The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-08-03

ham Wines, the member from tht
/ county, replied. to M. Thomas d
said the position Of Mr.. Thomas va
strange he was q candidate for Con
gress under the sct Of that Legislatur'
or body which acte5 in obedience K
executive beheat, snd not by the law
Of the land That the Convention o.
January, 1865, and the ratification Of
the acts Of that Convention on the 22ud
of February, by the vote Of the people,
was in pursuance Of the bill of rights,
and The assembling of the Legislature
in pursuance Of the vote of the people
on the 22nd Of February snd the pro
clamstion Of the 9oYernor. was Legal
and the amendments and schedule
became a part OF the organic Law,
and wss binding on the people
That the power given TO the Lsgis.
iature to-hx the elective franchise was
delegated power to that body, sud they
had the right to debtermins il That
the elective franchise act was not an op
pressive one; it was liberal in its provi-
sions The rebel soldiers who had re-
turned home were satisfied it was right,
until men who sought to obtain place
and power iHaasnced and induced them
to believe the government had dealt
harshly with them. They had not
voted for four years, and It surely was
no great hardship 10 bedepriyed Of that
privilege Eve years that they had labor |
ed and fought the government, and hay
ing failed, ought not to complain if they
were deprived Of the right OF controlling
the government for a short period 1
That in the Gulf States there was but
one party, and consequently under the
Presidents proclamation there would
be no reunion. In Tennessee it was
different A loyal party existed that
had labored for a length of time to
bring the State in harmony with the
Federal Government.
The Presidents proclamation did not
apply to Tennessee, and measures would
be inaugurated if the Elective Fran
chise were thrown open to ell returned
rebels, that that would break down and
destroy the policy inaugurated by the
loyal men Of the State 1t was not rea-
sonable to suppose that those who had
30 lately been in opposition to the gov.
erDment would accept and carry out
those measures that would bring the
State in harmony with the Federal au-
,hority.
He said the aet of the people on the
I'D of February abolished slavery in
the State; that it had ceased to exist
that it was a blessing to the people;
that the slave aristocracy had govern
I'd and controlled the State that out
If the voting population there were but
30 600 slave holders, snd the condition
# our sister free States. was an
evidence Of the incubus Of slave
y. That Tennessee would soon take
'ank with the first States of the
Union. he urged the elsims of Mr..
Arnell; he had ever been loyal man,
vas the true friend of the Government
md he sympathized with it; that Ten
lessee had grent interests at stake, and
I was important that the people of the
District should have friend at Court,
ather than an enemy; that he had been
he friend and supporter Of Andrew
Johnson, while Mr. Thomas was against
linn. Who would be likely to most ad-
anee the interest Of the citizens, the
riend or opponent of the Governm ent2
The status of Tennessee is not yet fixed
q the Union, and who would most
,robably be accepted, a friend or enc
nv Of the party in pOwerl He advised
hem to discard their prejudices, and
ote for the man who could best furth-
r their interest Such were the topics
{ discussion, and every unprejudiced
aind was satisfied that it was to the
interest Of the State that Arnell should
e elected; but men are yet influenced
y their prejudices rather than reason,
nd for the pleasure Of defeating the
utbor of the franchise bill, they would
acrifice the highest interest Of the
tate QuD