The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-08-25

statutes passed BY the Legislature Of
Tennessee, at tie extra stssi5n Of 1881
La this book, fna 4 law, made by rob
II Legislature la secret oOnclave assem
bled, and presided over by King Ishsm
9uiliver Harris, authorizing the Govern
or 10 enlist as many nee persons OF coll
or. between the ages Of Fifteen aud fifty,
a. he might ia his discretion decide to
be necessary. (Here the speaker read
several sections Of the law.) Now, you
sec, from this Law, made by the same
men who are 60 bitterly opposing enlist-
ing negroes, that they not only author
lied The Governor to enlist free negroes,
but provided for he Sherifs Of the va
rious counties to c0nscript them into the
Rebel army. The Rebels themselves,
say the war is 30 free the negro. |
don't believe, abstrsctly, that it Is, but
that 4, will ino,dcntly 30 result ali must
see. But, taking the Rebtls' own word
for 1t, and acknowledging they under
stand the subject, | am decidedly in IA
vor Of letting the negroes work out some
pa OF their own fHlvationl / say arm
them, ana let tn m kill traitors. The
white man has to DO shot at aud incur
the dangers of the battlefield And in
the name of humanity, is the negro TOO
good and sacred to be likewise exposed?
fJr one, say not. But the Rebels ask
II SIC are going 70 elevate the negro 10
the dignity OF white man, b. aiming
him to Eight in this war? Now, that is
rather rich. les very diguiiying oc-
cupGtion 20 kill traitors, indeed Amt
It? Because the mule draws the bag
gage, he 10 by no means the equal Of the
20 oLcli General, or private. You have
b, en- told 70 day that this is contest
for free government. Thag is the true
issue, gentlemen, This contest is
TO decide whether you shall
| choose Your own rulers, or whether a
slave ariStoc'Ucy suel as is xempl aed
ia the State pOlitY OF South Carolina
shal rule you. Reference has been made
| 10 the provisions OF the Constitution oil
that liule Cjtlon.seed Kingdom, touch
ing the qualifications for Office, and the
elective franchise. | wish the gentle
men had amphhed little. That in
strument provides that property holders
can vote in every county in which they
own property. But the poor devil who
has mt the property, negroes &c, must
be deprived Of equal privileges with the
rich rds. The Union and American"
the leading organ Of secession in Ten
nessee deiPn0eu this constitution in
1861; as well As to boast Of a certain
negro in Nashville having rendered his
services to Gov Harris and was going TO
raise negro company, any one Of which
would be more than a match for five
| Yankees.
The Memphis Appeal the leading or
gan of treason in West Tennessee, adj
v5cated property qualification for voters,
| and electing officers for a lifetime. Mr..
Toombs declared. Eng land had better
government than ever ours had been.
So these things may be taken as guide
brands, directing tue southern chivalry,
| if successful in their rebellion, safely in
to the harbor of consolidated despot-
ism. Much is said about "ArmegeddOn,"
and imag mary views. believe that this
government Will emerge from the ordeal
through which il ID passing, purified aud
refined, and as the roar of cannon, and
hail Of battle shall die away on this con =
tinent, the trumpet of war will be heard
on distant shores and freedom, and the
principles of republicanism will extend
in their grand march, throughout ali
countries, oyerturning monarchies and
| despOtisms, and that the Inhabitants of
every cline shall be permitted to recline
in the shaae of the tree of liberty, repre-
sented by the American flag which am
sorry to have TO reflect on the managers
of this meeting for emitting TO have at
least one present here TO- day. | thank
you for your attention, and though we
may never meet again on earth, just keep
the political religion which has been
preached here to-day, and we will all
meet in heave,,, | hope.