The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-22
A SPEECH,
Deliuersd By P. WILLIAMS, Member Of The
Lotoer House Of the Tennessee Legislature,
On The 1904 daV Of ApriI, 1866.

n sEELChs
Delivered By P. WILKINS, Member Of The
Lotoer House Of the Tennessee Legislaturs,
On the l6A deg Of April, 1866.
Mr. sPEAKKR ~ arise TO a question Of
privilege; q thing, sir, that never have
/ done since ] have been a member Of this
House, nor did ever expect 10 do such a
thing; but from deep felt sense Of duty
/ that I owe 10 myself and my children, l am
| 0mpelled to do so. / therefore ask the in
| diligence Of the House a few minutes, while
| I make a few remarks in defence Of my pub
/ lie and private character. This House viii
bear me witness that have not been trou-
blesome in that way.
! Mr.. Speaker, hold in my hand copy Of
/ the Knoxville Wing Of April the lth, 1866,
/ in which find both my private and public
/ character violently sssailed IN an editorial
in that paper. Here is the article referred
to, which Is headed as foliowsi
ELECTION or REBEL WILLIAMS.
! This unprineipled miscreant has been
/ elected by few votes to represent Carter
| county ia the Legislature. On the subject
/ of this election much is being said in the
! rebel papers OF the State, and they are
claiming it is evidence that the people Of
/ this comfy have gone over TO the recon-
struction Of the rebel-democratic party.
| While we denOunce Williams as a shallow
! Drained, unpriucipled traitor, We protest
| sgainst his success being as evidence that
| those who voted for him are unpatriotic.
| He secured his election by a system Of lying
unparalleled, for 8 fellow Of his calibre. He
made the people believe that he was in fa-
vor of a Franchise law, while there is not q
greater enemy TO that law in the State.
| This is only one Of the innumerable lies he
told The fact is his tongue would be bis
tered if he told the truth. In two public
speeches in his county, we told the people
he was the tool of the rebels Of Nashville.
They will learn it from his own acts as soon
as the Legislature meets"
Mr.. Speaker, this great TRADE of SANDER
and abuse hurled at me by that filthy sheet,
is simply because Idared TO oppose the IN
authorized powers attempted to be exercised
by the Executive Of the State. Sir, wish
ii to be understood that the Knoxville
Wing is the property and organ Of
the Governor, and / hold him respOn-
siblc for all this SANDER and abuse.
Mr.. Speaker, hold in my hand a copy
Of the Governors proclamation in which ne
has assumed the authority TO declare my
seat vacant as a member Of this Legislature.
! have said upon former occasions that no
Governor Of this State, nor Of any other
State in this Union, has ever attempted 10
y
lied powers as this since we have been
nation / have also said upon ether occa-
sions that such Unauthorized and extraOrdi-
nrry powers as this is never attempted 10 be
exercised by any one except a usurper,
tyrant or q despot. He has not stopped at
this extraordinary stretch of power, but he
goes on and writes q letter to my county,
and attempts in that letter TO dictate 10 my
constituents who they must succeed me by,
thus assuming at once the dictatorship over
iree and independent people. He IN that
letter Of dictatlon charges me with act
ing in the Legislature with copperheads
and rebels, thus doubling my fidelity to the
Federal Union. Now, sir, It so happened
that Governor Brownlow and myself both
had 10 leave our homes and families, and
make our way through the Federal lines for
refuge, and there appears TO be this marked
difference between us,when We got through
the lines. While he went North and was
safely housed among his friends, he through
his pitiful complaints, Of his trials and SUI
ferjfes moved she sympathy Of those gem
erous hearted people, and they made up
large donations 10 hum and put hlm IN bet
ter circumstances than he ever was In his
life before While, sir, | entered the United
States army as private, without the prom
Use of a promotion, and there faithfully
served my country as a soldier until l was
| honorably discharged from the service.
| Sir, while Governor Brownlow was having
silver and gold thrown at him by his
| friends, / was having lead thrown at me by
| deadly enemies. That seems to be tie diff
| ference between us, when we got inside the
| Federal lines. Yet, sir, he doubts my 10y
atty 10 my country's cause. In that inia-
NOUS editorial in the KNOXVILLE Wing am
| accused of being the most miserable liar
! that ever lived. Well, all l have TO say 10
/ that is, that it would be avery d!Aieutmat-
| ter for him, or his son either, TO get my
people TO believe that statement.
