Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-25
SPEECH OF J. q. WHITE, ESQ.,.


for the purpose of replying to the very fierce
attack made upon my position on this bill,
! by one of my colleagues, Mr.. CBEATAM, but
was deprived Of the privilege of addressing
the House. on the amendment proposed by
| the member from Madison, by the motion
| of the member from Msury. merely intend
ed to say that was in favor of the amend
ment proposed by the gentleman from Madi-
son [Mr. HURT designating the LIST of Deem
! Der, 1861, the time when this act should
| take effect, if it should become law. de-
sire that the people should have an opportu-
nifty TO examine the subject and express
| their-opini0ns on the merits of this bill. l
do not know what are the opinions or wishes
of the majority OF my constituents on this
| subject; | have not gone cut asking my con-
| stitGents how / should vote on this or any
other subject; but will say for the benefit
/ of my colleague [Mr. Chcaiham1 that at least
/ nine out of every ten who have spoken TO me
on this subject. have been against the bill.
/ But do not seek to influence the action CT
my colleague; have no doubt he is az ipdc-
| pendent, and as honest, in his course, on this
/ and every other subject, as any member OF
| this Hons; only claim the right to think
and act for myself, taking all the cnnss quen-
ces and assuming all the responsibilities OF
| my corrse. / would not desire TO influence
The action of any member here except by
appeals TO his reason. bis heart. his con-
science, the higher and loftier impulses of his
nature. l would scOrn all appeals to his
fear. his ambition, his desires for popular
! favor.
Mr. Speaker, since have commenced speak
! ing this morning, l have an inclination, or
rather a strong temptation, to go ON ard
give to the House candid and honest tx
preston of my views, opinions and feelings
on this whole subj ct, to make a clean breast
of il. and to coin into words the unrestTained
emotions of my whole soul, for the benefit oil
the House Sir, where is the necessity for
the bill7 Have the people demanded such a
measure2 Have we not had free negroes
amongst us since the first settlement OF the
country, before we had an existence as
State? Have they not heretofore been pro-
tect d. governed, taxed, and many of them
created by cur laws? Have they, az class.
been guilty of treason, or any other crime
that our laws cannot punish! Is it necessary
TO invoke the whole legislative power OF the
great State of Tennessee TO eXpel from our
borders five or six thousand poor. degI AIDED,
ignorant free negroes. for fear they viii over
turn the government! Such superstition
wOuld make US ridiculous and contemplate
in tie ewes Of the whole world. Sir. when
we look at the great State OF Tennessee, with
its million OF inhabitants. gravely leSlslatlng
through their representatives, that 1t Is nee
,s>ary TO their peace and property, to their
happiness and the security OF Their pecuftGT
institution. that five or six thousand Tree ne
groes should he driven from their homes and
the land of their birth, this aspect OF the
subject first exciies in my bosom emotions oi
ridicuIr, then my whole soul boils over Win
q orn and contempt and indignation for the
whole subject But. Mr. SPEAKER. there Is
another view of the subject which is well cal
cuidtcd TO excite emotions ana trellnSs oil
yerv different character. VIII, reflect up
on the votes That was taken on this subject
on Yesterday. which Indicated conciuSlVely
that this bill would pass this house by large
majority, and so far as we are cohcerheo' DC
come the law Of the land, and then poor Tree
negroes subjected to the operations OF the
D,oyisiuns OF this bill, and forced to leave
the State or be sold into slavery, feel my
heart swelling up with sorrow. pity, sympa-
thy. poignant grief, for the poor tree negroes.
Mr. Speaker az to the constitutional ques
ton involved in this bill, do not intend 10
discuss il now | merely wish to express my
belief that the weight and strength OF the ar
gumentis altogether against our right 10
pass the bill. The very able argument upon
this point made by my colleague, Mr.. East,] |
is in nv oDinion. perfectly unanswerable; at
least. the advocates of this bill have made |
most signal failures in their attempts to an
swer. aud ii he shall publish his argument. |
the authorities cited and relied on by him |
will be the foundation of all the arguments |
made against this bill. when lis constitution |
atty shall be brought to the test OF judicial |
decision. And in this connection would |
mort respectfully refer the house again to an /
authority relied upon and quoted by the |
member from Hickman, Mr.. Williams,l and |
that is the opinion expressed 10y the conven- |
tiOh in 1894, which formed our present CON |
stitutiOn. They gave ~ as their opinion mat |
we had no power To compel the Tree negroes |
to leave the State without their consent, aud /
that opinion was cOncurred in 10y majority l
Of more than four to one.
| suppose the makers of the constitution |
understood its meaning rs well at least as we /
do. After the lapse of quarter of eeniu-
~. have we in this fast age grown wiser than
our fathers,
Mr.. Speaker, where is the demand for this |
measured Have the people asked this at our /
hands7 Was the subject canvass.d before the |
people? Did the candidates for GOvernO. dis
GUS this matter in their canvass last sum-
mer? Did you, or |. or any other member on |
This floor. discuss this subject whilst we were /
candidates before the peOpla? The member
from Overton, (Mr. Jones,) is the only per
son here that has avOwed that he took po- |
sition on this subjrct before the people
Where are the petitions Of the people asking |
for the passage OF this bill? But Que petition
on this subject, so far as | know. has been
presented. and that was a small one from the /
county of Wilson, gotten up since tins bill
has been under discussion. There is none |
from Nashville-nOne from Memphis-none
from any town in the State, and we all know
that the cities and towns are the chief rem
devious of this class of population. There
has been no complaint by the people against
the free negroes; at least we have no eVl-
dence Of such complaint. Why, then. | ask,
has this subject been introduced and pressed
with such bot haste upon this house! Will
answer this question candidly; at least will
give my honest opinions and conscientious
on this point. This bill is one of
The " dent ,ff,cs OF the recent events at
Harper's Ferry, that highest crime against Il
SOY ereign State, was committed since tue
OF the present session. And
il has been seized upon by the d'mocrat
party as u suitable theme OUT Of which To
make party capital, and win party success.
And some OF my party friends, having here
totore felt the effects of this mighty lever oil
the negro question in the hands OF their dem
ocratc opponents, have determined that the
democrats shall have no advantage OF them
on this subject have rushed to the support Of
this bill as a measure OF prevention. 10 keep
the democratic party from getting the advan-
tage OF them. | condemn alike the policy Of
both branches of the support rs Of this Dill.
And. a. for myself l am determined To stand
10y the right, though | should stand alone. 1t
is urged 10y the advocates OF this bill that the
free negroes are n nuisance, a publ mai
ance, aud endaug'r the peace of society aud
the security oi slave property. / dispute the
| know some of them to be
pcaceatle, quiet, orderly, aud sober people,
attentive To lheir business and industrious IN
their pursuits, upright members OF tue
church, who give much evid nee of true
piety and consistent christian character 10y
their daily walk aud conversation, as the best
citizens ct the State. There ere others of n
totally different character, and my chief Oh
jcction TO this bill is that il makes no distiuc-
ton between the good and the bad; il in-
cludcs them all in cue class aud coEdtmns
tnem all alike. can vote for no bill that