The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-09
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~ CAkkkos = OSs' Fasilspe1t.
SATURDAY, DEcE 4BER y. 1865.
Renarks OF Mai. VI. b. Lewis, senior
Representative from Davidson.
O. ne RsPort Of he Mriorisy q tie oszi-
n-ftes Recommending tLc T6lecfi5l 81 ne
Nc7ro TesiR0ar Bia.
8Ir. Lewis said III. Speaker have de-
sired 10 present ms Tievs 20 the house and
the country up0a this important question
Owing o. age and physical inability and
ruvsslf unsbio t. DO s. orally. have there
fore reduced them to writing, and BY per
missiou of she H8gsei hey VIII be read oy
my Young friend, Nr. Hood The Represent
alive from Hamilton;
riaa In ihe report OF the majority Of the
Committee recommending she rejection 81
this measure. ana desire briefly 10 offer my
h tie -1fset VIII state that fhis is del
ieais sui7e-t. one about which there has
been and still exists much feeling; and
feeling too. which ] regard as natural; FOR
fo a greater OF less extent, have partlcipa-
led hi ID mvsel. d cannot we'll be other
y,ise man that there should De- much dis-
trust III r.gard % the propriely Of investing
a class OF pulation, 80 lately holding
orife.1 different relation 90 The body polite
rom that they now occupy, with q privi-
leFe and poWer 50 important g. that which
erfaches 10 the character Of witntss. re-
neat. cir, that the distrust and prejudice, If
YOU please 30 % cali ii, against this pr0po
-ition Is natural, and not 70 be wondered at
IA a community where slavery formerly
existed and Z therefore would not be con
sidefed BE- impcalhing either Che judgment
or uprightness OF any one who may vet
conceive Is 70 be his daiy TO oppose IL. But
30 is this very change Of relationship 10
which ] have adverteG, that amongst other
reasons has Dc erlnined me 10 support Il.
Mr. speaker, the negro Is no longer chat
tel, or q species OF property. While he was
such De found in his owner a protector; an
interested party, who YVES always ready b.
secure for him bis right under the law, and
10 give him rs advantages 50 far as they
lFeTe applicable = his condition Whatever
may have been the SINS and errors Of the
system Of slavery, and whatever the re-
proaches and Recommendations heaped upon H.
IA Who know suyihmg practically Of the
arstem know This 90 De a fact, and hundreds
of iustences in illustration are doubtless ia
the minds of members who near me. Eut
has cundition S changed How Why by
whurne ior whaf. or under what cIrcum-
slances? are questions NOT pertinent % the
UrE.FlL IaruH- AA la = NAcIs nc t1 AZ AnA NrA
aslare. whose work was q maEteTs, and vi O
was cared ior, led, physicked and clothed BY
th- latter. he has been freed, and thrown
into che great mass of the community upon
his own resources He is To- work Tor HIM
self and hye by his osn labor. he has
certain rights and privileges, and he must
abide lv the laws HIS couduct nust
undergo TIE scrutiny OF law and he
must live 0r staTre, stand or fall by
IT, ,rubuit, Sir, that an bic new attitude
90 IS but Justice that be should have the
priv eye oil invoking the law on his owa
uehali at least on the witness stand. lie
Isuot responsible for his altered relstion 20
Che white race. He had no agency ID the
usifer. De may regret the change, for
aurht ] krOw. u refused The right - pro
Ir.l himself iu tle courts, with all the
prejudice which events have thrown around
AIM. hr is likely to become a football, 20 be
Kicked hishsr sud thiiher 90 the option ol
thoss who may see 90 o. impose on his .g-
aoraurc aud credulity. 3 csunot think %
Just. m this point of view, 10 leave him
without the privilege ol speaking o. q wit
mess before the inbuuals where his rights
aud privilege are 10 be- passed on. lie is
furei and among us. aud ; know of no prac-
t-sbie mode o. get rad OF hos presence. II
ne remains Do is to the interest Of the COM
muuItyl o make him as profitable snd woi-
thy as possible. To refuse him justice in
abe muiier of boz simplest rights, is 10 ia
crease Abe probability that be via be- worth
loss. Idle, Naeabono, ami worse even than
these, lud this, sir, wish 90 avoid, and
cau tee uo injustice or harm, la accord
lHg him the privilege conferred by this
biH. 81 much for the negro HIM
a-u a due, 81 this right can be con-
icuei without injury % the whole race,
and 30 she general interests of society.
And this last thought suggestsau inquiry.
