The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-06-02

Memorial to the Tennessee Legislature.
Resolutions, Speeches, &c.
CHATTANOOGA, May p, 1863.
At an early hour on Wednesday
/ evening, May 9th, the Christian Com
1 mission Chapel was crowded to its ut
most capacity, with officers and soldiers
interested in the future Of the colored
race.
A full delegation of officers from the
I lttH, 10th, 18th, 42d, and 44th Begi-
/ menJs T. S. G. l. were present The
| meeting was called to order by Lieut.
/ Col. Putnam, and the proceedings Of
the last meeting read by Chaplain
Elgin.
! Chaplain Griswold, lst MINI Heavy
Artillery, was then introduced by the
/ Chairman, and addressed the meeting
on negro suffrage
The address was an eloquent and
/ torcible presentation of the arguments
/ for granting the right of suffrage to
the cOloTed race.
1st They are men, and the theory of
| our Institutions is that politically men
are equsL
2d. WeCannot better secure the ele-
vatiou and development of the negro
than by giving him this right To pro
| scribe q class IS to take away all in
centive to action.
Sd. Grant him the right and you
make the colored race the friends of
the republic, deny it and they become
your natural enemies. You inaugurate
at once the old and ever recurring CON
| test between the Oppressors and the
| oppressed.
4th They have won this right by
their loyalty and devotion in this con-
| test
The necessity, expediency and JUST
ness Of this measure was argued 1orci-
I bly, snd cOucI as, gely. The speaker was
very happy in his effort and was APP
! plauded throughout.
! Al the conclusion of the address the
| committee appointed at the last meet
/ ing reported, through the Secretary
/ the following memorial:
! To the President Of the Senate, tic Speaker
Of me House 0f RsDreSaltltives and ths
Hsujrs Of tie Legislature Of Tennessee:
SRs-We, the undersigned, members
Of committee, appointed by large
| and respectable meeting Of the officers
of Colored Troops and other friends Of
/ Freedmen, to draft q memorial 10 be
/ presented to your honorable body,
touching the status of the colored peo-
pie, would respectfully state.
The persons comprising the meeting
which we represent, are most of them
citizens OF other States, representing
most OF the loyal States in the Union,
and do not claim the legal right Of petit
ton. extended to the humblest citizens
Of your State But thousands of black
soldiers whom we represent are sons OF
/ Tennessee. As citizens of one common
rJurrg. having at heart the welfare of
the entire people of these United
| States "a soldiers who have borne their
I part iu tuis war, for the establishment
. OF ouF Union. as those who have helped
TO meet and turn back the tide of war
from vour CAPITOL as those especially
who have. on various battle-helds, wat
7 messed tha courage, endurance, and
manhood of the black soldiers, they
ask the privilege of addressing you on
the topic named
luder the guidance Of an overruhng
Providence there has been q violent
revolution. and the right is triumphant.
Public opinion throughout the land has
i III
cult and practical, now demand solu
ton. The shock OF civil war has hu.led
, from it5 throne the legslized wrong Of
slavery, and in it's stead we find race Of
freedmen, standing upon their broken
feitegs and asking Tor their rights. Col
ured soldiers are the representatives OF
the race. We speak Tor them they
are unable to speak for themselves. To
those of us who are associated with
them as officers, they daily come and
. ask. "That rights and privileges will be
accorded them They have a right TO
f come 10 us we can do no less than
come to you and repeat the inquiry.
We earnestly request that you grant
them
lst. The right of personal Liberty.
2J Admit them as witnesses before
/ Courts Of Justice.
3d Provide for them a liberal svs
tenn Of education.
lst The negro Is here aud here he
must stay.
More than three hundred thousand
p Of this race belonging properly and o.
- right within the limits OF your State
4 To drive them out forcibly, or by IN
Z friendly legislation would be detrimen
p tai to- the State. A wrong 10 the race
I and crime before God No country
has ever recovered from such whole
p sale ezpatriatiou These, the mass o
s your !aborers, are the sinews OF you
8 State They have TILED your fields, work
. ed your mines, and their hands hayu
! heaped up your wealth. Their labo
8 SIS slaves has been necessary; Is it les
4 so as freemen2 By what right does on
= race presume to eXpel another from
.s soil common by BIRTH
g. There is noneed of a sps-ili iug OF q.
q gran-y for black men. By ms true 10y
i atty and faithful military service in TIA
i defense of your State, he has earned,
he did not possess, the right TO FIX hi
4 home where be will TO rear ais uw
% family and to elect his vocat.ouz Tn
.e stability and prosperity Of the State q,
q peuds largely upon the contsutmer
i and cheeriuIuess of its lsboring clSs
n e. Expediency and justice demsu
that the exercise of the full right ,
q personal liberty be granted TO thos
le people
N I'd. Make the black a competent wi
! ness before courts o. justice. How el.
,e shall be enjoy she rights Of persons
M liberty for which we have argued! ,
Ia what end do you grant him a fsmil
as / circle and q home, If the ruffian an
s- the .burcler are allowed &c enter wit
,a impuuity to disturb the peace Of the OF
N and violate the most sacred rights
l. the o-hsI2 i cur own Capitol has ia
1, uished instances Of late where trade
la men have robbed the negro and cor
uupluisLed because the law listens u
n- 90 ,le testimony Of the victim I'll
u protection or commerce demands thi
IN / consistency demands it, for If a negro
N testimony be admitted in a cou
u against one Of his own race, it shouI
of BE-, under similar restrictions, again
h. any other race. The maintainance
- public virtue demands this. JusuS
al demands il
be Why need we argue the necessity
.e- / providing liberal system OF educatic
lie Tor these people, IL l. the only AM
ID do.e % the sting Of slavery and q
nt poison Of ignorance. By this meai
10 YOU wipe out the stain Of the pai
.0 Meet Tho lamauds Of the ureseut AZ
provide for the security and welfare
We the future
on The increase Of wealth, the peace
ny society the prevalence OF virtue al
1t the stability Of your institutions depel
ro- upon the wisdom OF your legislati
be upon this question Bus our prOvin
BE- Is 70 ask it as = right for those peop
ng The past is gloomy and desoiate
IN cause the Light Of knowledge has be
. - .,--r .fae f--rf them Ina lesson