Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-03-24

me 20 attempt 10 throw light upon q
subject which has been so ably dis-
cusscd ns the question before M.
Thia would be work ofsnpereroga-
ton upon my part. but claim to
know nomoiling OF the wishes oftho
people in the section which repre-
sent, and something of the cNpovin,
tions of the people Of the StRte OF
Texas. | believe IL is right and
proper rs has been said so often By
gentlemen ON this foor, that every
guarantee should be thrown around
the freedmen in order that he may
be protected in person and property.
| It is duty deyolying upon us, and
/ it is not true as has been said. that
we have been driven TO it and that
we are halting upon halfway ground
because prejudice is existing in our
minds, and tho minds Of the people
whom we rcprosent. ] disclnim for
this Convention and for our people,
standing rs we are under the broad
sun light OF heaven and civilization,
that we are acting upon this great
question because we have been driv-
en- to it. 1t was asked by the gen.
tIeman from Fannin (Mr, TNylor) il
six months ago we would have been
willing to adopt any ofihosc amend
ments presented before the Conyen-
ton. Does not every school boy
know that such propositions would
not have been entertained before
the freedman had been placed in the
situation ho now occupies. lie then
occupied n very different relation to
the people and the Government.
We mist meet the facts as they are.
Here is u race of freedmen, suddenly
relieved from bondage, and the
question is what shall be done for
their protection and to promote
their usefulness. We have come
ND to this Convention entrusted
with the destinies of the country,
aud it is expected of us, to enact
such fundamental laws as shall be
| Just for both the white and black
race, and | deny that we are unwill-
ing to giyethc freedmen any or all of
the rights necessary to his welfare.
Iwish that the people ofthe North
crn States could have been present
during the previous discussion of
this subject and listened to the
speeches of Che gentlemen who have
spoken and which do homer to their
hearts and hoads, and fully testify
we are acting with that sense of
justice which should actuate those
who legislate upon the destinies of
the country. Let no gentleman so
far forget himself as to say the peo-
pie of Texas have been driUen to give
the freedmen their rights BY sheer
necessity. Ideny this, and | believe
the future legislation Of Texas will
show that we have been actuated
By a high sense of duty and not be-
cause wc-wero driven toit by policy.
The freedmen have been placed in
their present situation by no act of
theirs, but it is the result Of the late
struggle, and we4nust do our duty
by chem and the people of Texas
will not fall short Of their. duty, if
they do no more than is proposed
10 be done in the report OF the COM
mittee. The amendment ofthe gen
tleman from Smith, differs from it
in some particulars, and if this is
adopted and no other is offered, the,
ordinance will stand that freedmen
may not only testify in cases in
which they are interested, but in all
other cases which may beconsidcred
advisable by the Legislature. Here
his rights are fully guaranteed and
provision madeto protect the whites.
! have no hesitation in saying to the
members OF this Convention that |
believe this is the correct policy. |
believe in the restriction not, sir,
because prejudice drives me to take
this course, but from a higher and
nobler reason. Though The manaces
have been stricken from the limbs
OF the negro, the shackles which
have bound his mind so long, win
not permit him. at this early hour
Of his freedom, to testify correctly
in all cases. He might become a
mere puppe' in the hands Of some
Y of the debascd characters Of the gu
perior race, to crafty their malig-
nant feelings.
( | believe that the gentleman from
Bastrop, Mr.. Jones, is mistaken
when he says that the. necessity for
the restriction upon negro testimo-
ny has ceased with slavery, and that
now the reason ofthe law has ceased.
Sir, time will tell whether the ne
cessity no longer exists, and when
time has proved it, the Legislature
I can make The proper provision.
The gentleman from Gonzales,
Mr. Waul, suggests that we should
adopt the whole principle and leave
nothing TO the Legislature, because,
ii we leave anything TO the Legisla,
ture to act upon it will cause excite
ment and agitation among the PEG
pie
I 1t struck me that the very excite
ment he spoke of would arise if the
amendmentproposed by himsclfand
4 others should be adopted | have
shown that | regarded public opin.
ion as little as any man. and we are
not in all cases to be governed by it,
but IL we accept hisamendment will
it be adopted at the polls by the
people2 1t should not be incorpo.
rated in our organic law now. Tor II
would in ny judgement. be rejected