The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-02-28

it "a to destroy the Republican form Of ou
! State Government, in making the Governo
/ Of the State the arbiter and ruler OF III
| bsllot-box. 30 potentate ever sought great
i er power thaa this bill eoniers, and he VII
desires the overthrow Of popular institution
could not be Invested with more iata
I weapon.
We invite voar atteutony tcllqW-cltl1ens
! TO the fact that this bill has an alarming
/ and dangerous tendency to overthrow you
! Constitution AID subvert your Government
/ and is eauallg revolutionary with the pro
| cesdiugs taken in this Capitol N 1861
| when 6y military league this State wa
| tran sferred TO the Government OF the so
| called Confederate States. And we dar
| appeal to you, people Of Tennessee, who
/ with strong am and stout heart, in th'
| Geld aud by tie freside, as exles or mourn
| ers by your desolate hearth stones, main.
tanned through good and evil report YOU
| loyalty to the Union, upon the issue nov
made up between the undersigned and the
members Of the present House Of Repre-
sentatives, supporters of the pending fran
ehise bill. And in doing 60, we distinctly
and boldly charge.
Ist. That the bill violates the Constitution
Of the State; that it lodges the control o.
the ballet box ia the hands Of the Governor
when your Constitution declares that all
"electi0ns shall be free and equal" Can
this be so, when the caprice of single IN
dividual debating instructions to eighty odd
petty commissioners, is 10 determine the
qualification Of the voter, and their instruc-
{ ons, taking color from his preludicesi OF
If his commissioners act without instruc-
tions, or in disregard of them, determir
the qualification by the amount Of personal
profit and gain there may be in the trans
action, and denying to the loyal citizen the
right Of appeal from the dec.slo oil tins OH
Ger, who IS under no penalties Tor viola
tion Of the law. Pause, feliow-citizens, aud
rehectupon the immense power this conter5
upon single individual.
We have lately seen the President Of the
United States refuse to receive even less
power, when rendered the CONTROL Of the
freedmen. No matter how good or great the
man may be, the iodgment Of such vast
power in his hands is dangerous TO cOnsti-
tutOnal liberty, and IS at war with the
whole theory a Republican Government.
2nd. The bill violates that gJset princi-
pie, to maintain which, our Fathers of 71C
pledged 'their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor and which gave birth
TO our glorious Union, viz, that repreSsate-
ton should follow tdGatl0n-
Sd The bill violates the plighted faith
of the United States, Of Abraham Lincoln,
of President johnson, of Gen'Is. Grsnt and
Sherman In this that by the action Of
the Congress of the United States, Fresi-
dents Lincoln and johnson, We're authorized
and directed Go tender to the States and per-
sons thereof in the rebellion, such terms Of
amnesty, as would lead to a restoration OF
the Union.
In the exercise of the power thus con-
| ferred by law eEd under the constitution,
President Lincoln made his repeated pro-
! clsmations of amnesty, proposing % restore
| all those vino evailed themselves Of the
| benefit thereof, TO all their rights, save pro-
perty in slaves. The conditions thereof be-
ling ite takiHs and observing tho oatE =.
amnesty. Simi ar tenders were made by
President johnson in his proclamation OF
| Nay 29th, 1865. Many OF you, tellow-citl-
| zeus, availed yourselves of this offer of the
| Government, particularly that If President
Lincoln, and have faithfully observed it.
| But, notwithstanding this, under this bill
| you are to be deprived in a summary manner
| of the most cherished and sacred right,
| guaranteed to you by the action Of the
| United States through its legislative and
executive funetionaries.
| Itwould seem thai if the Legislature Oftbe
State can now, after the action Of the United
States, through its CHIEF Executive officers
| and agents, add TO the pains and penalties,
or create them sgainst the parties who have
| received the amnesty, the protection and
| faith of the Federal Governmeut-then that
the doctrine of the supremacy Of State SoU-
| ereiqnty is reasserted. Against this doe
trine we protest, and are willing TO abide
| the action and the laws Of Federal Union.