| The Governor claims that he had con-
| stitutional right TO declare my seat vacant,
| because my name appeared TO that mani
| iesto, which was not an official document
] and The Governor had no right to take efi-
/ cisl cognizance Of il. l hereby declare
once an d for an timeto come that never did
| sign my name to that manifesto, nor did
| ever give any one else the authority TO do
so, nor did know that suchsa thing was in
| existence until | saw 1t IL my county IN
print. But sir, suppose for argument sake,
| thnt signed that manifesto: that would
not make me amenable to the Governor he
/ would have no more control or jurisdiction
/ over my case than the Queen Of England
/ would have. He has the same legal right to
/ declare the Presidents seat vacant that he
has 20 declare vacant a seat OF member OF
/ the Legislature. ! was amenable 10 the
| House'and the House alone for my conduct.
| If ] had signed that manifesto or been gull
ty OF any disorderly conduct, the House
coald have expelled me, if found guilty Of
| the charges worthy OF expulsion, and then
| in that case the Governors proclamation
| would be legitimate and according to Par
liamentary law.
Mr.. Speaker, 1 hoidin my hand a copy Of
! the Governors proclamation, IN which he
declares my seat vacant. And SIR, ina; Is
an official document and ought to state
facts. propose TO show that 1t does not;
In the hrst place it declares TO the world
! that nv seat was vacant as a member o. this
body, which was not the fact, and the jour
nails of the House show that it was not the
| case. And, sir, what is more, the action Of
| this House shows that 1t was not the fact,
| for this House passed resolution no longer
ago than day before yesterday, declaring
that my seat vas not vacant nor had not
been. In the second place, the Governors
proclamation declared Mr.. Hood seat va
can't and the late action Of this House IN the
/ expulsion of Mr. Hood says that was not
de fact. in the third place, the Governors
proclamation declares TO the world that the
twentv-one resigning or seeding mem
| hers as he calls them, reduced the House
below q quorum and thus stopped legisla-
ton aohick IS not true. N0u, sir, u
is tasH knOtrn that tkiS HOsse IS COM
| posed Of cighty-T0Ur members N al,
| and il takes two-thirds Of that number TO do
business, which is ffty-six. Now, take the
tvyeuty-one resigning members from eighty
four and, sir, you have sixty three old men,
beers: seven over quofum. Now, what be-
| comes of the declaration IN the proclana-
ton. that saws the twenty-one resigning
/ u -
rum and stopped legislation? II may be
said that an the counties were not repre-
seuted. That is true, there were two -coun-
ties thst were not represented, but whose
fault was thatf evidently the Governor 8
r for the House had passed q resolution cali
ING ON the Governor 90 order elections 10
those counties some month or six weeks be
fore the designations took place. and ne NJ
: terly refused 70 do IT, and the House mas
- never had less than sixty-one old members
al any time. So it is plain 10 be seen ina
the charge made against the twenty -ons
rpsiening members in regard to reducing
de House below quarum isGR false And
IN he fourth place, the Governor in hl'
r.o.lar,otion. declares that the resigninl
f1,,o1,bers cost the State 50, 500, which h'
l-,,.,- was not so when he made the state
-,o,t He stats out by saying that It cost
re State $3.50 per day 90 legislateI and tina
II would be seventy days before quorum
could be had, and neither OF the allow
) statements vas true, ana he vel kneS
before tho statements were maae. Nlti
fun House and Senate for each day, Woul'
only cost the state Sass, and for seventy
, DAYS il would be $50, zoe. But, SIR, lt wa
only fny-h days instead Of seventy ina
the House was without q quorum, and loN
d take the twenty-three fesigning member
y or which would not draw any pay Of course
and that viii give the correct amount
,s which is S206S0 Now, take the secs
away from the Governors S45y soc ana "
have his error, which is s2&,sg0. Now,
- have not taken the pains 10 make this cal
-, 80 4. s,-.f;t,- - 4. .st...s.,s. an, he~s