Can che important issues ol life, liberty,
aud property De- safely entrusted 10 the
riuteIncnts under oath of The negrog Has
De-, or can hc SECURE the true conception OF
the sauctiiy az uu ouihg Is he, or is be not
s1 low iu the scale of enlightenment, moral
sud intellectual. that has testimony will be
iuuiusicaliy yaiueiess for the purposes of
iusticel Niil not feelings of rare or caste
always color his tesumony, and viii it not
be susceptible of even baser influences al
the hanus eff designing pcrsons2 All these
arr Questions of hirh import. but when
preached. thcy Immediately suggest anoth-
er, whose true answer, in my mind, disp0ses
ui them nll, end o. b. this, even granting
that the nuuml distrust excited by all OF
Them well lsraarl. Does not such testi-
many ail pass under review OF the magis
trntea and iurics 0l She country, and wal
they Dot weigh and sin 10, un6cr the lull
aFht of on these considerations, aud give Is
lust so much worth, as may attach 30 IL and
no morg3 Any one who knows the practi-
sal u. rkmes of our courts, knows that this
WIll d. ihe case, aud this greatH dissipaies
ths lcur that The couiorment Of This privil-
eye will give the negIo an undue influence
iu the administration of The laws. Tie vii
pasa thrii as Hor, tor just what his word is
worth. uo larf aud no less. J cunnot see
d sHrFs ..fr
90 prejudice the interests OF the white race
am one oi thoI- who DO not fear lor q e
Waits pa ans sou of comrctuon with a.,
bIaet Hte superiority Of che one will
tyiurc itieIl in everything, and in this mat
Ger ol trsifFIuE completely ms in every
other. The law ruay give equal rigats, and
t1 ft7 ru-iIrn1r. think % should, but Do
can never make of equal weight aud infu-
rurr. Therefore ] conclude that we have
nothnr o. dread from negro equality, b.
EanF thc black tAe right 90 testify Ia the
t,rufis
SIS Judgment il 'ear thus far on the pro
TrIsIV ol th.s measure, and ut thts ttaFe of
fhis Investigation there 3D. pre=enied another
vieg. 40 all Lmes there b. law breaking,
and violence end crime, bus the ordeal
through Which thls people have lately
passed. has greatly dcmoializcd b., and We
observe fraud. robbery. murder. and every
iunr tis % continue i cannot sell, but J am
a1i hopr.gl enough to expect u 90 cease
thorllf, aud 7 have httic hope o. anythiuE
else than tho reid administration of The law
o. thc courts oi the country. ns a means oi
stopping iL fhe new position of the negro
makes hlm more generally cocui1ant OF
these transa ei.aus ihan formerly. lie hears
a-hs aees h--he kn1ws Sc he can. if ne
will. bear testimony tn it aud bring t 20
NEht-throurh hn steam be punished and
checked Much ei % Gao never be brought
Oh. she haI nI justice without hls d..
la.s, to rrrat dcfrcr, has alWays
trtu tHe case, rui. hy the eat rr cz-
rIa-.t Uf negro iesumouv many msrals
Dose ..e uugh.ppei oi she law, be-
,aa-s .htr crimes were not provublc
ni White testimony. To VIII Do the csse b.
Fog ereafer extent Iu che future. aud espe-
rallf Huder surrounding circumstance 81.
ald rauuet see thai .maFiuarF dauee-t.
t.ru Ui pre- aa'rt. should be- allowed io out
Heru au IlpHrtaui fueaua cl arriving 90 the
eul- oI Iu,urg. For ths reason. GA Ia.
-.ale oi policy, there belur uo ,ouutcryail-
Iut r'arHls ni siI.s..cat Hrlr ht. think thai
ace admusI.u cl abe black to ths witness
siaua may property he permitted.
hut thcrr b. stil another view OF this
fHnfri e'ill.h rrrIIHrItuds this ineasura O.,
any approval The authariics otthe Gov
tfumcat. iarc.ar.ug thr prejudice to which
have uiludel, and percc.tIae thst in the
utsrure ol rtair siaiutcs tha nr.-ra granlf
ru4une some tribunal, before which n.
rulll safely aiIudIcata Dos rights, have 80
-atIishtd an smaious oaurt ID CONNIE,
Zion VITA wha / known al Che rrrrlme =
Harrau--t trIhaali uuLuuwu to the c.sr-ti
taton. and whose mode of ailaninr tha
aIms ol Justice, s rcrurnant 90 an eur prr-
conceived principles Jo uoi wish %
surnE dIsr.snsrtfaIlN I'D that branch al a..
plblic serFice, agt hcsriiiy wish thai 70
raaid he dispensed With. and ! believe
that thg euarimrut oi such laws e. that