Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-07-20
THE LEGISLATURE.
The House COncurs I'm the
Senafe'g Ratification of
the Amendment.
No Quorum Present.

In the Senate a resolution Of Mr.. CARRI-
GAN relative to Constitutional " quorum
was LAID over. The same gentleman pro-
posed an amendment to the Metropolitan
Police act, which was referred 10 the special
committee
The House proceedings yesterday were
important. An imperfect sketch Of them
viii be found in the proper column.
Their extraordinary character, however,
deserves a mere graphic description than
reporters are accustomed to give. The re-
suit Of the mornings session was an arbi-
trary declaration by torty-thres members Of
the presence Of quOrum-overriding the
decision of the Speaker to the contrary and
under this ruling a precipitate majority
vote was had upon the ratification Of the
Constitutional amendment under the gag Of
the previous question-there being but fifty
fopr votes-two less thsna quorum recorded
In the evening, there was an attempt to I'M
do the wrongful and illegal proceedings in
regard to Messrs. WILLIAMS and MARTIS,
but all attempt at business failed for
want Of a quorum, and the body dis
solved until this morning at 10 o'clock.
Immediately on the announcement Of the
result upon the vote in regard to ratihca-
ton, all radipaldOm was jubilant. The Uote
.0as, AYES AZ, NoEs II, the requisite
two-thirds not being present and par
ticipating. Messrs. WILLIAMS and MAR
TIN were under arrest in a room
adjacent to the Hall Of Representative, and
not present in their capacity az Legislators,
but steadfastly refusing to so act By a fic-
ton Of the constructive presence Of these
gentlemen, the Radical leaders assumed the
existence ola quorum and consummated the
unholy work Of formally committing the
people Of Tennessee 10 the endorsement Of
a measure to which nineieen-twentieths of
them are known to be opposed, and
known too, TO be so by the very men who
have used this disreputable legislative leger-
demain to give it semblance Of legality.
Irregular, illegal, monstrous as it is, how
ever, the act seemed to thrill and intoxicate
the Radical perpetrators and abettOrs with
furious and insane JOY. the organ issued
an extra, and the Governor transmitted a
taunting and insulting message to bedeIiver-
ed to the President. As a specimen Of Cub
ernatorial malignity we put the latter upon
record. II is extracted from the organs
extra and reads thus:
MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT!
NASHVILLE, TENN, July 10,
II o'clock, NJ.
Hon. Eol,gin M Stanton, Secretary Of War,
Washington, d. C. My compliments to the
President. We have carried the Constitu-
ional Amendment in the House. Vote
AZ 10 IL, two Of his tools refusing TO vote.
w. G. BRowELow,
Governor of Tennessee.
The President will pass unheeded the des-
picable spirit of this paper, but it win serve
its purpose, and be rolled as a sweet morsel
under the tongue of the vengeful leaders Of
the Radical party in Congress, who are at
tempting to paralyze his noble efforts to re-
deem the nation and restore it to peace and
prosperity.
We have expected that the Radical Rump
which claims to be the Tennessee Legisla-
ture, would in some form, and under some
pretext, manage TO forward to their masters
at Washington a ratification of the amend
ment and are, therefore, not disappointed at
the work Of yesterday. We proclaim it,
however, unauthorized and unconstitutional,
violation of law, precedent and right, and
denounce the pretended ratification as in
valid and of no force and effect We pro-
test against its reception by the authorities Of
the Federal Government in the name Of the
people Of Tennessee, whose will has been
disregarded, and whose Constitution has
been deied and set at naught; and assume the
liberty Of announcing that proper steps will |
be taken to notify the Secretary of State of
the United States of the facts, and remon-
strate against the acceptance of any official
report from the State authorities conveying
Information Of its ratification.
The people Of Tennessee are powerless
against legislative usurpation, but to prevent |
an outrage against their rights 50 fagitious
rs that Of yesterday in the House Of Repre-
ientatives, they would he false to themselves
md the traditions of liberty in which they
we're nurtured, If they did not resort to every
remedy which an appeal to the highest iu-
iicature of the nation can give them.
Atthis writing we do not propose to analyze
md expose the mOdus operaadi Of this So
,alled ratification. It bears upon its face,
however, patent of illegality which speaks
'or ITSELF and we shall notice it at another
imeat more length.