Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-05-27
T'HATLONG, DEEP VAIL.

|. THATLONG, DEEP VAIL.
1t is al full Of falsehoods as some
few men that we know of are Of little
nesses and meannesses that make them
insufferably contemplate and disgust
ing is the most exact measurement that
can be made of a recent letter in the
Chattanooga Times respecting the
Johnson City Republican Convention.
Its author wilfully misrepresents, or
is stupidity ignorant, or is the victim of
a wicked imposition. 1t is more than
likely that the communication was in
spired by a paroxysm of rag because
those who were defeated in the primary
were not allowed to take sole charge
of that convention, shape its proceed.
ings, and dictate its nominations. The
reason why the friends of Mr.. Brown
low had their say and their way is be-
cause the Republican party in the
solemn form of a direct commission
from the ballot box had placed the
party machinery in their hands and
had delegated them specifically to
make its selections and arrange the
minor details of the campaign.
1t will be remembered that there vas
a Republican County Convention held
in Jonesboro during the primary can.
yass to select delegates to the State
Convention. The -Brownlow men, be.
cause of their large majority in the
county, could have controlled that
convention to the entire exclusion of
the opposition had they so willed, but
they wanted no rupture in the party
lines, they carefully refrained from
any movement that could possibly oc.
casion illfeeling and dissatisfaction,
they acted with a spirit of fairness and
cancellation throughout, and to avoid
the least appearance of unseemly ar.
rogation they gave the opposition very
much more than it was entitled to.
Straightway it was heralded to the
world that the opposition had carried
everything by storm and that Mr..
Brownlow had been severely rebuked
in his own home. A peg was driven
down deep right there, and then it was
determined that if a few certain men
could not properly appreciate good and
kindly treatment they could take what
f~ollowed-and fume, rave, whine and
cry as much as they wanted to.
The letter says:
There seems to have been a covert
plan to elect Walter Brownlow as one
of the delegates to st. Louis, but this
scheme was not developed until yester.
day morning just before the owen
tion met
There was nothing "covert" about
it, nor was there any preconcerted
plan. There was no occasion for it.
The truth is just this. When the dele.
gates arrived it was found that they
were unanimously in favor of sending
Mr.. Brownlow to the st. Louis Con.
vention. He was not a candidate for
delegate, did not want to go and begged
that his name not be brought before
the convention, and only ted to
allow his name to be presented to the
convention after the diffe rent candi-
dates for delegate had been in consulta.
ton and fully agreed that he should
be one of the delegates, and that agree
ment was ratified. But the delegates
would not listen TO his advice and
p%leadings, and nominated him BY &C.
clamation. That was all that there
was of it. For once at least in his life
Mr.. Brownlow was not "boss"-he had
quietly to submit to being bossed by
Others.
The letter intimates that Mr.. Brown
low dictated the proceedings of the
convention AID selected the nominees.
This is a falsehood without the SEM
blance of an excuse for its Preparation.
If he had any choice at all between the
candidates for the various honors of
the convention he was very careful
no that living man outside of himself
should know it.
The animus Of this letter and the
chagrin and disappointment of the
writer as a pot hunter are fully reveal
ed in the following paragraph;
"Brownlow is now fully in the sad.
die in this district and judging from
his former history he is likely to ride
rough shod over any and all who may
not become his devotees. 1t has been
many years since he flourished as a
full aedged boss in this Congressional