Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-04-30

no rights here? 1t was said that he had
not voted at certain elections. BE had
the right to bold office even If he had
not the right to vote, or had not voted.
The Constitution fixes the qualifications
required. and beyond its requirements
Won cannot 20. And if be were man
Of bad character, this body cannot say
that he shall not be admitted to his seat
If he was elected according to the Con-
stitution, even if he were the meanest
traitor, it is absurd to say that the Sem
ate can exclude him If this doctrine
can be carried out our liberties are yours.
Report said he consented to rebellion.
Where is the proof? He did not consent,
but acquiesced in ii. When President
Lincoln called for Tennesseeans TO hight
the South and invade our own country,
he went with the South. He did not in
tend to fight the people of Alabama: 1t
was thought best to form q military
league with the Southern Confederacy,
and he agreed to it as the best thing he
could do. Federal troops were on their
way toward our borders, and we resolved
to maintain our State and its dignity:
Our troops acted gloriously, and added
fresh glory to the already bright and daz-
cling reputation of our State In no bat
tle.feld did their cheeks blanch with fear.
They fought like honorable and true
soldiers, and he felt proud of them and
their conduct What do Senators pro-
pose to do with them2 Set aside the
Constitution, which is the work of Wash
ington, Jefferson and Madison?
Let them remember, although in the
now, the wheel of fortune is
constantly revolving. To-day you are on
the top Perhaps tomorrow you will de-
scend to the bottom. Beware how you
make precedent to ruin yourselves. If
one man is excluded because he did not
vote for Gov. Brownlow, another Legis-
lature may fix different standard of ad-
mission. We did not vote for Andy
Johnson at the late election, because we
feared his association with the Abolition
lists was dangerous But afterwards,
when we found out that he was for the
Constitution and the rights of the peo-
pie, we went for him zealously. he was
sorry to see a resolution offered in this
body advising neutrality between the
President and Congress, because every
man in the South should now sustain the
President while he is doing his best for
us. We could not occupy neutral po-
sition He regretted, also, to hear our
gallant boys, who fought in the Southern
army, at the call of their State, censured
on this floor. They Joined the army to
fight for Tennessee, not for the Confede-
racy, nor for the United States. They
enlisted at the call of the State and at
the command of the Legislature. How
dare any Senator condemn those noble
young men for obeying the command of
their own State The Senator from
Davidson county, who is chairman of
the Committee on Elections, was himself
a member of the Legislature of 1861.
Mr.. johnson resumed by saying he
had opposed secession as much as any
body, and as long as it was possible to
do SO. What, after all, did this investi-
cation meaii' 1t meant that he was a
traitor, and that he was now on trial
for treason. This whole proceeding was
without precedent During his term in
Congress, which extended over some fif-
teen years, he had witnessed nothing
like it. Has this body power to punish
,reason2 The President and General
Grant have treated our boys magnani
nousiy. The President has pardoned
hem and ordered them home, and you
nave no right to punish them. If the
Federal Government is satisfied, what
light have you to punish them ?
He then went into minute examination
IF the objection urged against his taking
his seat, and closed quite exhausted after
Ipeaking about an hour.