Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-08-16
AN HISTORIC INCIDENT.
First Senatorial Election
i'm the State.
Illustrious Tennessee Representatives
in the Fourth Congress.

FRANKLIN, Tenn, August 13.-The
historical letters now being published
in the Franklin Progress calls to
mind an incident worthy of perpetual
ton. The incident, so far as know,
has never heretofore been made pub
lie, and may be of interest to some
of your readers. On the 28th day
of March, 1876, the first legislature
of Tennessee assembled in Knoxville
and proceeded to an organization.
James Winchester, from Sullivan
County, was elected, without oppo-
sition, speaker of the senate, and
James Stuart, speaker of the house.
After the organization of the two
houses and the Inauguration of Gov
ernor Sewer, the legislature pros
ceeded to the election of a Senator to
represent the new State in the coun,
ellis of the nation. The names of
William Cooke, William Blount and
Joseph Anderson were proposed by
the lower house, and DR., James
White suggested by the senate. The
election finally resulted in the selec-
ton of William Cooke and William
Blount. Mr.. Ramsey, in "The An
nails of Tennessee" says: "Judge
Anderson and DR.. White were
withdrawn by messages duly in
terchanged between the two houses"
This IS mistake. DR..
White was so withdrawn, but Judge
Anderson was not. He remained a
candidate until after the election of
his more successful opponents con
Guided his aspirations. For many
ballots there could be no choice made
between VIM. Cooke and Judge An
derson, VIM. Blount, however, being
chosen by tie first vote. A whole
day was thus consumed in useless
balloting, the friends of each of the
aspirants remaining loyal to their
choice.
Col Cooke had a son in the legis-
lature who, with Thos. Henderson,
represented Hawkins County
young man at that time just twenty
one years of age, and who after
ward was for many years dis
tinguished member of Congress, and
maior-general of the first division of
Tennessee militia-second in com
mand to Andrew Jackson, who ranked
him only by the latters commission
being three weeks older.
The new county Of Granger had
just been formed and named after
Mary Granger, wife Of Gov. VIM.
Blount, lady greatly distinguished
for the many graces Of her person
and charac ,er. The county>seat had
not been named and quite number
aspired to the honor Of giving it
theirs. There was q Dutchman by
the name of George Rutledge repre-
senting Sullivan County at that time
who had been voting for Judge AM
derson on every ballot. Next morn
ing, when the legislature assembled,
John Cooke the first thing intro
duced bill that "the county~seat
of the new county of Granger be
named Rutledge, in honor Of their
distinguished fellow citizen from
Suilivan-George Rutledge." The
bill prevailed, and when the roll was
next called Mr.. Rutledge gave his
; vote to VIM. Cooke, and is this way
elected him to the United States
Senate over Judge Anderson. This
incident was related by Gen. Cooke
himself to gentleman now living in
Franklin, of undoubted veracity, and
it's correctness cannot be doubted.
: The Fourth Congress of the United
States assembled on the 5th day Of
December, 1886, with the first Ten
nessee representation, VIM. Cooke
5 and VIM. Blount being in the Senate
l and Andrew jackson in the lower
: House. On the 9Th day of July,
1907, VIM. Blount was expelled from
, the Senate on account Of a letter
j. written by him to James Carey, anC
$ Immediately thereafter he returned
, to bis home III Knoxville. The Ser
e geant-at-Arms of the United States
g Senate James Mathers-soon fol
e lowed the Ex-senator with orders tc
e return with him to Philadelphia, The
i then seat of government. The citi
zens of Knoxville treated Mather
r with the utmost courtesy and polite
$ ness but said to him that William
Blount could never be taken from
I Tennessee a prisoner. Assured o
d the fruitlessness of his erran(
Mathers was compelled to return
to Philadelphia alone, but doubt
less with a very exalted estimat
:, of The EX-SENATOR popu arity in hi
IS own State. Judge Joseph Andersen
e was then elected as Blount's success
d sor, and was in the Senate from 179
to 1915. William Cooke served TO,
two terms with great distinction ant
credit, and after the expiration of hi
n term of Office, was judge of wha
e WAS then known as the Superior
i court. He afterwards became agen
i of Indian affairs to the Chickasay
Nation and removed to Mississippi
the better to discharge the duties O
his position, when he died in the fal
t. of 1928, full of honor and years
" His son, Gen. John Cooke, was dis
# tinguished politician and lawyer fo
the first third of this century, during
which time he held the politics 0
X East Tennessee in the hollow of hi
E, hand. He was the grandfather O
~ Col. VIM. b. Russ, of your city. Al