Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1865-10-27

After this bill shall pass, ne ana MS cOnSttuents
NAV have their favorite Bureau I; for me and my
consttuenk, choose a jury Of twelve men,
He says further that the bill, by creating COM
petent witnesses viii create also competent voters
: This is strange conclusion. Is not foreigner
Just arrived in Tennessee from across the ocean
competent witness7 Is not little boy cdmpe-
tent witness? Are not women competent wit
nesses yet can they vote : Does the fact Of
their being competent witnesses go any length to
, make them competent voters2 Does Il make them
equal even in other respectsl Long peuudce,
keeping us in darkness i9 Tennessee for long years.
where this has not betn a debatable question, has
darkened our minds TO and justice. ,s9ijhOg
: The Senator from Lincoln insists that the pass
age of this measure will crowd out immigration
from the old world because Che negro population
viii swarm in upon US from surrounding States 10
realize privilege 70 he found in no other Southern
State. Why, sir, Mississippi is already ahead Of
us on this question. Judge Sharkey, in his proc
lamation, has annoL need the broad doctrine that
when man becomes free he is entitled to all the
rights of freeman. This is further than this bill
goes His opinion is entitled TO great weight, for
: be is an able jurist accustomed to construe the
law, and may, uncer the circumstances, be almost
looked upon as constitutional authority. 'aisaut
Let me make comparison In one end Of this
Capitol sits a Court Of the United States, that
magnificent and powerful Government. There the
negros testimony is taken, and its credibility de-
: cided on. But in the Courts of Tennessee, the
same kind Of evidence is rejected. Yesterday, the
gentleman from Lincoln was anxious TO endorse
this Government and those Courts, Per copse-
quence be has endorsed this action Of the United
States Courts. r9'ss5 atf Ia f.IJ l1-iIa.li bge
2 For years thousands of the colored race have
lived in Tennessee, entitled under the laws to be
both voters and witnesses, though they dared not
10 exercise their privilege. Why not give the right
} now The bill has no reference to suffrage
Grimes are doubtless often committed in the pres
ence of negroes, whose mouths are silent for lack
Of such measure es this and the guilty escapes.
Justice demands this bill let us yield whatjnstiee
: demands. % ruh .o11h9 cfn9Iia 3teg 4 .ssd9
The gentleman said that il We did push this bill
through, the war had just commenced. Well, we
heard that same kind of talk when the musket was
(; first placed IN the hands Of the negro-it was as
serted that the South would never never submit to
such an indignity. But she did nevertheless, as
: gracefully ever people did. For myself fear
i nothing. The people are tired of war and anarchy,
. and are anxious to get back into the old beaten
track. In the gentleman's immediate district the
e case may be different. There let them retain the
d Freedmans Bureau. f,, -.. .--..,. -ii
Mr.. Carrigan: The citizens Of my district are
d law abiding. My remarks Of yesterday were made
o to elicit information The subject is very impor-
: tant and ought to be well considered, both as to
its principles and consequences. .,as-g ,.i..
Mr.. Trmble: Having been unwell for some
e days, do not propose to make speech but as
: the author of the bill under discussion, il is but
e right should make few remarks in its vindica-
ton. The bill was introduced BY me last session
when it created spasm of apprehension similar tc
i that now.
It i base the measure on no law question, but or
i justice alone. want TO help sn oppressed tC
u rise from degradation to manhood. For that pur
II pose introduced the bill. When, in April 1863
) negroes went aborers upon the forti6cations
through the streets in Federal uniform, but un
It armed, the city took spasm. These imaginar,
e alarms are vastly worse than real ones.
" What does the bill propose? Simply to mak'
G, certain persons competent witnesses: The laws o
lr Tennessee exclude them but the constitution
Is does not. These laws have been well enough un
Ie der slavery, but that dead and the reasons TO
& the laws have expired also. The being, once
ID chatte and person for special reasons, has rseI
TO the dignity of man through the influence 0
IS the war, and is now memb,r Of society. At th
/ battle Of New Orleans General Jackson called hin
II "ellow citizen and Lincoln has called him ar
IT, American citizen of African descent" invok
ID these names because they call forth the sprl
I'd which exaltss this race. Gen. Jacksonls addres
lie from Mobile to the coord people of Louisiana, j
D. full of this spirit (Mr Trimbe here read the ad
I'd dress, commenting on it as he read
Negroes testify before the Courts at Washington
to city and the eminent intellects there do not fea
the supposed taint of equality. Why should the.
not be permitted to testify here2 Even in Ten
10 nessee, the Senator from Lincoln can be sued by
or negro. and his property be levied on to the exten
: LOT the debt. According to this view, that wou
N make the black man his, equal. But this question
= lies in a Tut shell. The negro can in this Stat
testify against persons Of his own race, and tha
= fact admits that he has the intelligence to appre
n cate that binding force of OATH if therefore
Il he is capactated to that much as against those
= his own COLOR why is be not equally capactaied
testify against white mani My experience
- that the most harmless person in the world is lia
no Besides the same motives, such as avarice, prd'
i revenge, and so on, daily move the white equal
~ with the black to swear falsely. There sits th
= acute lawyer; there the astute Judge; there th
: Jury judging Of the credsily Of the witness ye
~ you fear the negrols statement. Are we not bt
: witched with prejudices TO think so2 Let Us hel
nd a dowu-trodden people not by pulling white me
ba down, but by lifting unfortunate black men up
Do So and their industry, their wealth, their mora
will increase your wealth, yes even your moral
a If they behave themselves, how can We Withhold
~ our respect2 Whatever is respectable challeng'
~ our respect, and we can't restrain it. We cannc
:" violate eternal laws without punishment Tho'
I. who break those fundamental laws of our NOR
= nature may expect to suffer. This bill propos
simply to do justice to the black man which is \
ss injustice to the white man, but really tribute
he humanity. .f.,I- ,...
'l If there is anything IN your constitution oppo
ing the principle Of this BILL let us stop at once-
a ~
,l | often have heard captous constitutional arg
- mens. A genuine argument drawn from th
ns source is entitled to respect I am reminded
al what Henry Clay said on certain occasion, th
when he heard Virginia politician Yaporing abo
= the Resolutions of 9s, he knew the fellow medt
ted some Eascality. There is not clause IN y
constitution containing the provisions OF this bi
Will any Senator affirm that we cannot pass an
law not prohibited by the constitution? II L
matter had been Of SO much Importance, we wou
=, now find no reference to II in the constitution, b
= !. we do not The Fourth Article, Section one,
., that nstrumenJ SO much relied on by tho gentl
rst uAh nom 'oo' oh,, ,ha cinlss
..i this bill. ,., .. t,.
en' If an alien, without the right, should be ma
n, acompetent witness by law, hc would at once b
~, come competent witness according 70 the gent
- mans argument. If he is right, the Japane'
Chinese aud Australians can come here, testify