Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-05-09
SOME ANCIENT HISTORY
How Gerrymanders Worked in the
Days Before the War.
The Historic Campaign Of Haynes and
Johnson Recalled ana What Ef.
fects Came After.

DiouiOV VII 6oihS away oNcr iutO
Middle Tennessee, as it were, and at
taching Franklin County to the Third
District in order to defeat Clay Evans,
calls to mind the fact that gerryman-
ders do not always prove paying in
vestment to the party responsible for
them, as the following little bit of an
cient history will show.
In 1851 the upper case Democrats of
this Congressional District seemed to
be getting tired of Andy Johnson, who
had been in Congress since 1S43, and
therefore LandoD G. Haynes became a
candidate against the great "com-
moner." AS they were both intellect
ual giants, and both among the most
able and eloquent stump speakers of
their day, it began to look like they
would tear their party into pieces. In
stead of putting candidate in the
field to defeat both of them, the Wings
decided to let them fight it out, but
took advantage of the factional fight
going on in the Democratic party and
secured as many members of the Legis-
lature as possible.
Hon. James w. Deadenck, after
wards Chief Justice of this State. was
elected State Senator from this District,
and Col. G. w. Telford was elected
Floater from Hawkins, Greene and
Washington counties. Elections for
Governor, members of Congress and
the Legislature were then held on the
first Thursday in August every two
years. The result of the election in
1851 was that johnson defeated Haynes
for Congress and the Wings elected
Campbell for Governor and secured a
majority in the Legislature, with which
they elected John Bell and JAS. G.
Jones to the United States Senate and
redistricted the State. And in order
that johnson might never be able to
get to Congress again from this District
it was gerrymandered as to include the
strong Wing counties of Jefferson and
Sewer which made the First District
Whig by good majority. But by
bringing Jefferson county in this dis
trict new candidate for Congress, A.
G. Watkins, was also brought in and
as Jefferson and Sewer were to furnish
the Wing majority, Watkins felt that
he had a good claim to make the race;
Hon. N. G. Taylor who had been
slaughtered by Andy johnson in 1s49
for the good of the Wing party, felt
that he too ought to be allowed to
make the race; the result was that the
Wings found themselves with both
Watkins and Taylor on their hands
both determined to run, and run they
did. The situation was still further
complicated by the appearance of
Brookins Campbell, Democratic can
didate, In the field. Brookins had been
choked off the track away back in
1845 by Johnson, and had been stand
ing out in the cold all these long years,
waiting patiently for Andy to get
enough; and as Watkins and Taylor
made very fair divide of the Whig
vote, Campbell slid into Thirty Third
Congress very easily. He was elected
on the first Thursday in August, 1858,
took his seat the first Monday in De
cember. 1858. but died of pneumonia
by Christmas. Hardly were his re-
mains laid beneath the sod in old
Providence grave yard in Greene coun
ty, until Messrs. Walking and Taylor
were again in the field as candidates
to succeed the deceased Mr.. Campbell
The election came off in February anG
Mr.. Taylor won, and served through
the balance of the term.
In 1866 Watkins and Taylor were
again in the field for Congress -botl
running as good know Nothings;'
but while still holding on to the Whil
or Know Nothing vote in the lowe
counties, Watkins somehow managed
to secure large per cent of the Demo
cratic vote also and by means of which
he defeated Mr.. Taylor. In 1857 Mr.
Watkins appeared in the field as al
"old line Whig"-also as the regula
Democratic nominee. While Mr.. Tay
lor came as the representative of tn
American party"-a party that ha,
been able to carry only one State
Maryland-for Fillmore the year be
fore, hence Mr.. Taylor again wen
down in defeat whilc Mr.. Watkin
again went to Congress.
In 1859 there was ballot Of giant
in this district such as had not beel
since the year 1851, when Andy, tn
great commoner, defeated Haynes
Hon. T. A. r. Nelson was the Amer
can candidate and Landon c. Hayne
the Democratic candidate. After
close and the most exciting canvas
ever seen in this district, Nelson wa
elected by less than one hundred votes
Thus while it seems that all th
benefit the Wings derived from tn
gerrvmander was the election of N.
Taylor in February, 1854, and the ele,
0 ton of Mr.. Nelson in 1889. Sill, iool
ing back to it now, one can not b,
feel that greater events grew out of Il
gerrymander of this Congressional di
trict in 1851 than have ever come fro
J, the geuymandering of any one sing
district in the United States. Th