The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-25
no a. pennIe nf Tenne.seo.


history. unparalleled 10 its gross a1d van
ton defiance Of the expre.s ed viii Il tie
people, consumma,ed without notice 10 U
or oppor unity 10 deleni our claims before
the committee or in the House, is, 10 any
one familiar with the days Of those who,
under pretence Of legislating for the people
seek only their utter sch, elton add ruin,
neither unsnlie' pated or strange. For the
present il is without remedy, but Eill not
always remain so. That remedy, p seeful
but powerful, viii, sooner or later, be ap-
piled despite the vengeful and spasmodie
eif~rts Of those who have risen TO p ace
amid the throes OF a revelation which many
Of them aided in insuguratfhg for personal
and partisan purposes, aud which they
now seek 10 perPetuate through malice
towards those who were the dupes and vic
tins Of their earlier action.
Personally, this action Of the maj rity
does n0t affect me unpleasanty, nor is it
submitted 10 with regret. Called without
desire or solicitation on my part, and, in
deed, against my Temonstrance, TO seat
in House vacated by the rejection, by the
same unscTupulous faction now ruling the
House, Of the duly and constitut 0 ally
elected Representative Of Shelby County,
was forced IN the effort 10 p ect the peO-
pie gho sent me here alike with the great
masses Of the people Of the state against
uuprec edented and re, oluti n ny egis All N
to resign that seat, and refer she question at
issue 10 the people. In justice TO themselves
and 10 me they returned by q largely in
creased majority, nay, almost with uuanim-
ity. This action Of the majority in now re-
fusing me the seat and the reasons for this
refusal, as placed upon the journal, will fur
nisu 10 my children after me the ind cation
which will be necessary in the years TO come,
and the only indication requisite for my
ever having b-eu in any wise connected
with the House Of representatives, OF the
Tennessee Legislature Of 1865 o.
BE ore returning 20 my constituency,
desire, through the press, as had purpOsed
on the floor al the House If admitted 10 my
seat, 20 saY q few words TO you 10 vindica-
ton Of my own and the character Of seUcH-
teen others Of the tlOeafy one gentlemen
whose names are appended 20 the address
| 10 the people Of Tennessee" recently pub
lished IN justification Of the course pursued
! By them in the Legislature in the monthsof
February last. regret the necessity which
! calls forth this vindication its consequences
must rest on the heads Of those Whose
course made it necessary.
Me-srs. Dunaway Of Bedford, Williams
Of Carter, and Hood OF Hsmiltor, have
severally denied that they signed their
names TO that address, or authorized their
signatures 70 be affixed thereto the former,
as 1 understand, in a card published in the
public prints, the two latter upoa the floor
Of the House Of Representatives. Upon
/ tue occasion Of this denial in the House,
these two gentlemen retained their seals
without vouchsafng one word Of explana-
| { on or defense, while the foul-mOuthed
scavengers Of the Radical majority, from
| their privileged seals, opened their VIals Of
defLmat on end abuse upon the associates
| OF the two dec aiu.ers. TIE latter had OPP
poriuni y for explanation or defense, the
former none.
have now only to say, that I signed but
one name to that address, snd that one my
oca. have no knowledge as 20 the person
by whom the names OF either DUnaway,
Williams, or Hood were subscribed. l
had DO hand in the preparation Of tie aG-
dress objected 20 It, when read 10 me, be-
cause % aid not set fOTth the measure or
bdl which caused US to leave the House, the
circumstances under which il was sought 70
| be forceI upon US, and the Radical pro-
cramme ana purpose Of which it formed
part. ia terms betting their revolutionary
and infamous character, and because 81
| other objections then stated, but uuueces-
| ssry to be repeated here. ] had agrt ed with
Duunway, Williams, Hood, aud others, as
D. the preparation Of an address TO the pe0-
pie explanatory Of our action, and when the
papers, prepared by others, mas presented
aud received the appreciation OF majority
| Of those concerned, 1 waived my personal
| objections and gave II my signature, re-
serving expressly the privilege, by oral or
written address, TO explain myse more
| fully, which / did before my immediate
/ constituents.
