The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-06-03
Speech of Col. A. E. Garrett,

-teftf A0vcs
a bill on the elective franchise being
before the House, Mr. Garrett said
Mr.. SPEAKER.-I am aware, sir, of the
verv great importance of the question
under consideration. am aware, too,
of the much anxiety felt by the loyal
peo pie everywhere upon this al i'm
portant uhieck Our action, Mr.. Speak
or as a LEGISLATURE IS to form part Of
the history of this great nation. 1t IS
to be held up before the world, sir, to
be scrutinized by generations to come
Therefore, Mf. Speaker and gentlemen
of the House of Representatives, / shall
take nv position upon this great ques-
ton, boldly, feaTlessly and honestly,
without regard to any personal feeling
towards any gentleman upon TINS moor,
who nav entertain opinions differing
from nv own, as I have to account to
the people for what | may say or do
in this House. I know, Mr.. Speaker,
the great amount of prejudice | have to
meet here. I know, sir, that many are
lost to all reason and argument upon
this subject, and Mr.. Speaker, j hope
that we nav be able TO throw aside
passion and prejudice, and allow reason
to resume its place, while we decide
great national question, involving as At
does, sir, our very existence as nee
people. The elective franchise, MI.
Speaker, is the great right upon which
our government was founded, and the
right of every freeman to 60 TO the bal
lot hoy and cast his vote, free and un-
trammeled, in our government, was re
earded by our fathers, and justly SO,
too. as the palladium Of our safety and
prosperity as a free people, and hold
ding the same doctrine, sir, SHAH take
nv stand in favor of the majority bill,
as against the minority, being mem
her of that committee, who, after much
deliberation, found it necessary to dl-
vide and present two bills TO this House
for their consideration; one OF which,
sir. in nv judgment. is founded upon
the great principles adopted by our
fathers; at time, sir, too, when tney
had no pet scheme of their own. After
seven years bloody war, Mr.. Speaker,
in which they had learned 10 lay aside
faction and act from principle and
reason. This, sir, is the case with the
hin of Friday, the majority OF your
committee; while in my opinion, Mr..
Sneaker. the minority bill embodles
the very principles Of anarchy and des-
notism sought to be avoided by the
majority of your committee. why, SIR,
do I make this assertion 1t is easy to
see the facts are plain. Sir, what does
our Constitution say upon the subject OF
the elective franchise. First, that all
men shall be privileged from arrest
going TO and returning from elections.
0nlv sir. can a man be arrested or
bindered from casting MS vote Tor q
few of the highest crimes known TO
the laws Of his country. Why was this
nrivilege so guarded by the founders OF
our government, if they did not hold 1t
| one of the chief corner stones IL the
great machinery? And l regard the
right of elective franchise as laying al
! the foundation OF our government, ana
all other free governments; and why
Because. sir. our government Is peo-
nle's Governments; it is a government
in which every man is sovereign,
! and upou him rest an equal share Of
tbe responsibility Of his government
| Now sir. to what extent does this
| hill offered in lieu Of the majority
bill by the minority Of your committee,
impair this great power Of ree gov
ernment2 Why, sir, 1t proposes TO total
| " deprive at least fOur,hfths o. the
| free men of Tennessee of the right TO
| narticipate in any way in the Govern
ment oply as serfs or slaves, thereby
| DESTROYING four-fifths of the power that
/ makes the Government, and maintains
| the Government. Yes, sir, the honest
mass of the people makes Govern
ment. maintains government, ana
| am proud, Mr.. Speaker, that am one
of the people, and it warns my heart,
| sir, when ] remember that am here 70
represent the will of the people. !
am therefore proud to stand here in my
nIace and defend the rights Of thatpeO
nle amid alI the SCOTS and insults thet
maybe hesped upon me by men on the
other side of the house. l fear not the
decision of the honest mass Of my people
| know what it will be, for | am one oI
them. Men need not, Mr.. Speaker
think for a moment Of driving mt
from the path of duty by using epithett
and denouncing our policy as Copper
beadism. or any other ism. No, sir
have barred my breast to the bullets
too long to be lulled by mere threats o
men. That thing has played out, sir
| especially when ] have the strong arm
of the Government of the United State
to hold me up in this great struggle for
liberty in Tennessee Men need no
tell me that our glorious old Union
with the great, the good and patriots
Andrew johnson, as Its Chief MagIs
trate, will hesitate to admit Us a Stat
because we refuse to disfranchise three
fourths of the honest mass of the peO
ple. No, sir. ! know him, and ! know
that the pride of his life is to see th
people free, and to see them enjoy tina
freedom TO the fullest extent Eor
cannot show an act of his whole IF
which did not 90 TO show his couhdenc
| in the honesty of the great mass of th
people Nor you never will see an &C
of his that does not tend to move "a
| distractions from the way of allowin
the people to handle the Government i
their own way. Hence, you hear hI
| say that conscious treason III hlg
: places must be punished, but you ca
no where find where he proposes
: | punish the great mass of those an ia
rebellion. While he knows they wet
wrong, he also knows they were hone
but mislead by bad men. Now, u
! Speaker, ] hope that we shall hear 2
a more about the Government retusir
to receive US as a State entitled to q
{ the rights and privileges OF any othe
r | because we have not disiranchised d
# great mass of the people. That idea
/ ridiculous, sir. Consequently it IS u
d necessary TO say more upon that su
o iect | will return again TO the const
= tutional objections to the bill ottert
n bv the minority Of your committe
n Sir. the Constitution further declsr
d that no man shall be deprived OF h
u life, liberty or property, only by d.
e process of law, and that every man Z
+ injury done him in goods or reputatiC
1t shall have the right to speedy Tn
e before a iury of the peers Of his cou
1t try. Now, sir, this bill proposes to d
-e prive one hundred thousand freem'
Of Of Tennessee Of this great and inalIen
ble right; and further, sir, by this b
ss we propose to constitute ourselves
-e court. a witness, jury and sherl
D We give the testimony, decide the eau
z, convict and execute ore hundred tho
" sand free white men without authOri
of law or Justice. Mr.. Speaker, / y
II YOU. and ] tell this House, sir, th
- such legislation is unheard Of in q
n history Of nations, and history v
~ hand down the name of those who vc
OF for this measure 10 posterity in disgra
and shame. History viii do justice
only to our Legislature but 70 the gre
masses Of the honest people. IT
II. pass this bill, sir, we establish the Pr
as ciple of despotisnn, which cannot I
40 win not be tolerated by a great and
81 free people.
be Mr.. Speaker, I FOR once come he
= not 10 act for myself, but for the b
81 interests Of the great mass Of the pc
re pie, whether it secures to me oihce q
m rosificf, or not