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

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Mr.. D. B. Thomas, candidate for Con-
gress from this District, addressed a
large audience of the citizens to-day at
this place. He ia q gentleman of easy
address and pleasant manners, and his
views and opinions were well re-
ceived and approved by most Of his
hearers. He opened his address by
showing the condition of the country
in the winter Of 1861, and the causes
that led to the rebellion. The people
believed they were acting in obedience
to principle, and we're guilty Of no
wrong in their efforts to throw off their
allegiance to the Federal Government;
that they had right under the Bill Of
Rights and the Constitution to reVolu-
tionize the Government; they were not
in favor of secession, but revolution,
which was an inherent right; that
nineteen.twentieths of the people Of
Middle Tennessee were in favor Of the
rebellion, and gave their aid and inhu-
ence TO further the Southern cause;
that many of those who are now 30
called Union men, after the rebellion
was inaugurated deserted the cause,
and with view to obtain place and
Office, attempted TO re-organize the
State Government and bring the State
back to the Federal Union no love of
country moved them, no feelings Of
patriotism prompted the action that
he was not present at the meeting Of
the Convention in January, 1865, or be
would have opposed the move; that
the act of the Convention and the
vote in February was not the voice Of
the people, but the act of the Federal
Government; that he received no votes
in the county which he represented in
the Legislature that he took his seat
as an agent Of the Federal Government
and not under the Constitution and
laws of the State; that the Govern
ment thus organized must be respected
and obeyed, and the laws passed by
the Legislature were binding because
the power of the Federal Government
would enforce them; that slavery was
extinct; it had been settled by the
war it was one Of the issues, and the
people must accept it a. such.
He discussed the franchise bill at
length, and other bills that we're not
passed BY the Legislature, and com
planned Of the Legislature for acting
further than simply organizing the
State. The right Of suffrage was sa-
cred right, and ought not to be restrict.
ted that he had been ever a Union
man, and refused to recognize the
Southern COnfederacy; yet he is now
called a Southern sympathizer by
class of men who seek power and place,
and pretend to be Union men.
He would sustain President johnson
and his policy for re-orgauizing the
Gulf States, IS he was in favor of that
policy.
Such were the points of his speech.
He was loudly eheersd by the returned
rebel soldiers and Southern men Of his
audience His object seemed TO be to
cast odium on those who inaueurated
civil government it was the move Of
those who want Office; that he was op-
posed to ii; yet the speaker Is 3 mem
Der Of that Legislature, sitting there
according TO his view not as the rep
resentative Of the county, but as
the agent Of the Federal Government,
and is now a csndidate Cor Congress
under the laws passed BY that body,
which he says are only authorized to
register the edicts and DEGREES Of the
Federal authorities; for II he be only
the agent Of the Federal Government,
the body have no right 70 distTics the
State. Mr.. T. satisfied a large majority
Of his audience, who were returned
soldiers or southern sympathizsrs Who
opposed the Government and tried BY
every means to embarrass its action
and 70 prevent the restoration Of law
and order 1lr r. Was not q southern
sympathiser and would not insinuate
that he was, bat his remarks relative 70
the loyal men and those who threw
themselves into the breach to bring
the States out Of the dismal anarchy
that overspread the land, was received
By his audience with applause and
commend&tion. But Mr.. Thomas Is 3
loyal man and his loyalty plessss those
Fh0 are and have been most hos.
tile to the Union cause