Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-07-19
The White Basis.


years ago, showed cup the humbug
about tue "White Basis" as scnce
proposed by Gov. Johnson. and how
little actual capital sIWhigs found
lin the said humbug after the subject
Of it had been explained. Notwi;h'
standing theexperience ofthe Wigs
then, their Know Nothing success
sors are trying the same experiment,
and it will meet with the like i'll sue
cess. we purpose examining the
matter in this article, and reexposing
it.
1t is represented that Gov. John
SON., while a Senator in our State
Legislature, advocated an abolition
measure. in this, that be proposed to
district the State SO as to exclude
the slaves from representation. The
charge Is grossly fuse. The Constr
tuition of the United States recog-
nizss slaves as persons, and provides
that tive such persons, shall be esti-
mated as three persons, in apportion-
ing representation among the States.
In 1912, the State Of Tennessee had
already been awarded her represen-
tation in Congress, and had already
receiped in this award her slave rep
resentation. The question was, how
this representation, thus already
awarded TO Tennessee, should be APP
portioned among her own people,
The Constitution of Tennessee, unlike
the Constitution of the United
States, does not recognize slaves as
"persons," but solely as property
In apportioning representation in our
State Legislature, white persons,
tWenty-one years Of age and upwards,
alone are counted. The slaves, being
by our Constitution property, are
not counted at all. Gov. Johnson
proposed to divide our eleven Repre-
sentatiyes in Congress in the same
way among the voters, and not a.
mong the property" He regard
ed the right to this slave representa-
ton as a State right, and not as one
belonging to individuals.
His propositions, stript of all mys-
LITIGATION and misrepresentation, vas
simply that the qualified voters of
the State should WELD the political
power of the State. That is exactly
what bis proposition was; aud eur
readers will therefore see that the
representation that Gov. JoHNsoNs
proposition would have deprived the
State of a portion Of her representa-
ton in Congress, as charged By bis
enemies, is entirely and wiekedly
false. 1t would have deprived the
State of no portion of her power, but
would have placed that power in the
hands of the qualified voters Of the
State, without regard to property
The principle of Gov. Johnson's
proposition is already importation in
this State in regard to every thing Ie
lating to the exercise of political
power State aud Federal, with the
single exception of Representatives
to Congress. Our Senators to Con-
gress are elected by men who are
themselves elected on the white ba-
sis. We have two or three electoral
votes for President on account of our
slaves; yet these electors are chosen
by general ticket, and consequently
all the voters of the State are equals
in their choice. There is not the
slightest difference in principle be-
tween Gov. Jobnson's proposition
and the law as it now exists in this
State for the election of electors OF
President, and those who think that
proposition wrong, must also assert
that the present mode of choosing
electors is wrong. They will not do
this; and in doing it, while they
assail Gov. Johnson's proposition,
they show themselves to be insineere
aud bypocritical in their assaults.
We have intended this article as |
explanatory of facts. There are
some other features of the question
which we shall probably refer to after
ve see how this explanation is treat |
ed by the Know Nothing organs
Union.
0no &c fbo lN,t.o,ol Nop3