Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-27
THE HOUSE OF KEYS.

Some travellers on the Isle of Man have
recorded that they found its people gov
erned by laws publicly proclaimed once a
year by the Governor and the two head
judges" " Possessing" say they, "thiB en-
viable institution, the island added TO it,
the inestimable blessing of local paria-
ment called the House of Keys, an assem-
bly, far in advance Of the other parliament
belonging to the neighboring island in this
respect that the members dispensed nth the
people and solennly elected each other"
The people of Tennessee are as highly
| favored as the travellers esteemed the Manx-
men to be- We have a Governor whose
word is virtually law, and who is thought
ful enough to take a tedious journey, while
in delicate and precarious state OF health,
for the purpose of providing means to main
tain this admirable government. He re-
CARDS this system so highly that he fears it
will not last long, unless unusual precau-
tons are taken TO support it. He would
foster it with bayonets, and teach the people
to appreciate through force what they would
willingly reject, If permitted to do as they
pleased.
Our Legislature, too, is a regular blouse
of Keys" Its members, (the ruling major
ity,) have dispensed with the people. They
propose to give them no voice in choosing
Legislators. They pass laws restricting the
franchise privilege; but assume to exclude
the individuals chosen by the people, unless
they are acceptable to themselves. This is
virtually electing each other. When the
term Of service for which these gentry were
elected shall expire, they will assume high
err and broader ground They will declare
that the life of the State can only be pre-
served by their remaining in Office; and at
tempt to retain power under the pleas of
necessity" and loyalty" And so we have
it in prospect to be governed as absolutely
as are the Manxmen for number Of years
TO come.
But do the miserable fools in charge Of
the Stale Government, suppose that the peo-
pie Of Tennessee have been rendered by the
civil war so insensible to their rights and
honor and so tamely submissive, as to make
no effort to put a stop 20 such usurpation
and tyranny? Do they expect by charging
the four-ffths Of the people of Tennessee,
whom they know to be opposed to them,
with the attempt to incite revolution, to de-
ter the conservative sentiment Of the people
from taking form and expression, while they
are converting our free form of government
into an odious oligarchy, and endeavoring
to secure men and arms from other quarters
to make sure E.eir damnable work? Do
they think that Tennesseans have forgotten
the traditions Of liberty in which they were
nurtured, and sunk from their high estate
into the miserable dependence and supiDa
slavery Of semi-civilized islanders? If thew
Imagine eny Of these things, they are intox-
lcated with ambition, and have lost their
senses an exchanging the insignifcanee and
ohscurity from which they so lately sprung.
for the giddy nights OF power. II thew AZ,
tempt to carry out such projects. thew are
destined to tumble TO n depth far below that
from which the accidents Of the civil war
unfortunately raised them.