Al hafr hot hv- rfc ffr=
| crimination deprives parties heretofore, and
under the existing law, entitled to the right
and privilege OF voting. Gin other words
| possessed OF the elective franchise violates
the Constitution, in that it is &c puTte tGct0.
| And further, it Furnishes and deprives the
citizen Of his rights and liberties without
| presentment or indictment, and without
his right of trial by jury.
| Under its operations the citizen loses his
estate, as such, and becomes a subject for
| offences committed, or supposed % have
| been committed, mot against the state oi
| Tennessee, but the United Siates,) PRIOR TO
its passage, and that upon the sole Judg-
ment of the Gsgernor, or that OF has Com
| missioner.
5th The Bill violates that spirit of har-
mony, equality and division Of political
| power prescribed in the Constitution for the
| three grand divisions of the State. Thepo-
| litical power Of the State would, upon the
| passage of the Bill, become sectionalized.
/ the localizing Of the political power oil Inc
| State, in any one section, would be lraughI
/ with infinite mischief, and would destroy
that harmony and pride which, hitherto,
| has prevailed in the State, and contributed
| 10 its progress and prosperity; and no one
| having the welfare Of his Stale at heart
would desire to build up or promote the po-
| litical fortune OF one section at the expense
Of the other.
| We have thus, as briefly as it could be
| done, fellow citizens, made frank, candid,
| and true declaration of the motives ana
reasons that have governed us IL our recent
action. A bill concOcted IN secrct ea0al,
| thrust upon our instant consideration aud
its passage urgei forward in hot haste, IN :
der pressure OF the previous question, Wlth
limited majority a its favor, and which
| by its provisions everthrowed the repubH-
| can form Of Of our Government, destroyed
| the Constitution, broke the faith Of me
| Government, and made merchsndlze oi the
! liberties Of the people, called for PToN.pt
| dscisire measures % arrest the progress OF
| this most dangerous revolution, lnaugu-
| rated by the majority Of tbs present House
| OF Representatives. We have not hesitated
to interposs our efforts to stay the progress
Of this attempt to subvert your Government .
and destroy your liberties.
| Conscious of the rectitude Of our inten-
tions. and in view OF the rights and inter
ests Of the people OF Tennessee, eonuaed .
cur care, we appeal TO you to sustain cur
| course.
| VIZ. B. LEWIS, Rep. from Davidson,
| SAM'L p. WALKER, Rep. from Shelby,
A. +. GARRETT, Rep. from Overton,
| Asa FAULKNER, Rep. from Warren,
| a. A. FREEMAN, Rep. from Haywood,
/ J. +. THOMAS, Rep. from Coffee, Grumpy
and Van Buren.
ARNER A. STEELE, Rep. from Marshall,
| WM. B. scALEs, Rep. from Dyer and Lau-
derdale,
A. R. WYSSE, Rep. from Sumner,
| THos. II. BLEDsoE, Rep. from lincoln
WM. BARTON, Rep. from Cannon,
WILLIAM SIMMONS, Rep from Franklin,
P. WILLIAMS, Rep. from Carter,
c. \. oKDwAY, Rep. rom Giles,
y. BRANDON, Rep. from stewart,
W. X. PosToS, Rep. from Shelby,
NJ. E. W. DUSSAEAY, Rep. from Bedford,
W. W. WILLIS, Rep. from Hawkins,
A. D. NIcKs, Rep. from Dickson,
JAMES R. HOOP, Rep. from Hamilton.
y. B.-To show our desire to have harmo-
nv, and our willingness to pass all neces
sary bills, on Mondsy. February 25th. sir
Steele, of Marshall, offered the following
resolution
ResoiUed, That this House first take uI
and act upon the necessary appropriation
I revenue and local bills-tO the exclusion
any other measures-noW pending-Whl lei
are calculated to produce diseord N TN
House.
This reasonable proposition was rejected
by the majority, who insisted on forcing
vote on the franchise bill, and We then hsC
no other alternative but 10 withdraw, o
consent 70 be the unwilling instruments q
form quorum to pass ball depriyiug IN
. people Of Tennessee Of their most cherIsnet
and constitutional rights.