure strength with Bate for
few ballots. But great men are often
absent minded, and probably he did not
think Of it. At any rate it was not
done, and the consequence was he fell
behind and was withdrawn Ewing in
the meantime was only receiving or
votes, and il was evident that an cleo
ton was possible. The danger to Mr..
johnson was realized by his friends. AS
cautiously and judiciously as he had
managed the battle, the crisis had evil
IDENTIFY come before he and his friends
were prepared for it. Their only hope
now to prevent an election was to keep
Mr.. Ewing on the track, and bring Mr..
Johnson's whole strength to bear. It is
impossible to describe the scene The
excitement was at white heat The gal
leries were crowded and they caught the
contagion and became manageable.
The Speakers gavel was drowned in the
confusion, and minutes elapsed before it
was possible to call the roll. When the
| vote was announced it showed SO men,
bers present-requiring 40 to elect
Gen. Bate had received 49 votes, John
son -, Ewing 9, scattering 2. Bate
lacked one vote of an election. (He ac-
tually received 40 votes, but one men,
Der that voted for him changed his vote
before the ballot was announced) An
other ballot showed SO members voting
Bate Al, Johnson 43, Ewing 5, scatter
| ing 1. A third ballot and Bate fell to
IS and Johnson came up to A. The ex-
element for so minutes beggare descrip-
ton. The Convention rose and thus
ended the only chance to defeat Andrew
johnson.
From Saturday until Monday morn
ing, every effort was made by disin-
terested friends to unite the opposition
on General Bate, but it was unsuccess-
full. So on the assembling of the Con-
vention, while Bate led the ex-President
it was evident he could not be elected.
| Two ballots had been taken, and the
roll was being called on the third, when
Mr.. Speaker Bond, Of the House of Rep
| resentatives, (the Speaker of the Senate,
Mr.. Paine, was presiding,) arose and re-
nominated Gov. Brown. This was the
feather that broke the camel's back.
Bate directed his name to be withdrawn,
and the excitement that followed it was
| simply terrific. The President raped
his gavel and commanded silence, but it
was impossible to control the goods of
the galleries" or the Neptunes on the
floor. The honorables and the plebeians
were wild alike-almost beside them
selves-and the Speaker adjourned the
Convention, and ordered the Senators to
their chamber -,
So Gov. Brown was again the cham
pion, but it was plain that it was now
more than ever impossible TO unite the
discordant element upon him. An hon.
est effort was made however, to that
end, but as fast as one gap in the broken
and disrupted line was closed, some
kind and amisble friend broke another.
It was manifest that johnson was now
the choice of the Legislature. In fact
it would be safe to say that since the adj
journment on Friday, "the Great Com
moner" had evidently been the second
choice of majority of the entire As
sembly. Gov. Brown did not risk bal
lot on his denomination. His name was
withdrawn, and on the ffty-ffth ballot
johnson was elected
The result, without moralizing, proves
Mr.. johnson to be a man of most extra
ordinary power and influence at home,
and that power and influence will be
felt beyond peradventure in the SEN
ate of the United States. From the re-
hottest ends of the Union to its center
his election is hailed with the iveliest
demonstrations of joy. One fact that
ought not to be overlooked in the result
of the contest is, that of the fifty-two
votes cast for him on the final ballot,
nine ex-Confederate and three Union
men Senators, and twenty-one Exon
federate and nineteen Union men Rep
resentatives voted for him. Does not
this show more conclusively than has
yet been exhibited, that ''the bloody
chasm" is now bridged, and the past is
forgotten, and that men have discarded
old prejudices! That the feeling on
both sides is honest and earnestly recip-
rocsl, let US hope and believe.
Mr.. johnson has the power to do Ten
nessee and the whole Union much good,
and we have an abiding confidence that
he viii WELD his mighty influence to
this end. Should he do 50, he viii find |
a responsive pulsation in the heart of |
every true man, regardless of party ties
or personal predictions.
THE NEW COMPTROLLER.
The election of Col. James L. Gaines,
of Knoxville, as Comptroller of the
Treasury, was the occasion of great graf
ifcation to his friends. All who knew
him esteem and honor him for his high
toned gentlemanly bearing and for his
heroic devotion and sacrifices in the late
unpleasantness. Though comparatively |
without experience in the office to which |
he is called, bis friends are not afraid of |
his ability to discharge its onerous du-
ties. but predict that he win make |
competent and faithful officer, one not |
unworthy of the succession of the popu-. |