National Republican., 1880-11-24
TENNESSEE POLITICS.


A reporter Of THIS NATIONAL REPUBLICAN called
Judge Houks attention yesterday to the dispatches
OF the Baltimore american in reference TO what he
had said IN regard to the Tennessee Legislature and
the election of Nif. Maynard 20 the senate from
thotsiac. Aner the Judge had read the Amri-
cans dispatch the following conversation took
place;
Repor.cr--Does that dispatch represent you cor
roctly2 Aud does i correctly represent tho stu
alton IN Tennes ee2
Judge Houk- wei, these newspaper men are
peculiar. have not knowingly conyersod with
newspaper CORE 3pondcnt or editor since my ar.
rival In the city fntgucd By the canvas.
thought had slipped into my private quarters uu.
observed, and that would get rest from politics.
Tho statement OF the 1mcricIgs correspondent rs
We lawyers say, was ergr1cia have not said the
Tennessee legislature was republican on Joint bal.
lot ! may have shid IN a quiet way that Mr.
Mayuards chances for The senate we're good aud
VIII be the senator from Tennessee.
ReporIcr--What Is the real political complexion
Of your state legisature2
Judge lOuk-Wcll, that Is hard question to
answer | Will say this. however, Tho house OF
representatives will he controlled by the republi.
cans. The senate has majority OF democrats,
though mixed ana by this mean prOlcsSed
state credit democrats and reputation democrats,
when combined, make mulgflty OF about five,
And instead Of the legislature being republican
there Is u majority Of ! should say ivc on Joint
ballot of democratic pr3c,iyites when elected.
But do not mcan 10y this that ticy viii continue
In the bourbon groove. Ny Judgment ~ that there
are men elected, both as 81 called s!atecrodi and
sogallCd low-,aX democrats who are now inclined
since the election and the nliluro OF Hancock to
accept tho inevitable and while not declaring
themselves republicans, at the same time acting tor
the best and supporting the administration ol Gar.
Held, aud Of Slicn is to come the regeneration of
the south as verify believe.
Rcp1rerBut what will bo the position Of these
men on the senatorial question:
Judge HGuk-LoscaIly they viii be led to sup.
port Mr.. Maynard or some other republican, and
Mr. Maynard VIII undoubtedly command the sup.
port of his party. What expect, and what seems
to me most probable is that enough Of those mem
bers nominally called democrats, aud oslcnsIbly
Such viii vote with the republicans 10 give us an
administration senator.
tho people? suppose number Of either state
credit or low tax democrats should Join in with
the republicans and elect an administration sen
alor, would they find constituency among the
people
Judge Houlr- Certainly they would Tho people
the old union element especially, are nearer right
than their leaders and they would rally around
thos, who should thus show pluck and patriotism
enough to meet the demands OF the hour.
Reportor-What proportion Of the white people
retain their old union sympgthles, and do these
SympathiZe with the republicans
Judge Houk-Iennessee as You know, was u
union state. The Old wings were union men. In
fact. the original whig party under the leadership
OF Mr.. Clay was au anti-Suyery party, aud was
Indeed lhe loferunner Of the republican party
sized by majority OF more than 5000 for tho
union Notwithstanding Mr. Lincoln had been
elected, and the intelligence OF the country fore
saw the doom of slavery Tennessee only voted
out of the union after sham q. Harris, the then
governor of the state had ariued 5000 secession
lists, and imported others ana distributed them in
convenient localities to intndato the voters, and
thus either forced them to vote for separation or
not vote at all. very large share Of this old
union sentiment has survived. It's tendencies are
10 the republican party, and | expect TO see the
state republican In all It's political departments
two years from this time.
Reportcr-You are sangune, then, Of the cleo
tOn of II republican senator from Tennessee?
Judge Houk-MGil yes am sangline OF the
election of republican senator, and still tho bal.
snce of power IN that election will not be on ac-
count OF his repubcanism but his admiaistra-
u2nism, IL thai phrase IS allowable in p lliucS.
Reportor-What have you on which to base hopes
Of this character Of republican success in your
state?
Judge IIouk-I have this: Take my congress
s!ona district, for instance Tho recent election
shows that very many OF those who got "oil" dur
ing and after the war took advantage OF the pres.
ent occasion TO come back, aud voted with the re.
publican party as they had formerly voted with
the old whig union party. While the democratic
vote decreased several hundred In my district the
republican vote Increased more than $500.
RepOrter-liow long have you held these views
nnC do YOU reason from the recent election or
from other dates reaching back, so a. 10 be morc
Judge Houk-I claim to be neither prophet nor
the son OF prophet, but ifyou VIII turn back TO
your files you will find that in November, 1879 one
year ago quite accurately ioIeShodowed the rt.
suit IN Tennessee. | claim 10 credit for this but
want to say that II was the philosophy o the NituS
lion, ana, avs think my present views arc founded
In the philosophy OF facts. four northern friends
would cease to suspect. and instead respect south
orn republicans We would soon have party in
the south forming such powerful ally to the pa.
tlUtism of the north that treason would cease ~
stalk abroad at MONDAY.
Rcporcr--Ihen You have great hopes for the
south?
Judge lloul-Yes OF course do | believe that.
divesled of the issues or sentiments of the war.
thrce-ouIths Of the American people ana two
thirds of the south agree with the republican party
In regard to n national currency, Il protective
tariff internal Improvements by the general gov
ernmeut and protection at the ballOt.boX, These