Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-10-11

Of suffrage and representation In this way would
settle the most difficult question that has grown out
OF terrible war Of four yeArs duration II IS GER
tsln!y right and expedient for the Legislature Of
tennessee to say to what extent the State shall be
oyerrun by the enlancpated slaves of other States
Inoisi at the breaking out of the rebellion, enacted
strgenl laws, torbdding negroes from other States
to settle there. Other free States enacted similar
laws would say, guard against excessive legiss-
ton upon this subject but, BY all means see that
Tennessee is not burdened with any bnt her own
slaves. am, myself the advocate Of appropriatinp
q separate and suitable amount Of TERRITORY within
such degrees of latitude adapted TO their rs
ture and there settling them as a nation of freed
men. Texas afording the requisite amount Of ter
rltOry and suitable climate and Texas having de-
clared that slavery never should be abolished it
seems to Inc that the Government should conhscate
the rebel lands, pay the loyal for theirs, and
turn the State over TO the freedmen of the South.
If this scheme should not strike the National Gov
eminent as plausible, then let Mexico be cleaned
out and turned over to the emancpated slaves Of the
South The advent Of Macmillan into Mexico was
part of the rebellion. 1t was the effort of France
to flank the American Government. Our work in
crushing out the rebellion will not be completed
til we drive the French out of Mexico and give TO
that unfortunate sister republic a permanent gov
eminent Aware that this is not the legitimate work
of the Legislature suggest that an expression OF
opinion, bearing upon this momentOus question, if
made with absolute unanimity, would have its effect
do not advocate the removal of the colored race
TO a country Of their own because of any prejudice
entertain, but am their frSnd, deeply impressed
with the troubles l see ahead, growing out Of the
antagenism Of the races But if the colOred man,
after looking over the whole ground, shall still ask
to stay in the land of his BIRTH to till the soil and
labor in the workshop, and TO I'LL positions of use
fulneSs under the bright skies that smiled on his in
fancy, 1 say, in all conscience let him remain.
FREEDMEN IN COURTS OF JUSTICE.
l recommend that you examine our entire code,
far it is shaped by the institution of slavery,
and adapt it to the requirements Of free State.
call your attention especially TO the propriety and
necessity of comforting upon tho freedmen the priv
lege Of testifyng in courts of justice. His status
and his relation to the white race are entirely
changed He was property; he is now psr;or.-
For the first time he has right TO enter into con-
tracts and TO enforce them IN the courts to sue and
be sued and to prosecute those who may injure him
in person or property These rights will avail him
but little if evildisPosed white person may de-
prive him of them with impunity. As our law now
stands, freedman may be deprived Of his life in
the presence Of hundred colored witnesses, whose
lips sealed in the courts This state Of our laws
has brought among us the L" Freedmans Bureau" a
tribunal established by the Federal Government
from necessity but foreign to our Constitution and
domestic laws necessarily arbitrary, and which
must be presided over by military men without ju-
dicial experience, without juries. This institution
will become permanent unless we remove the neces-
sity which called it into existence.
l am of the opinion that much of our repugnance
to what is called negro testimony" is the result OF
education and habit. 1t is required of the white
witness that he shall be dsnterested and shall have
sufficient intelligence TO understand the obligation
of an oath" Let the same be required Of the negro
He is subject to the penalties for perjury
that the white man is and he Is religiously In
clined he will no doubt take the proper view Of the
penalty in the world TO come. Again, it must be re-
mem bered that uries are the exclusive judges Of
the weight of evidences and they will not fail tC
take into consideration the degree Of Intelligence
and the character for honor and veracity Of the wit
nesses, whether white or black.
In short, let US ask and demand for this long op-
pressed race the protection and enjoyment Of hi
liberty. And let US shape our own legislation II
this direction and by acts show to the world that
there is virtue patriotism and religion IN at leas
one seeded State; and the rising sun Of prosper
iy drives away the darkness Of the past it will D
/ seen standing out upon the foreground amid tbs
wreck Of civil war, fresher and brighter than eve
before
BANK OF TENNESSEE.
In my former message, called your attention 4
the Bank of the State as allied TO its finances, ana
Represented them as being in demoralized condi
ton, demanding prompt action and prompt leglsla
ton. This is the most important subject have t.
bring before you, and the State owes it 70 herself t
look carefully into the condition Of the Bank o
Tennessee having its parent bank IN Nashville, snt
q number of affiliated branches in different parts
the State.
A careful examination Of the assets captured il
Georgia has been made by a committee Of compe
tent men, and report of the result is herewith sub
mitted II will be seen that the great body Of tn
assets was found in the shape Of Confederate note
and bonds. These not worth the paper on whicl
they are printed, not considered worth the la
Dor of counting, but will amount TO siX or eIgh
millions of dollars. Only the sum of S446 1870
in gold and silver was found among the assets, be
ing $3.50 3I6.24 less than shown by the last re
port of the Bank, in 1861. This amount was doubt
less embezzled during the war, OF sunk IN cOttOl
specuatOns by the taithless officers Of the nstitu
ton. The foregoing sum of Si46, 1870 IN cOinha
been sold under a resolution of your honorable bod
for 1913 $50 in 7-30s United States Bonds, which,
am pleased to say, yielding the State an annua
interest of 45,I32.25.
1t will be seen that this great banking institution
is but a mere wreck and that its ruins only are i
possession of the State Still, there are large sum
due to the Bank and its various branches in note
discounted before the rebellion, which many of tn
debtors are anxious to pay. There are also owne
BY the Bank and its branches large amounts in rea
estate banking houses, dwellings and farms in a di
lspidated condition, and every day depreciating il
value | advise that these debts be collected, ant
this property be disposed of at once for cash or ap
proved securities A number Of suits are pending
against the Bank, and some have lately been insti
tuted against those having control Of the assets b.
depositors whose deposits were wholly or in par
Confederate currency. In other and similar ease
the Executive has been sued alone, on the grOun
that assets captured in Georgia were placed in hi
hands l advise prompt and positive legislation il
all these cases to prevent this annoyance, and de
feat the attempted collection of fraudulent ant
reasonable claims, many Of them are known I
be- l advise that the Bank and its branches be q
once placed in process of liquidation. The court
oil off ha oft
neys be appointed for each branch IN each bank
ing district, and the rights Of all parties may 500
be settled
COMMON SCHOOLS.
advise that out of the proceeds of what Is left
Bank the Common School Fund shall be, as far q
possible, replaced This large fund smanated main
" from the General Government, and was held b.
the State in sacred trust. The declaration of thi
trust may be found in the act Of Congress whic
created it. and is for the instruction Of childre
forever And by the Constitution it IS declared
be " PERMANENT FUND never 70 be diminishe
by legislative appropriation" nor the interest de
voted to any other than the support and encouI
sgement of common schools Perhaps & mOrepel
idious act than the appropriation Of this fund t
reasonable purposes was not committed during th
late perfdious rebellion.
l hold ard l think the courts viii sustain th
opinion that the State by virtue o. her sovereignty
mas priority over sll other creditors of the Bank.
The State, as Trustee, represents the School Fun
as against the Bank and that the School Fund, b
virtue of the peculiar constitutional trust with whic
it was clothed has priority over all other creditor
of the State Certainly, this fund has priority owe
the common depositors or nOte-hOlders of the Bank
therefore advise you TO lay your hands upon every
dollar YOU can constitutionaly seize TO replace th
fund Let the State keep hSr faith with the desti
tute and long neglected school children, matter
who else may suffer, and then settle with othe
creditors Is best she