Year: 1869

Correspondence of the Union and American.


CHATTANOOGA, July a, 1S69.-The
gubernatorial canvass closed for East
Tennessee, at this place on yesterday.
This county and especially this city has
been considered the stronghold of the
Bald Eagle in his congressional district.
But few short months ago his bugle
blast would assemble two thousand
faithful followers, but on yesterday
"there was none so poor as to do him
reverence" Two years ago from the
same stand the gifted Etheridge dissected
him with all the skill of an eminent
surgeon, but Stokes followers would still
rend the air and shake the vault of
Heaven with their unearthly yells and
shouts. On yesterday Senter pounded
him, hacked him, exposed his military
and political record, denounced him as
one who held a seat in Congress in
violation of law or through the potent in-
fuence of perjury, denounced him as
coward and public plunderer, and
charged him with desire to disfranchise
the babes that were now in the cradle.
He asked Stokes to mention one Rebel in
his congressional district whose disabili-
ties he had had removed. Said Stokes
had not retained congressional relief for
a single one and the reason was that the
hero of the Calf-killer was afraid they
would interfere with his political aspira-
tons. Senter spoke freely and boldly
for universal suffrage and for convention
to change the constitution so as to give
the right to any citizen twenty -one years
Of age, unconvicted of crime, to vote,
and was also for changing the constitu-
ton so as to require negroes to pay poll
tax the same as white men.


Stokes seeing his case was hopeless
in this county, relapsed into the courage
of despair and stuck to his position on
the franchise question as expressed in
the Welsh, Thornburg and Singletary
letter.


have witnessed many political discus
sions but | have never seen a man more
thoroughly cowed and whipped than
Stokes was yesterday. At the close of
the discussion three cheers were given foL
Gov. Senter and immediate suffrage for
all, and three groans for the hero ofthe
Calf killer, in which the vast audience
almost to a man joined with a will. At
night few of the faithful serenaded Gen.
Stokes at his hotel, and on his attempt
ing to speak, tremendous and prolonged.
shouts for Senter rang out on the air
from every portion of the crowd in front
of the hotel. The Bald Eagles screams
were drowned out, an he retired in DISCUS
Thus it is that he, who but few short,
months ago by his infsmmatory speeches
excited his followers to pitch Of frenzyt
and almost to'deeds of violence and.incen~
diarism, was himself hooted down by
crowd composed largely Of the same ele~
ment.


He said last night that he had written
to Grant, Boutwell, and others, and if
things did not go better, he would have
Tennessee remsnded back to the position
of territory under the rule Of mill
tary governor His friends have been
boasting to-day about it, and say they
would rather have military government
than to allow Senter and his friends to
run the State government. think be is
in earnest, and have no doubt that plot
is DOW being matured between Gen.
Stokes and his chief allies throughout
the State to carry out the military pro-
gramme. But that little game wont win.


The press and public sentiment through
out the United States are with Gov.
Senttr. 1t will amount to nothing more
than the rant and fuslian of an expiring
politician, who being disgreced as Stokes


was yesterday, tries to heal his wound


ed honor and cover his shame by an
attempt to destroy his State, because the


people prefer another to him.


I have no doubt that conspiracy is
going on to destroy the State govern


ment and that w. B. Stokes is at its
head. o! what a commentary on Re-
publican institutions it would be to have


him whom the people repudiate and re-


ject as their ruler, assassinate theiI


liberties and have himself appointed theiI
military tyrantl HAMILTON.