Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-29
TENNESSEE LEGISLATURES.
CLOSING SCENES,
&RnAlR-

MuNpAY, May 2S.-Senatc met No quorum
Mr.. Nelson offered resolutions thanking the
clerks door keepers and messengers, which were
M. Blossom offered resolution thanking Speak:
er Frierson for the impartaity and dignity he mad
displayed in the discharge of his duties.
Senator Powell being then called to the chair
the Speaker spoke a. follows
(yeHfleDlel Of the Senate: Months ago by the vote
of This body was Unexpectedly elevated to the
position new occupy, and tor when laTOr ithe
Senate at that time received my sincere thanks.
Time has rolled on, and am again calleu Hp In
to make another public acknowledgment OF tne
kindness of this Senate. Permit me TO ask the
Senate to accept my kind appreciation OF thelr
many favors, for language fails me TO express APP
propriately the same in words And before taxing
nv seat the Senate will please allow me 10 make
a short allusion to our situation, W.,
Long and tedious has been our session. Hheh
YOU assembled you found State matters IN appa,
rent chaos. In addition to this. on every hand
YOU have met with opposition marked and mallg
naat So much so, that at times you almoSttound
IL difficult to realize the fact that you were really
n legislative body No public servant who de-
serves the name such has shrunk or Will at any
time ever shrink from an honest examination OIL
and a scrutiniZng gaze by his constituents inns
I think Won have never done. Still / cannot ac-
knowledge elimination and vlrtuperatlon us pc
ing either honest inquiry, or rlgld scrutiny. But
YOU are aware this has been the course pursued
toward this body by the very people whose go9d
you have had at heart, and the wonder ShOulu
not be- that in so long time you have accom-
plshed 50 little but. that you have suceeedeu IN
look at the situation. The State apparently
bankrupt and three classes of antagonistc clti-
zens to egislate for. allude to the loyal pOpula-
ton and the cOlOred population, all OF whom the
results of war had declared citizens, and Tor whom
you were bound to legIsate.
Permit me to say, this emergency. IN my OPINION
Won have met like Senators. without nance,
and eudeayOTng at the same to AVOID the charge
of particular favOritism, you have endeayoTed 70
keep in your eye the equal civil rights oil all:
your efforts have been failure or success, Tune
will determine. Still, to-day we think we can al
ready see glimpses of success. General condem-
nation and vituperation are beginning 10 dle
away or at least to lose their point, and pros
nprity re smile The question which now appears
TO exercise the public mind most, II the manner IN
which you have disposed OF the poiltlcal priNlI
Ieges of parties / call it privilege, because l
think we have been long taught to regard 1t as
as a right that have really come TO the conciu-
sion that the privilege of voting Il an inherent
right when il il certainly only a privilege. In
the discharge of your duty upon TINS polnI you
have said without malice OF favorltisn, as nav
before stated 10 one class, 1t IS IN our Judgment
your right to hold the relns OF government "hllS
on the other hand you shall have and ENJOY equal
civil rights with the other classes, still II IS our
honest conviction that it will be best for all IN
terestap that at present yeu desIst from the eN-
crnise of poIiticai paivileges. Here again say,
time must determine whether this legislation Is
wise or unwise, and we shall wait with pa
tiencc the decision, with consciousness that we
| have aimed 10 do Justice to all concerned.
And now, in conclusion, with dihdence. would
refer to myself and say If at any time any Sena,
tor has or lmagincu tnhI nc nde ui7Co' Z"
| an nv mart any harshnesS. unkindness or appa-
| rent indifference toward himself or any othsi
| Senator upon the floor, / would ask that It be
| pardoned and such conduct nf have any tlmt
| been guilty of SUCH be ascribed to want OF
| Judgment an error OF the head and not oil the
| heart for at time have been conscious OF en-,
tertaining any but the kindeSt feelings toward
| every Senator on this floor, and in future life
whether my pathway shall be strewn win nOWcTs
| or be beset with thOrns. memory Will ever revert
10 the hours spent in this chamber with the Sena-
| tors composing this branch of the General Assem-
hl Of the state of Tennessee, during the sessions
| OF lSi56 as being one of the most delightful pc
| RODS of my life ~ III.
| certain marriages was then cOncurTed IN. 800
| The House amendments to the Senate oiil
| amending the code in regard to private corpora
tions were laid over to the November session
| among these was an important one, IN regard tt
| changing the site of the state Prison TO pom
| nearer the Cumberland River.
| The House resolution appropriating sum u
the ministers who have OBLIGATED during the ses-
| sion. was adopted. and on motion the Senate al
| journed TO November.