Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-07

KNOXVILLE, Sept. 25, Is66.-Messrs. WV.
CRIPPEN. and others: If il is true
that no free government can stand unless
founded upon the intelligence Of the people,
what will be the effect upon our Govern
nent il we suddenly and without any prepa-
ration raise 10 the dignity Of electors this
overwhelming mass of ignorant beings, who
by their numbers flay be able to control the
State Il will, in effect, be turning the State
over into the hands of the lowest and most
degraded class, who will, in their turn, be
swayed and controlled by artful and design
ing demagogues who are 10 be the tyrants Of
both races. IL is well known 10 every man
Of any observation that the negroes in this
State are incapable ofcontrolling themselves
They have Just been turned loose upon their
own resources, after having been for centu-
ries controlled and governed by Others. They
are wholly unprepared to exercise this priv
ilege intelligently. There are some exeep-
tons, no doubt, but the great and overwhelm-
ing majority are no more capable Of COM
pretending the principles Of government
than many Of the lower order Of animals
Their mental powers have been expended
heretofore in afording them sensational
pleasure or avoiding pain. The whole scope
Of their mental vision has been bounded by
their corporal senses
With such a class Of beings, holding, as
they would, the balance of power in the
State, Is il not certain that they must become
the dupes and tools Of low, degraded and
designing men, and used, not for the good
Of the negro even, or for the general benefit
of all, but for the advancement OF personal
acknowledgement What would be certain
81 Of ifrnnro ~
beings we're thus suddenly endowed with the
elective franchise? The heart Of the phi
lanthropist and patriot would Ricken at the
sight. Then would be seen scramble for
the negro vote amonst the lamest and basest
Of the white race lie would be coaxed and
bribed, and driven by whoever got hold Of
him or had him in charge Houses, and
barns, and pens and other Enclosures would
be prepared, into which he would be gath
cred and kept for days previous 20 the day
of the election, and at the proper time he
would be marched out under guard 10 de-
post his ballot Win such a state Of things
add anything TO our honor and dignity at
home or abroad Will il increase our pros
perity as a State, or purify and elevate our
Office holders? VIII il advance and ele-
yate the negro2 And will il be pa
tiently submitted 20 by the white race
II they submit il win be from fear Of the
bayonets, which have to guard every pre-
cinct in the State in order 10 force this mon
strous outrage upon free people. Ard, IL
will be. in my opinion, the opening scene 10
the dreadful drama that will follow, In
which the two races are 10 be involved, shat
will eveniuate in untold suffering to both,
but which must finally end in the total over
throw Of one or the other.
l therefore believe that, 10 open the bal
lot-box 10 this ignorant race without giving
them any time for learning how 20 use IL,
would be total departure from the wise and
well regulated rules and laws OF the past, 10
enter upon a wild and visionary theory that
will be sure TO bringuntold evils in its train
with no counterbalancing good / would be
Ear more wise 10 open the hallot-box 10 all
our children over the age Of ten years.
They are a hundred times as well qualified
10 exercise il properly. And wives, and
mothers and sisters should surely be per-
mitsed 10 have a choice in our rulers rather
than this infinitely inferior being.
But the advocates ofthis measure pretend
that the negro needs this privilege in order
10 protect him from the tyranny Of his for
mer master. This is pure assumption, but
suppose il true Then it follows that there
is an antagonism between the races. Can
this be ovecome by balancing one against
the other in a sort OF political equilibrium, or
mixing them up together in the same gov
ernment on terms Of perfect political equall-
ty. This Is chimerical and utterly impos-
sible in the present condition Of two races,
One must and will rule the other, and be the
controlling race, OF there will be an eternal
strife. resulting In the war and the extermi-
nation Of one or the other.
The white race are still In the ascen6ancy,
and are to-day the ruling race Is it desire
able 70 reverse this oTJler and place the
black man above u.s. This know Is the
aim and desire Of many Of the fanatics Of
the North bat il surely cannot be that any
white man living lin cur State, who expects e
make his home here, can desire to see thi.
social over-turning,lfhis upheaving ofsociety
placing this ignorant, degraded, but docilS
and intellectually etiemiate race, TO govern
and rule him.
There is really no antagonism between
the two races as they now stand. There Il
not one man In ten Thousand in our STAT,
that feels any hostility 10 the negro, person
ally. All the people Of this State are a
ready 10 bcfriend and protect and aid him
as the most pretending philsnthropist Of tbs
North. They desire that he shall have al
his legitimate rights, and be protected by
law in his person and property. No on'
blames him ior having been frecd from ser
vitude, and all are ready 10 admire his ODE
dienoo TO law and his general good be
havioT, during the war and since he has beer
a freedman. There is not the slightest dan
ger Of the white race, il leit in political as
tendency, passing any laws 10 enslave or op
press the negro; but, on the other hand, h
viii Dc looked upon a. a necessary and i'm
portant ageni in the development and ad
vancement Of the country; and II the twS
races are lei alone in their present relation
tbev win both soon adapt themselves e
their altered condition, and each VIII fee
mutually dependent upon the other, and al
viii move tremendously on. On the con