The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-07-31
HARRIS, WATKINS, AND SMITH.


trine Of Alien Suffrage, in the territories
What he holds to be right and just and prop
or in the teritories,fs Is unjust and improper
in. the States, at least in Tennessee. Our
constitution limits the right Of suffrage 10
citizens. This Gen. Harris says is right, and
he does not seek to change it-he is satisfied
with it. But why so? 1t is matter Of
principle. And he has been in the habit of
contending that principles are changeess and
eternal.
What then constitutes the difference be-
tween the principles applied in the States or
in the territories! Gen. Harris knows very
well that an effort to change the settled pol
icy of Tennessee upon this subject, would
consign him to inevitable political DEATH
He dares not apply the principle in Ten
nessee legislation, which he is earnest in ap-
plying in the territories. lnthis State, where
the native citizens, no matter of what party,
are in sufficient numbers to counteract and
overwhelm the evil influences of foreignism,
and where the practical assertion of Alien
Suffrage would and could not operate any
material injury to the State, it is highly i'm
polite that they should be allowed to vote.
But in Kansas and Minnesota, where the
foreign element is already strong and fear
fully Increasing, and where it threatens to
L.. tha md I..fns hn
future character of the States and their in
stitutions, it is entirely politic-eminently
just and patriotic. Precisely where the evil
is greatest, where the danger is most EN-
incnt, they throw the reins of government
into the hands of the foreign born and unnat-
uraized, and allow them, without objection,
to make laws and mould States, excluding
the South from an equal and just participa-
ton in the rights of property! The whole
argument convcts Gen. Harris Of inexcus'
able Inconsistency, and show him to BIZ n
time-server, seeking to uphold himself with
the people of Tennessee, while at the same
time he is striving to occupy the same ground
with the Northern Alien Suffrage, Squatter
Sovereignty, freesoil wing of his party
We trust that the ballot-box will put qui-
etus to such arrant shutting and double
dealing.
While the majority of Southern Demo-
Gratis in the Senate, and in the House, we
believe, are opposed to this position of Gen.
Harris, as expressed on the Minnesota bill,
and at least one of their candidates for Con-
gress, Avery in the Memphis District, has
declared against It upon the stump, there are
two worthless in East Tennessee, Smith and
Watkins, who have bestrided the Alien Suf-
frage pony, and upon it are running Gilpin
sweepstakes for reelection. On the
passage of the Minnesota bill, which wns pre-.
sented by freesoil delegate from that ter
ritory, and reported by freesoil committee to
the House, we find the names of these two
Tennessee gentlemen on record with the
body of the Fremont and Banks supporters
OF the North. Both Savage and Jones voted
against the bill, while Wright was absent on
| account of sickness. It is due to Geo. w.
Jones, however, to say that his opposition to
| the bill, was not on account of its alien suf-
frage feature but was grounded upon a do
nation of per cent, of the proceeds Of the
public lands within the territory, to the ter
ritory; and hence he may also be put down
as one of the alien suffrage champions.
We wish the people TO understand the posi-
tion of their leaders upon this subject, and
to vote with their eyes open. Let these
gentlemen defend and explain these votes to
their constituents, and, if possible, justify
them. IF the leaders of the democracy are
determined TO thrust his Infamous doctrine
down the throats of independent, patriotic
Tennessceans, let them know what it is
Let these leaders answer for their acts, and
be held to n strict accountability for the
deeds done in the name of their party, but
which majority of this party in and out of
the State spit upon and spurn.