Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-04-13
For the Herald and Tribune.
1913 FIFTY YEARS - 1898.
A RetrOspectiv Review Of Congress.
iOnal Elections.
I NO. 1. I

POAAoiSos
Jas. K. Polk and Jas. G. Jones were
fighting their second great battle for
the Governorshlp of Tennessee. Two
years before that time, Jones, an un-
known stump orator from Wilson Coun-
ty, had had the temerity to become a
candidate for Governor against the
brilliant and polished Polk, a man who
had been twice elected Speaker of the
National Congress and one time Gov.
ernor of Tennessee, and greatly to the
amazement of every one, both Wings
and Democrats, had not only ruined
Polk on the stump, but had defeated
him for Governor
AS Polk was by far the ablest politi-
ciani in the ranks of the Tennessee DEM
ocrats his party had put him forward
again as their candidate for Governor,
with the hope that he could retrieve the
disaster of 1S41. Next year the great
Presidential battle of 1874 was to be
fought, but perhaps no one was wild"
enough at that time to think of Polk
in connection with the nomination.
The one great trouble with the Demo-
Gratis was, how to get shut of Van Blu
rem, and at the same time get a candi-
date who could win against Henry Clay
the then conceded candidate of the
Wings.
Tennessee was Jackson's State, 80
that the result of the election of 1S48
would have an important bearing on
the Presidential fight of "A.
Our Governors, Congressman, etc.,
were then elected on the first Thurs.
day in August of every odd year. So
our elections were hot in more ways
than onel
Andrew johnson was then 35 years
of age, and was a member of the Ten
nessee Senate. He was making quite
a reputation as an able and popular
stump speaker, and was looked upon
by his party as the best man to fight
the Wings with. He was therefore
made the Democratic candidate for
Congress that year.
His Wing competitor was Col. John
A. Aiken, of Jonesboro. He was law
yer who stood high in the profession,
and as an orator he was both able and
eloquent. But somehow from the very
beginning of his career, johnson stood
down close and always remained in
touch with what Mr.. Lincoln was wont
to call the plain people"-the bone
and sinew of the land-and made their
cause his cause, and having himself
sprung from the lower ranks, as it were,
he possessed their confidence to q won
derful degree. So he was easily cleo
ted over the scholarly Aiken.
From ls43 10 1916 there had been q
wonderful change wrought in the po-
litical world. Polk, whom the Wings
had twice defeated for Governor of
Tennessee, had himself defeated Henry
Clay for the Presidency and was living
and ruling in the White House!
johnson again became the Demo.
cratic candidate for Congress, and
Parson Brownlow became the Wing
candidate. The great fighting Parson
was then publishing "Brownlow's
Jonesboro Wing" and his home was Oh
Main street where Jas. G. Cousin now
lives, and the Wing was published in
the basement where AUNT Riner''
now lives. johnson and Brownlow, W
believe, did not hold joint discussions
each one did his own speaking and
Brownlow in the mean time made
things red hot through the columns
of the Wing denouncing Democracy
and Locofocoisms in general, and
Andy Johnson in particular, but John
son was again elected to Congress.
In 1S47 johnson was for the third
time a candidate for Congress-. and
seemed to have everything his own way
"a perfect walk over for awhile, but
at length young o.P. Temple came out
against him on the Wing ticket. Tenn
pie vas then a young lawyer of Greene
Vile, only 81 years old, and was a re-
cent graduate of Washington College,
in this county. But he met Andy on
the stump and poured it into him so
hot and heavy, and led Andy such a
lively dance over the district that he
came within 147 votes of defeating him.
Had the Wings of Cooke County only
stood square by Temple he would have
beaten Johnson. 1t is said that John
son could never forgive Temple for
daring to run against him-not till du-
ring the war, anyway.
In 1S49, Andrew johnson was again
and for the fourth time, a candidate
for Congress. Rev. N. G. Taylor was
the Wing candidate. He was then a
young man about 20 years of age, and
was a graduate of Princeton, N. j., Col
lege, having been a classmate of John
c. Breckenridge, of Kentucky. He was
perhaps n of the most gifted and elo.
quent orators of his day. johnson had
also improved greatly as a public
speaker, so that the canvass between
them was both interesting and excit-
ing, but was lacking in that bitterness
that marked those between Brownlow
and johnson and Temple and johnson.
Some eighteen years after that time,
johnson was President, and he I'D.
pointed Taylor Indian Agent, and