Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-04-20
For the Herald and Tribune.
1S4S- FIFTY YEARS 1898.
A Retrospective Review Of Congress
iOnal Elections.
[ NO. 2. ]


| With the election of johnson to Con-
gress in 1861, there also came a bril-
liant victory to the Wings throughout
the State. They elected VIM. B, Camp
bell Govesaor, and secured a majority
in the Legislature, which enabled them
to elect John Bell and Jas. c. Jones to
the United States Senate, and to so ger
rymander Andy Johnson's 3 district that
he could not be elected to Congress
from it any more. So in the year 1853
johnson put in for Governor and won
the prize, defeating the great Eagle
Orator" of the Whigs-G. A. Henry.
But in their gerrymander of 1851 the
Wings, as parties generally do, largely
overreached themselves; in trying to
make assurance doubly sure and make
this congressional district reliably and
solidlY Wing, the Legislature went
away down in sight of Knoxville, al
most, and brought in Sewer County,
which had been the banner Wing coun-
ty in 1910, also the great big Whig
county Of jefferson. With jefferson
County came A. G. Watkins, who had
once been Wing member of Congress
when Jefferson County was in the Sec
ond District, and was both willing and
anxious to be Congressman again.
Hon. N. G. Taylor thought that as he
had led forlorn hope against Andy
johnson in 1S49, that he should have
the race, and as the machine method'
of holding conventions was then un-
known, both Taylor and Watkins be-
came Wing candidates for Congress,
and after they began to make the fight
interesting-while they were making .
bitter fight over the Congressional
bone Brookins Campbell, Democrat,
slipped in between them and bore off
that bone in triumph, defeating both
Taylor and Watkins. Mr.. Campbell
lived in this county, down below Lees
burg, and was very popular man in
bis day. He defeated Andrew johnson
for State Senator in 1889, the first and
only time johnson was ever defeated
until after he was President. But Mr..
Campbell did not live to enjoy his new
hOnors very long. He was elected a
member of the Thirty Third Congress
in August, 1853, took his seat the fol-
lowing December, and died December
IS, 1858, and was buried at Providence
Church, Greene County.
A special election was held in Febru-
ary, 1854, and Taylor and Watkins
were again the candidates, and Mr..
Taylor was elected and served out the
term.
In 1866 the Wing party had largely
become merged into the Know Nothing
or American party. johnson was re-
elected Governor, over Gentry, the
American candidate. Taylor and Wat
kins were again the principal candi-
dates for Congress. Both of them had
become members of the new party,
and as such had made the canvass of
the lower counties in the district,
where that party was strong and where
Watkins was strong but ast they came
up into the strong Democratic counties
of Greene, Washington and Sullivan,
where Andy johnson had fixed things,
Watkins seemed to waver-kinder sold
out-and played off sick. Anyway, he
got enough of Know Nothing votes in
the lower counties and enough Of Dem.
ocratic votes in the upper counties to
elect him over Taylor, and in the Thirty
fourth Congress was more of Mug.
wump than Wing.
In 1857 Mr.. Watkins posed 80 sue.
cessfully as an ''old line Whig'
that he received the Democratic nom
ination for Congress Mr.. Taylor was
the American candidate, and A. G.,
Graham was an Independent Mr.
Graham was long, lank fellow who
came from Blaine's town in Pennsyl
vania about 48 to 40, and edited q
Democratic paper here for several yearl
and also had quite penchant for run
ming for Office, but his entire vote nev
or seemed to amount TO more than two
or three dozen. His candidacy for Con
gress in 1857 therefore did not amount
to anything. Taylor met Watkins OF
the stump and scored him so heavily
for his treachery that after reaching
Greensville he very wisely, or som'
other way. managed to get sick again
and appealed to the sympathies of th'
people in long circular. Messrs. Tay
lor and Graham continued the join
canvass, but Watkins had worked hi
''old time Whig" racket and his ''sick
, racket 90 well that he defeated Taylor
ii The year 1859 was another importan
; year in Tennessee politics. The Demo
Gratis of this district, feeling that Wat
kins had served them as q cats paw
until they had grown strong enough
TO run simon pure Democrat--on
} without the ''old time Whig" attach
ment they set Watkins aside and nom
mated LAnden G. Haynes, and tn
u American party nominated Hon. Thos
: A. R. Nelson. The Democrats entere,
I the campaign with high hopes, and, o
. course, they we're going to elect Hayne
, whether or no. Haynes made his bes
} spread eagle speeches, full of bras
and braggadocio, snd.told his funnies
stories. OF course Democracy laushe