Denied, by the lawless and revolutionary
/ acts Of the J Goblin Cub, who rule The LIE
| gislat Of Tennessee, the opportunity OF
| saying this much on tho floor Of the House,
I have taken occasion 10 say rs much, IN
substance, % individual members thereof,
that they ma ght be fully advised of my po-
sition before they were called upon TO SIT IN
judgment upon my right T. represent the
good people Of the county OF Shelby
resigned my seat in the House Of Repre-
euiatig cs avowedly for the purpose OF de-
| feating the infamous scheme of the Radical
| majority, 10 fe ter still farther, an already
hainpered and oppressed people, and Of
| bringing the whole matter before the people.
| Odious as the Franchise bill was in its every
| feature, If by ordinary and fair legislation
! The majority had sought its pa sage, /
/
seat, vote against Il, and 10 have sought
some other remedy. But when, without
discussion or amendment, 10 was attempted
l TO force IL upon US, there was no alternative
/ for me but 10 resign, and refer the ma ter TO
those who sent me hithCr. This was done
| with entire frankness and caudor, and my
action, with almost unauimIty, approved
| As IN the county % shelby, SO &c was m
| twenty-four other counties, the most popu-
/ nd mi lurnffeI %
| the state, scattered al over the State from
Carter 10 shelby; and so it would have been
| IN nineteen twentieths Of all the counties,
had the majority dared submit the question
| to the people. But, as the manifesto put
| forth BY the majority in words Of 4" blazing,
fiery aud consuming light" truly said, CHE
| majority had 10 question 10 argue with the
/ minority before the people" They had tteir
| orders, IN other w0-ds, from Sumner aud
stevens through Fletcher, and those orders
were TO "put It through, without doiting
an a. OF crossing -"
| Add now IN Che face Of a verdict Of con-
domination such as this, expressed by the
| qualified voters under an existing franchise
law, which excluded onc-half or more Of
the people e the State, verdict Of con
demnatiou unparalleled In this or any other
State, the accidentslites" Of the day, men,
toh0 represent no constituency. under the dic-
i
not only refuse admission 70 the acknowl-
edged representatives Of the people; but,
with unblushing ius0lence, in the absence
Of representatives from many counties in
the state, aud with the knowledge that
their presence would have defeated the bill,
press through It's last reading the identical
blil upon which the seal OF condemnation
has been 30 indelbly and Individually
stamped.
In iormer days, when legislative bodies
were composed of representatives chosen
by the people OF The county, they assume
90 represent, and not from al oiHinC counties
/ or States as in the body now convened az
the Capitol and be a themselves nmrnable
TO the people, the resignation Of ciQAteca
members upon a vital question would have
constrained the resignation Of aH aud the
submission Of the issue to the people. Not
So. however, with the modern assemblaCc OF
Solous. "Four dollars per diem, and Folit-
seal position assured, with the prospect
through the Radical courts OF "mRsing the
| rehs pay damage las suggested by the
patriotic Patton. of Washington. IN his letter
10 his friend Davis, Of Hancock, which my
| friend Jarvis veniila'ed in the papers 80
uncxpectedly.) Is altogether "too good a
thing 20 be thrown away Tor Sny oldfash-
toned ideas OF principle, or representative
dignity or delicacy. Radical reasoning. as
exempli6ed IN the history Of the same pat
rjotic gentleman, and others Of his asset
ates, teaches rather that IL savers more %
D. worldly wisdom 10 vote for the removal OF
The Bank Of Tennessee and its assets beyond
the reach Of the " approaching Hankees, -
in the rebel Legislature Of 1861, Ia Legisla
ture. by the way he was constrained 90 attend
though held at Memphis, some hundreds Of
! miles from his honc, aud from the Fed
c-al hines. land receive four dollars q
day IN Confederate scrip or Tcuusssec
money, aud then. IN the oval 90 Legisla-
turo OF 500, vote for the distribution of The
assets Of the same bank, Captured from the
rebels down South, whittier they had sent
them, among The appointees Of GOV. Brown
low, (ior this will be the practical working
Of the Bank bill OF the present session. re
ceivlng ior this service TOUR dollars Per
diem in legal tender interest besring green
kbacks."
But enough Of ihjs. ] commenced chief
~ 81 say. and viii now conclude with SAY
inC that I signed tho address referred 10
with my own name and not thst Of Duna-
way, Williams, or Hood. and that ID these
gentlemen did not sign their names there
10, or authorize some one 60 sigu Tor them.