The west Tennessee star. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1888, 1888-05-11

II aHNSu MS paI 1OS6 - Contest Tor
til seat IN the United States Ssn-
ate, commencing on the 4th day of
March, 1889, was born in Henry
county. III this State, IN 1926. His
father was a welI.to do farmer, WIZ,
having but limited education, was
liberal in ahordIng his son educa-
tional advantages. Young Atkins
lived with his father on the farm
where he acquired a practical
knowledge and taste for that pursuit
which seems to have, to soma ex~
tent, shaped his destiny. as he has
never followed any other business.
He was in 1S49, when very young
man, elected by the Democracy to
the lever house OF the Tennessee
Legislature, where be measured
swords with such men as Hon. w.
B. Bate, now senator, George Cant,
one of the foremost lawyers of the
south, j. Z. Il. Ray, a wise and
just judge who fell a victim to the
terrible scourge ia 1873 in Aem-
phis. George Nancy, an able and
we'll known politician, and others OF
about the same age. Atkins DEM
ecratic constituency returned him in
1851 to the Tennessee House OF
Representatives. 1t was during
that session that the system of in.
tsrnal improvements WIS Inaugural
ted, which enabled Tennessee to
align herself with the great com
mercIal arteries Of her sister sta ties
around her and throughout the
Union, Hon Russell Houston was
chairman of the committee Of nine,
Of which Atkins constituted the
youngest member.
In 500 Atkins was the Demo
cratic nSminse for the State Senate
and made a very successful cam
paign I'D opposition to the Amer
Ican party, carrying the district by
an increased majority over highly
respectable and honorable gentl
man, Col. Joshua Gardner, of Weak
Icy county. The following year he
presided as president OF the Dam
ocrauc State cOnyen ton which APP
pointed the delegates that assisted
ia nominating at Cincinnati, Buch,
anan and Breckenridge; he was also
nominated by the District eonven~
ton at Trenton on that electoral
ticket fer the Ninth congressional
districts His canvass with the Hon.
Isaac Il. Hawkins, who was the
candidate tor elector on the Fillmore
and DuneIson ticket was marked
with Such spirit ami energy, that
without opposition, he was next
year, 1857, nominated by the Dem
ocrats Ter Congress in the Ninth
district, and after heated and active
canvass, was elected over the Hen.
Emerson EtheIdge by small ma
jority, reversing, however, a Wing
or American majority OF several
hundred.
The contest for Congress, the fol.
10 wing Campaign III 185 8. fell be-
tween the same contestants, which
icr earnestness and activity ma.
never been equaled IN the State, re-
sultIng in the election of Mr. Eth.
erldge by a majority of eight votes
out oi poll OF nearly 10000 Mucl
dissatisfaction pre- vailed and char
yes of unIaIrhess were made OF
both sides, aud Atkins was ur
| ged to contest Mr.. Etheridge's seat
but he rssolutely declined to do so
The campaign for President open,
ed in 1860 and found Atkins agar
on the electoral ticket, this tins
for Breckenridge and Lane, having
been previously delegate for tbs
State at large to the Charleston anC
Baltimore conventions, where he il
speech Of much patriotic fervol
advo Gated the Tennessee platform
OF COMPROMISE, but which with al
other oVerlures for harmony belDl
rejected he then acted with the al
most entire delegation from Ten
nessee and the ether southern
States, which nominated Breckin
ridge aud Lane.
Dir. Lincoln being elected, anC
the question of secession being pre-
scented tor consideration in Tennes-
see, Atkins advocated publicly the
adjustment OF our national troubles
by the adoption OF the Critten / Gu
compromise. That failing, ard
AL other compromises being refused,
the State OF Tennessee resolved
upon separation, and he followed her
1utuLss, and assisted in raising a
regiment, mas chosen lieutenant
co lionel, served for seven months
LuG before there vas any active
campaigning, his name vas, by the
voice Of his own regiment, present.
ed and urged for representative IN
tn Confederate Congress, and he
was elected by an overwhelming
majority over tie Hon. Al. e. Hill.
tie wes again twice chosen 10 tie
same body, without Opposition. Alter
tue conclusion OF tie var he returns
ed 10 has farm, Of course sh4 ttered
IN has financial affairs, He address