Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-10-31

While Peter Turney and his trusted
champions are finding fault with FL.
Clay Evans or rather with Evans par
ents for having permitted him to be
born in the State of Pennsylvania and
while the prematurely ancient Peter
displays a longing so uncomfortable,
TO turn over the leaves and read from
the musty pages of ancient history, 1t
seems only reasonable that he should
be accommodated. Impelled by this
motive, this whittier has been delving
and has been rewarded with some dis
~coveries that are exceedingly entertain
ing and in a sense edifying as we'll.
The claim made for the Turney fam
lily. that gives it superiority over any
person born in the insignificant State of
Pennsylvania, and who has, like Clay
Evans, resided in Tennessee for only
thirty years, is that its Democracy is
''rock ribbed and ancient as the sum-"
There is foundation for the claim.
Forty nine years ago, the 25th day of
the present month of October, Hopkins
L. Turney, the father of our mossback
Governor, was elected to the United
States Senate, defeating Hon. A. o. P.
Nicholson late Chief Justice Of the Su-
pteme Court, just one vote, and doing
it under circumstances, the relation of
which will be read with interest at even
this late day. On the fourth day of the
preceding month of March, James K.
Polk had been inaugrated President of
the United States. Aaron V. Brown at
an election held in August had been
elected Governor, as q Democrat, de-
festing Ephriam FL. Foster, the Wing
candidate, less than two thousand
votes. The Legislature chosen at the
same time was very close, the Senate
being evenly divided and the Democrats
having a majority of only two or three
III tuC AOWSI IlOuoCs
When the time for electing a United
States Senator came, the Democrats
held a caucus, and Hopkins L. Turney's
brother Sam being a member of the
Legislature, he was also a member of
the caucus. The caucus in a contest
between A. o. P. Nicholson and Hop
kins L. Turney decided in favor of
Nicholson os the candidate of the Dem
ocratic party. The roll of members
was called, as is usual, when the vote
was being taken, in alphabetical order.
Before Sam Turney's name was reached,
it could be seen that Mr.. Nicholson
have q majority, and he, Turney, got
up and walked out. As he was going
he was asked to remain, and further if
he was not going to support the nominee
as he had pledged himself to do. In
reply to this last question, he said he
didn't know whether he would or not.
well, Mr.. Turney," he was asked,
ibid you not pledge yourself to abide
by the action of the caucusp"
"Yes,"h he said, ''but l thought Broth
er Hop would be nominated"
Party feeling ran high at that time,
especially in connection with the cleo.
ton of United States Senators. Four
years prior to this date, two Senators
were to have been elected. one to fill a
vacancy resulting from the death of
Felix Grundy, the other to be successor
of Hugh Lawson White. But while the
Wings had a majority Of two on joint
ballot, the Democrats had one majority
in the Senate and they defeated the
election of any Senators at all, by re-
fusing to meet the House of Represen
tatives in joint convention for the pur-
pose of electing Senators, and thus the
State was left without representation
in the Senate until on the 18th day of
October, 1S43, when Ephriam Fl. Foster
and Spence Jarnagin, both Wings, were
chosen. In view of this action of the
Democrats, the Wings, in 1916, deter
mined to beat the Democratic nominee
for the Senate, and to do this, q CON-
bination was entered into, by means of
which, Nicholson the Democratic eau.
Gus nominee, vas defeated and Hop
kins L. Turney a boiling Democrat was
elected. This result was accomplished
with the votes of two or three Demo
Gratis and of every Wing member of
the Legislature, ave one, that of Hon.
Emerson Etheridge, who afterwards be-
came 80 prominent in Tennessee politics,
and who persistenly refused to cast his
vote for Mr.. Turney.
The result was due largely to the &C
tive efforts of James G. Jones, who had
twice been elected Governor of Tonnes
see by the Wings owe James X. Polk
both times. John Bell warned the
Wings that they could not rely upon
promises made by Turney in considera-
ton of their votes. Among these prom
Uses was that he would vote against the
repeal of the tariff of 1S42, that he
would vote for the distribution of the
proceeds Of the sale of public lands
among the States, and that he would
vote to re charter the United States
bank. In order to settle these points,
Governor Jones secured from Mr.. Tur-
ney a written pledge to vote with the
Wings on the measures above mention
ed, and %thereupon every Wing member
Of the Legislature with the exception of