Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-13
THE KNOXVILLE WHIG.
Knoxville, Tenn, December I8, 1865.
To the East Tennessee LeYaIIsts.

tn,eof CouCcrring upon the FREE rEorLE or COLOR
lhe priviegesof testifying in courts OF justice,
stated this fact that as our laws now stand, free
,olorcI man may be deprived Of his life in the pres
eulc of an hundred colored witnesses whose lips are
-ealed in the courts. ] urged that our juries and
Judge would be intelligent men, the exclusive Judges
a the weight Of testimony and as such, they would
take into consideration the character of the witness,
both for honor and Intelligence had three reasons
scr recommending this measure and these still sa.-
-iy my mind that ! was right.
g The thing is right in itself and the dictates Of
irtue patriotism, humanity and religion say give
. thc coored man this showing,
q Ii would do away in Tennessee, the necessity
fora Freedmans Bureau, tribunal foreign to
ar Constitution and domestic laws necessarily ar
f5yrary, and which must be presided over, in many
stances by inexperienced military men, who have
ra law knowledge, and but little if any judicial ex-
peronce~ I knew then, AS l know now, that the
Government having enancipatcd the slaves, II would
protect tbem by Congressional legislation, and that
the Bureau must become permanent institution.
aelt confident that the passage of such law
would satisfy The coiored people and the country,
ana that the iudiscrmnatc right of suffrage would
no, be cAactej of as whereas. If we should fail to
aonosde 70 the negro the right 90 testify Congress
would grant 1T for us, and with it The right of sut
tragc.
law 10 TINS effect has passed the Senate, but the
-hances are that IT VIII be defeated in the House.
Lf lost il VIII be killed by the loyal votes of East
Terncssee-th the members correctly representing the
-cu..meuts Of their constituents. This | knew when
pressed the measure in my message but l believe
the honest patriotic people mistaken TO their
rvyn best interests think So still, but time viii
how.
The rebels clamor for the right OF tcstilying and
voting, and Union men are ready to conccdc the
light on account OF the color Of th,a skin. One
fact alone should settle the question to the rebels
that b. icr four ycsr they did all they could 10
Ic.troy the Government For this they should not
Pee allowed 8 voice in its affairs One fact alone
Eoulj settle lhe question as to the bIacas-ior four
,gsr they did all they could by giving Information
md lighting 60 save the Government. And, but
t,- their r.Lg The part they took in the rebellion
7loald give them the right 10 testify and vote The
.gr,c Of ur.aE.ss saws, mold them back. The voice
rf reason and justice says, teE s5rogs from Us sa
of H. Garsvucat rs.d grc Il to is f.,1ads.-
o. the States viii not DO this Congress has thcpow-
ar under the amended Constitution, to do it, and
win and ought TO carry it out. As TO the powers Of
She National Government, what shall be the rela-
for- between itself and those who have been in re-
halion against ii. and between itself and those it
ba. made free in order to put down the rebellion
md -aze lis own existence so much Is conceded by
rI- vino advocate reorganization on any plan, from
rrg President, experiment, down 10 the frcsde su--
-gsti9u that there Is ne necessity for claiming more
trau i- conceded
lf in restoring the governments Of the rcyolteG
states. the National Government may say that reb-
e'- WHO take prescribed oath may vote. that 9TH
ar- more guilty of treason shall not take this OATH
and shall not vote then II enacts a law regulating
-sfrage. And if II can enact such law, there can
hs ao limitation its power, under the amended
Constitution. 1t can say that some white men may
vote and others may not. II can also say that some
lilac, men may certify and vote and Others shall do
neither. Even rebels will acknowledge the correct
mess of the doctrine Of Alexander Hamilton, in that
ne ag~ affirmed -~ EVERY GOVERNMENT OUGHT To
,aNrAIN Is ITSELF THE MEANS OF ITS own PRES
lKy,uoN. The same Federal theory stated above,
was cnunciated 10y abraham Lincoln, when he de
arared that -~ THE rAEAMoUNr IDEA or TIE CON
-luJuoN rs To rEEsEEyE THE UNo>.
This theory Is sound, and l hold that our nation
contains in itself the means of its own preservation,
and these means should be nut forth bv the men in
authority for one, deny that eleven States of this
Union and millions of its people NAV renouncc the
-.r-=-,- ,f tI,e Government. and ny an arreaI Il,
@ 1-r, i,s ,,,,y,~. and rr tTa failure in the trial
a-s -,,,,e Inc r,,,c- they had 50 violently ro-
-,,-.os -7f hold and exercise +, in defiance of the
-.,,r The Sts,ss ,spc.b,r in rcleI7ior, or other
MIS-. .i, mo-, ras-..- absolute uncomfortable .,ro-
-.57, Tho Ns,f,,,1 C-,,,rr,,,o,, l,es s,, it ,,,,
,,.l,, ,- and mol ,,...o Tho S,s,c. ~, ,,o1t.
go, ns .,is,;,,,, nd ., ,,,,.tf.,,,.,,. .,l III
si-..- %, r --,7,-sf., c-, a., ,,s,f,.,.
-,,.-.1 ~, ,, .,,-.-s, ..-, -,
.a,,.f, 81, .I, ,,,,,f .l,-,,,. r .r;,,, a., "a
..,.r.-.......- 81 -
gs.--. and -. - a., - =,
-s>s.-.r
The N..,,r4- ,,-,.r,,,,,.,. ..,., ,-.,,.r, ,l,. .
.s5sd state. with .- ,;,,,, ,r, f,rr5 ,f S,afo o1.
rns III, choose IN ns,, sl,ti,rs +. has Tho ri,,I,,
q, rre.cribe the ,..,if,at;,rs - ,,o.,,-. :, mo-,
make suffrage limited or universal The seeded
Sgts. have no sngh rights until come M, T., trs