Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-09


through the newspapers, in a dOcumen
that will not fail to remind its readers G
z the address of the Legislature of 1861
, who transferred the State TO the Southern
, Confederacv.
The preteXt for this legislative rebel
lion was a proposition 10 discharge Ia
duty imposed upon the Legislature q!
the ninth section Of the schedule TO tn
amended Constitution, which provide
for the limitation of the elective fran
chise" by this Legislature. There wa
nothing new or startling in this measure
From the earlie { inception OF the Ides
Of reOrCanizilg a State Government
upon the ruins of the rebellion, the policy
OF iisfranchising those who had lately
DESTROYED the State Government, ana
ATTEMPTED to destroy the National Gov
ernment was deemed a necessity, anl
was adopted and rigidly executed IN
the election held on the 22d Of February
1865. upon the adoption of the amended
| Constitution. rebels We're all disfran-
chi~ed by an oath which required every
voter 20 swear that he was " an enemy
! Of the so-called Confederate States.
] The same course was pursued in the
election for Governor and mem
/ bers of the General Assembly, in March,
I 1850. The Military Governor naturally
Z believed that those who had wantoniy
/ destroyed the Government were not the
I proper persons to rebuild il, or to admin
. lister il when re-estahlished. This policy
and principle Of disfranchisement was a
I feature Of the amended Constitution ap-
proved by the qualified voters Of the
State. No subject has been more thor
OUghly discussed and understood by all
Glasses for the last year than this subject
Of disfranchising the dislOyal. Several
Of the seeding members were also mem
bers Of the convention which adopted il
into the schedule, and sustained IL be-
fore the people, and accepted Office under
IL, and are therefore estopped from de-
nying its binding force. All Of them had
been elected under a law or prOclama-
tion DISTINGUISHING rebels The pretense
that the measure was sprung upon them
suddenly, is therefore most manifesjly q
subterfuge TO cover up the attempt at
disOrgautzatiOn.
The resigning members appeal to their
constituents to sustain them, and most Of
them are announced as candidates for re-
election 20 the places they have just
made vacant under a pledge, Of course.
again 10 withdraw from their seats, and
again to break up the Legislature This
disclOses the whole plan ofthe conspiracy.
They ask their constituents to approve
their act and to send them back to re-
peat it. This viii place their c0nstltu
eBts i'm the attitude of disOTganiZers-
commit them 10 a rebellion against the |
State Government and render futile any /
To I'LL the vacancies by writs OF 1
a. the same routine would Zee I
The danger 70 the State Is |
therefore imminent Should the civil 1
government fail, the military authorities |
will take control Of the State, and it is
not likely that the General Government /
will, at an early day, permit a people 4
who viii have displayed such incapacity
for seif-gOyernment to attempt another
State organization. Nor is il likely, If
the effort should be permitted, that the
different divisions Of the State will agree
upon a new Constitution, and ui-cord
and a separation may follow.
If the plan Of the seeding members,
now 20 manifested, is successful, many OF
the important laws already passed, inc.u-
ding those comforting important civil
rights upon freedmen can never 60 into
fleet No appropriation bill can be
passed; the Penitentiary, Lunatic Asy-
um and other State institutions must be
broken up and abandoned; and the in
crest accruing on the debt Of the State
md ali other expenses requiring am ap-
JrOpriatiOn must remain unpaid. The
.redit Of the state will be des TOyed, and
he bonds Of the State already appr0pri-
sted must be deprecated, so as TO fail OF
he objects OF their issuance. Emigrauts
will shUn a State ia such confusion and
iiscredit, and capital viii seek invest
nent in more promising localities, and
hus the brightest hopes Of the State viii
le blighted.
Even if the cOnspirat0rs should fail Of
uccess, incalculHble mischief has already
,een done TO the State. Eight millions
# her bonds are soon TO be thrown upon
he market The ruinous depreciation
# her credit consequent upon a disor-
-anized condition of the State, infiictS q
leep injury not only upon the bondhold-
rs, but upon our works Of internal i'm
lrovements, dependent now upon sale
# our bonds to enable them to revive
heir operations.
