Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-03-22

ieals or faction constituting the
majority in the present Congress.
We 90 with that faction of Radio
ais, we approve their policy and
principles; and, live or die, sink or
swim, survive or perish, we risk
our life, our fortune and our sa-
Icred honor on board Of that ship"
The bill, thus fathered, and
thus heralded, being offered in
lieu of the committee bill, the mo-
ton was made, as is customary
with oil measures of grave impor-
lance to postpone its considera-
ton, and have the bill printed for
the information of the members.
This motion was voted down, and
the "previous question" called and
ordered upon the motion to adopt
in lieu. Under this application of
the parliamentary bayonet," the
bill was adopted in lieu of the
committee bill, instantly put upon
Its second reading, the previous
question again called and ordered,
and the bill passed upon its sec
ond reading.
1t was then made. the "order
/ of the day" for the succeeding day
(Friday.) This summary method
of proceeding with measure so
important in its character and
grave in its consequences, called
forth protests in such number
from both friends and foes of the
measure, that the leaders of the
Radical faction, three in number,
openly onsthe floor of the House
pledged themselves that when the
bill should be called on the NOR
row, it should be open for unlimit-
ed discussion and amendment.
On Friday morning the bill was
again called, Mr.. Steele, of Mar
shall, permitted to make an ar
gument in opposition to the bill of
hour and a half's duration, and
Mr.. Elliott, of Rutherford, the
friend of a franchise bill, but the
opponent of this particular bill, to
follow in an argument of half or
three-quarters of al. hour in oppo-
sition to the bill, when MIR. Raj
ston, of Marion Zone of the Radio
al Majority rose and proclaimed
to the House, that he held him
self bound by the pledges of no
man, leader or otherwise, called
for the "previous question" thus
again shutting off discussion or
amendment. In this call for the
previous question, he was sustained
by the vote of almost the entire
Radical majority, including the
very members who had, upon the
floor of the House, solemnly
pledged themselves to an open and
free discussion of the measure
The Conservative minority, find
ing themselves cut off from all OPP
portunity of either showing up
the enormities of the bill calcula-
ted and designed to disfranchise
three-fourths of the people of Ten
nessee, or to amend in any Of its
monstrous features retired from
the House in numbers sufficient to
reduce the House below a quorurn,
and thus defeat the passage of the
bill. The previous question"
feature of parliamentary proceed
ing instituted in the British Parlia-
ment, for excluding discussion up
on questions of delicacy in
volving persons in high positions,
and continued in use in this coun-
try to cut off wrangling upon i'm
portant questions, was thus prosti-
tuted to base partizan uses in the
effort to stranele debate on a vital
question, a question involving d.
rectly the dearest right of more
than one hundred thousand free
men, and directly the peace, har-
mony, and liberty of the entire
Of Tennessee. A par
liamentary trick in itself, it could
only be met, and was properly and
successfully met by a parliamenta-
ry trick.
A careful examination of the
bill thus defeated will disclose the
following features, abhorrent in the
last degree to every rightly think
ing mind:
1. 1t limits the elective fran
chise in the State of Tennessee,
to less than $4,000 men-37, 900 {
in East Tennessee, and less than
LIZ, 900in Middle and West Tennes-
see combined, thus giving to East ]
Tennessee three Representatives
- 4Ir Ckako T oo,c1 n <,,r, l., 800 -