The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-09-15
saashrille aaiull.
MN. CAMERON 8 co.. Publishers.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER Is, 1856.
Our Representative at Grand juno
ftOD.

To the Editor Of Boliysr Bulletin.
Our county Representative, Gen. W. j.
Smith. after returning from Bolivar 70 this
place, was induced BY strong solicitation 90
make an appointment and address ms old
peighbors and friends upon the present as
pect of our State affairs. He responded 10
The invitation, and last Saturday afternoon
found collected to hear him number Of our
citizens, and several prominent ana wealthy
gentlemen from Fayette county General
Smith spoke for more fhsn an hear; ana De
fined the positions much more extensively
than in his Bolivar speech. lie ilrst took
up and discussed the propriety, II not ne
eessity, of the Franchise Art-avowlng hun
self now in favor of its reFeal, or Inoditea-
ton. He said that the late enemies OF the
Union, he now believed, would soon be-
among the foremost defenders Of the UniOn-
That at the time he had voted for the act, he
could not realize how soon enemies might
become friends.
Gen. Smith says il was appTehended at
Nashville, that our State might De refusei a
representation in Congress without restrle-
tons upon the elective franchise; and that
the bill would not have BEEN passed but for
this apprehension. II was well known
fact. that the Union element was in the nil
nority in our State, and that without the
restrictions imposed BY the Legislature,
semi -loval ticket would be elected, and then
rejected by Congress. This reasoning was
listened 10 with marked attention ana yery
much relieved many Of US on that subject.
Gen. Smith next alluded to the present
relation Of our late slaves TO society, and
gave us some practical hints "a TO then
management. He asserts II to be an i'm
practical thing and bad policy, for the pres
ert At least. t. rent out lands % negroes
thus allowing them 10 form 50 many nuelei
for lazy and trifing negroes 10 resort %.
He says they must first be taught to know
and appreciate freedom and their response
bility to themselves and society. That they
must first be educated and know the law,
and how 10 obey It.
Gen. Smith is decidedly in favor Of the
negroes being encouraged 10 educate their
and thus give them an oppoTtum-
ty of exhibiting to the world what amount
Of moral and mental culture they are sus
eeptible of acquiring This sudden transi-
ton state Of the negro, must, OF necessity,
be attended with many results unsatisiacto-
~ even to the most fanaucal, but these IT.
must be overcome, and patience
for their accomplishment. Ne
gro labor has been a valuable agent IN de-
the internal resources of the cOun- /
try. Il can be made as valuable as ever
when time has elapsed, and the new rela-
ton fully understood.
Educate the negro and he will at once
see and feel his position among white men.
He will see clearly that God has not made |
him white, or Implanted in his nature the |
same instincts of the white man. On this |
subject Gen Smith was explicit and dehn- |
mite: nor did any listener afterwards regard !
him as crazy or fanaticsl on the negro sub |
iect. In fact to be brief, Gen. Smiths |
speech was much admired and approved.
A. II. p.