The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-28

crime, a man associstlng with selfish
traitors, and pretended Union men, and
mingliug hsbitually with thoroughly
interruptions people---we have had
more Union men in Tennessee than
any other insurrectionary State, why
do We bosst Of this simply because we
believe IL 70 be true, and because we
think if we could have had access TO
the people we should have found them
sound We believe if we could then
have reached then,we could have main
tanned for ourselves and for our State
the character of q loyal people. be-
lieve 50 yet, as ] believe in the correct
ness, the justice, and the holiness OF
our cause. 1 believe when we can every
1here have free discussion, a free press,
r nd free speech, We can fight and win
as many victories as they can in New
York, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.
] regret to find that gentlemen in
this house undertake to appeal to our
fear. They tell Us that IL we expect
10 lTFe here in safety, we must disfrsn-
chise all who have been rebels-if we
expect 10 live herel l DO not under
stand that kind of arithmeticl I ask,
by how many will you decrease the
rebels in the State by Acknowledgement
When one rebel votes, does that make
him two rebels2 If you have ten
thousand rebels in the State, aud you
prohibit them from voting, does that
/ decrease the number2 ? Rebels have
not voted at all N our late elections
I has that decreased their number, or
curtailed their power to do mis-
/ chief But / claim that in this mat
ter We have the right to act for
I ourselyes-that we have the power to
| Iegislate on this subject I have no
1 doubt. the State of Tennessee has IS
strong rights on this as on any other
subject Twas in the State Convention
when the amendment 10 the Stste
Constitu gion was adopted, and also the
schedule. / was then opposed to the
action, not TO the principle, pursued
nv objection was TO the manner Of car
rying It out Ny position then is a
part of the history Of the proceedings ;
that position will & nj the test Of
time. ! am willing it should undergo
that test, and am proud Of the posi-
ton / then took on this subject IN a
speech made on that occasion
! 1 declared earnestly and emphatic
ally against the policy or the right of
/ the self-appoin e1 delegitss thus as
sembled 10 presume To lay hands on
| the fundamental law o! the State
That convention was simply political
gathering, and had no more right TO
amend the constitution than has any
other political gathering. But, never
theless, this assembly resolved that ''all
power was inherent in the people" and
that they we're "the people / was on
/ the committee that drafted the amend
ment5 to the constitution and the
schedule thereto annexed ] reported
/ adversely 10 the report of the minority
Of that committee, and my pro
test was published In the pa
pers Of the day. thought
was right in the doctrines enunciatcd
in that protest. / think 50 still / say
/ / reported adversely, not to the amend.
ments, but 10 the manner of their 8dCp.
ton, because ] know as every member
on this floor knows, that the people did
not expect Us 10 adopt that policy.
They sent us 10 make arrangements for
electiug members 10 s. State convention
whose province il would be TO attend
to that business Let us put aside pre-
tences and talk of things IS they are.
There were only two amendments 70
the constitution proper, proposed by
that convention One declared that
] 4 J.
except % a punishment for crime
whereof the party should be duly con %
victed should ever exist in Tennessee.
The other prohibited the Legislature
from passing any law recognizing prop,
erty IN man. The schedule was at
tached, ali the people were forced to
vote Tor or against the whole. lie
could not vote for the constitution and
against the schedule. The vote was
yea or nay, or not at all If you did
not vote you were supposed to favor the
continuation of military law Il you
voted nay, you voted for slavery and
for The ordinance Of secession and the
acts OF legislative infamY passed IL
pursuance thereof But / say that we
have a. much right TO abridge ths righI
of suffrage IS q convention would have
had.
say, Mr.. Speaker, the rgH OF suff.
rage / DO not believe, really that
, hundred--a thousand-or twenty thou
, sand people In the State have the rirh
! to say they viii extend, or Withdraw
the privilege, or coufue It TO certain
B classes. I do not believe it ia o pr.vil7
10 allow ma 10 vote; II is nv riltt, aul
10 man or set Of men can take it iron
. me, without violating the very priuci
plies of freedom on which our govern
, ment Is founded. lt Is my right an,
mo man, or set Of men, has q right 4
. leay 7 shall not exercise IL.
| ! . But. sir, ] say society, for It's own pre-
. Iservauon, may thus declare with res
/ lpect to persons guilty OF crime Bu
compare society in Tennessee, and il
lother StatesP Is society an eKclusiY
matteF2 Are union men, women, AM
, ichildren, all that constitute society
using the words, OF course, in a poltica
sense Is there nobody else here
Then let society settle the rights, priv
& @. and restrictions of society
Igay we have as much right as any bod
, 10 restrict the right of voting | do nc
/ doubt the oonsGtutiOnality OF NJ. Ar
, nelrs bill; If I did ] should doubt ia
q IconstituGonality Of the other bill On
RESTRICTS the exercise Of the right q
l. suffrage, 80 does the other, they al
both alike in that respect, only one Ia
p little more 80. II they are anythin.
D they are written instruments which "
o eau use according 10 our own discrr
p ton ! DENY the assumption OF III
, gentleman from Marshal, and the ger
e tieman from Bradley. l sm no lswye
J. but ] can exercise a common sens
& Judgment on the matter. We cam
& here to make treason odiOus, 10 puu.s
b conscious, intellig nt traitors Nov
what difference Is there IN the natuT
! Of the punishment inflicted by one @
} the other OF these two bllls2 You So
! s. leading, Intelligent traitor shall nl
8 vote, nor his victim eitLer-What d.Hel
l. ence is made between the two2 Ru
- YOU say, on one side, the general go
ernmcnt wjl punish the prominen
leading trsitors-if so, cannot the GET
leral government 10 su the punishmeC
I that is necessary TO be done If it ca
r punish the great traitors, it can punis
I the little ones, and SO take on its hand
/ the whole Furnishing business. ! kno
f nothing Of the technicslites Of law, bu
{ ! can very well see this
e People come 20 ne ana say, "Whv
10 il possible that you can support u
Co6per billl' Why not Nr Cooper 8
2 " What is be to HeoubS, or Hecuha /
+ him p Who is sfr. Cooper Wh,
e simply the member from Bedford
o he Is right his being called q copper
L head shall not prevent me taking IN
I same side. Look at the bill, sir, an
G say he is 3 oopperhead, Il you Will,
o not this bill b better one than you e.,
J. pcctcd from him ] am not going {
q be run Oh the right track Because n
q opponents--I mean by that the g. con
5 servstiyes are on il ahead OF me,
) am glad these conservatives Csn CON
! 50 near beng right Mr. ArnelIs bi
coes too far. and Mr. Coopers not &.