Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-01-01
THE SENAT0RSHIP.
The Claims OF H0U. Gus. 4. Henry, On,
Of the Oldest a d ABB st OF the
Statesmen of the OLD
School.
A Pertinent QuestiOn-ShouIa United
States Senators be Elected
By the People!
GUSTAVUS A. HENRY.

BY request we copy the following from
the GAINESVILLE Chronicle:
EDITORS CRRONICLE-The public
mind IN Tennessee is becoming more
and more excited on the approaching
senatorial election. -Four or five of our
most prominent citizens, not beiTg able
to resist the pressing importantly or
their friends, have declared themselves
candidates for the seat in the senate to
be made vacant by the expiration of the
term of service of Hon. W. G, Brown
low on the third of March next. Not
withstanding these gentlemen are all
worthy of the public COZ fl ience, feel
ing somewhat prevails that that honor
is reserved for one OF our own distin-
guished citizens, who is not now can
didate for that Olli ;e but has ever Occu-
pied warm place in the public b -art,
and whose candidacy would be hailed
by majority of the legislature and the
people of the State, who have always
admired him for bis mGdesty in pressing
his claims, his mauly bearing
as q gentleman, his sound con.
servative principles and splendid
qualifications as a statesman. l
mean Hon. Gustavus A. Henry, of
Montgomery county. Since he first
made his appearance as popular orator
he has been q decided favorite with the
people of Tennessee, who would be de-
lighted to see him in the senate of the
United States. As representative in
the State legislature he gave universal
satisfaction, and as q senator in the Con-
federate congress from Tennessee during
the whole period of chat eventual but un-
fortunate conflict between the States, he
bore himself with such uufaltering fidel-
ity to his trust that the whole people had
cause to be proud of him. Since the late
war he has studiOusly abstained from all
interference in public affairs and has
sought no Office, and in his eX-
ample exhibits the besuty Of the theory
that in Republican governments the Of
fee should seek the man. When the
great Democratic Conservative conven-
lion met in Nashville On the third of
August last, he was unanimously called
to preside over it's deliberations, and in
assuming the chair as president Of the
convention, responded in a speech
strongly recommending fidelity to the
honor of the State, and so boldly de-
nOunced the sin Of reputation that it
has scarcely had an open advocate
since. And not content with that, he
took the stump during the canvass and
delivered to the people in many parts of
Middle and Weet lennt see the most
patriotic and eloquent
speeches of his life, in which he encOur-
aged the Wings and Democrats to form
a cordial union for the goo of the cause;
in which he upheld the credit of the
State, and denounced the iniqulty of re-
pudiatioD, the infam Jus civil rights bill,
and the arbitrary policy of the President
in forcing an u2urper upon the people of
Louisiana by despOtic power. Should he
be elected, il be is brought forward at all,
| pre- diet his term of public service will
De marked by dignity of department on
his part, and unimpeached honesty, and
that the great trust committed to his
hands will be defended with the power
of a trained debater, and the elOquence
Of statesman. *@%**".
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, December II, 1874.
A PERTINENT QUESTION.
By request OF the writer thereof, we
copy the following from the Cbattanoo-
ga Times:
EDITOR TIMES-The election of
United States senator is for the present
the theme of paramount interest in our
CAdlC pOillACSs GAo lOuClLAlS lA4C LhCAANbY
claims or qualifications of the several
aspirsnts, have nothing to say. / wish
to offer few reflections upon a question
!, indeed, with this senatorial
but general, not personal, in its
character. Your readers have seen that
several of the counties have instructed
their representatives, or given popular
expression to their respective prefer
lilo of Tho q mira = have
the State, or portions thereof,
popular assemblies in order
to influence the action CT the legislature.
In all this there is, think, a deep Jam
ger, whichidOes not alarm only because it
is latent. Our national congress is COM
posed of two branches, the house of
and the senate. The
mem beTs Of the former are elected di-
rectly by the people, the number to
which each State is entitled being in
to its population; while the
mem bers OF the senate are chosen by
the State legislature without reference to
the smallest State having as
many as the largest. This distinction
Is established by the Federal cOnstitu-
ton, and it is significant that it is the
very IiIst provision OF that instrument.
The reason OF the distinction is to be
found in the complex character of our
In one sense "the United
States" consists Of all the people of the
several States and the Territories, in
their aggregate capacity, but in another
sense il consists OF separate States, united
for certain pu poses expressed in writ
ten constitution, retaining some of the
attributes of sovereignty and reseIVing
to themselves 1.-THE power not delegated
to the United States 10y the constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the Ststes.n The
senate is the branch Of the national con-
gress which was intended more particu.
laTly to represent the States as parties 70
the Federal compact, each State having
al equal representation in that body.
Fer this reason the selection OF its mem
bers was not given directly TO the peo-
pie, but was confided to the Legislatures
Of the respective States. To take ii
from the legislatures and commit 1T to
the people, wh. ther rectly or Indirect
~, is perveTsion of the theory upon
which the frame Of the constitution
formed the government; and all at
temgts in that direction ara specially
dangerous at this time, when