Our political prospects, too, are Sc
-erely injured. BY the acts Of rebel-
Gus population We have lost our repre-
in the councils Of the nation.
)ur senators and representatives are in
Washington asking admission To seats in
congress. That body Is watchingal all our |
movements with a view Of determining
whether we have an established Govern I
nent or not, and whether those SeatOrs
AVE been sent there by a government
apable Of maintaining its existence and
ujhority. Theymay now conclude that
ur people are not in a temper for self
Certainly the opponents
{ our representation viii be furnished |
v our present condition with an argu-
leut against our admission.
Nor is the moral effect upon the repu- /
alton of our State and people less 10 be
epl0red. A large portion Of our people, I
Ist out Of rebellion, are protesting re-
INSTRUCTED loyalty, while a portion OF |
heir Representatives display not only a
sbelliOus spirit but a disregard for the
JIemn obligations Of Legislators and are
Of that dignity and sense Of
ou0r which should always characterize
be statesman.
But aside from the injury to themoral, !
oliticai and financial character Of the +
tate and the danger Of dissolution, the
ctual loss % the State Treasury is i'm
lense. Nearly a month has already
cen lost by the Legislature from busi- I
ess. Another month must trauspiTe a
efOre the vacant seats can be filed by 3
lection, and then some days mustelapse [
efore the members can appear in their 4
eats. Estimating jhe expense 10 the d
at $50 per day, and a loss Of :
evenly days from business, and a total I q
os= OF S45, 500 Is the result. even If the 4
Onspirators should succeed no further ]
han IN their designs. The loyal people I
{ the State will not fail to hold the :
uilty parties and their advisers respon- !
ible for this worse than useless eXpendi- +
1re.
II may be that the constituents Of the q
members may re-elect them OF :,
thors pledged 70 like course, and i
hereby render this proclamation useless, .
ut the responsibility shall be upon II
iem. The Constitution requires that !
when vacancies happen In either
Iouse, the Governor for the time being "a
lall issue writs of election 10 I'll said i
Therefore, "
The following Representatives having n
D a public printed address announced G
leir Withdrawal from the General As a
smbly, thereby leaving their seats va i
lted, viz a
w. b. Lewis, Rep, from Davidson; / Il
ami p. Walker, Rep, from Shelby; &
). +. Garrett, Rep, from OveTtOn; Asa n
aulknef, Rep, from Warren A. A v
reeman, Rep.i from Haywood; J. r. n
hOmas, Rep, from Coffee. Gruudy and n
AN Buren; AbneF A. Steele, Rep, from n
larshall; Wm. B. Scales, Rep, from (
iyer and Lauderdale; A. Il. Wynne, I,
.ep., from Sumner; Th0s. II. Bledsoe, =
.ep., from Lincoln; WIh Barton, Rep, II
-om Cannon; p. Williams, Rep, from a
arter; c. \. OrdwRy Rep, from Gi es; .
Z, Brandon, Rep, from Stewart; W. 1
!. POston, Rep, from Shelby; NJ. Il. w. "a
Runaway, Rep, from Bedford; w. W. +,
Wills, Rep, from Hawkins; A. d. Nicks, r
en-, from Dickson; James r. Hood, :
ep.. from Hamilton. l.
WHEREAS, Also, a vacancy has occur n
Il in the said House Of Representatives n
y the resignation Of the Hon. Jos. H. n
ravis, Representative from Henry t
1unty; and o
Whereas, Also, Vacancy has occur +
"A in said House Of Representatives by o
be- resolution Of the said House that the {
at Of the Hon. A. c. Glilum, Repre-
.ntative from the county OF Jackson
as vacant; and
Whereas, Also a vacancy has oceufIeu I
, aofH Hrsnaf r.F Nfers-acar YES lDN the q