Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-05-04
RADICALIsM.

Lcftltccotcs
FeUOW Citizens: Having been elected
on the 31st day Of March last, by alarge
majority of the qualified voters Of the
10th senatorial district, to re~presentthem
in that branch of the state legislature,
and having been wantOnly, and il vio-
lation of every principle of constitutional
law, refused a seat in that body, feel
that justice to myself and to the country
demands that / expose through the press,
to the public, the base usurpations and
| frauds committed upon your rights as
well as nv own, by the self-constfuted
and miscalled senate of Tennessee. Not
8nIy did they refuse you in the 10th dis
triet our representation, but they re-
fused the Hon. Cave Johnson his seat,
who was elected without opposition,
from the county of Montgomery, enc of
the wealthiest and most populous districts
in the state, upon the sole ground that
he was a man of great weight of charac-
ter and influence in Tennessee, and
that he had given the weight of his char
acter in aid of the rebellion. These
were the only charges preferred against
him by the committee on elections.
They 1.-THE committed alleged that it
would be dangerous to admit Mr.. John
son to a seat in the senate, because he
was a man Of great weight of character
and influence in Tennessee.
Dangerous to what? To liberty and
republican government? mol but dam
gerous to the radical party, who have the
majority in both brancheso of this so-ealled
legislature. Yes, danger would most GER
tainly be the result to them, if a man of
great weight of character and ability
should happen to get in there; he might
not be willing to barter of the liberties
of the people for the mileage and per diem
ofa senator; and if a manofgreat weight
of character and influence should refuse,
in the senate, to sell the liberties of the
people, it would work the ruin of that
body OF usurpers, whose only object in
| legislation is to dance while they make
the people pay the fddlers.
Perhaps the public would be interested
in knowing precisely how our cases were
disposed of, as the proceedings in our
eases are entirely new in parliamentary
proceedings. When we arrived at the
capitol and presented our credentials to
the speaker of the senate, on the 10th of
| April, we found that body without q quo
rum, warting two members to make it.
We expected, of course, to be sworn in
Immediately on presenting cur creden-
tials, knowing that we had complied
with all the requirements of the law
| even the franchise law. Knowing, too,
| that it had been the universal custom in
| that, as well as other legislative bodies,
to swear in q member on the presenta-
ton of his credentials, properly made
| out. and admit him to a seat upon the
| floor of the house, and afterwards, ifany
member desired it, have his credentials
referred to a committee on elections.
This, fellOw-citiZens, has been the uni
versal course in legislative bodies, except
| in the present radical congress of the
| United States, and in the self constituted
and misealled legislature of Tennessee.
| But the speaker refused to qualify us, al
| leging as his reason that the senate eould
| do no business without a quorum, and
that the swearing in Of members was
business. A thing Unheard of in the his
tory Of legislation. Such a proposition is
monstrogs-too monstrous 70 be enter
tanned for a moment by any sane
man; because, if such was the
case no legislative body could ever
be organized, as none have a
quorum 70 begin with, and if
they were once organized and after
wards reduced below a quorum by death,
resignation or otherwise, they never
| could swear in newly elected members
to fill the vacancies consequently, there
would be an end to legislation. And the
sooner this II ceases TO live, the better
for the people, In the face of all these
facts, u credentials, after a delay of six
days, were referred tOa committee stock
ed by the speaker of the senate in our
presence, and they authorized 30 send for
persons and papers. Another mortal
week was spent by the committee in
summOning radical members of the leg
islature, and in investigating private
and political Oharaeters-a matter wholly
disconnected with our eligibility to seats
in the senate, which any man can see by
examining the qualifications plainly set
forth in the constitution for senators.
A majority of the committee, finally,
after a delay Of six or seven days, came
in with q long report against our adnis-
sion, alleging tbe reasons BEFORE stated
in Mr.. JOAnsonis case and, after some
discussion, the vote was taken, and the
senate sustained the majority report.
On the following morning, when the
Journals We're being read, Mr.. Trimble,
the chairman Of the committee on cleo
tons, rose and moved to strike from the
Journals of the senate this report and the
iE1AAEAA9AI IL NAN AACG ~ -AAa UOAlu@fll. 4
which was agreed TO. Nj. Trimble did
not intend the journals Of the senate to
convict him and his party of the yroSsi
usurpations they had committed upon
the rights of Mr.. Johnson and the peonlel
of his district, by assuming to dictate toi
them whom they should send here to
represent them in the state senate. You
may erase your d~isgTacenll acts from the
Journals of the senate, Mr.. Trimhle. but
you cannot erase them from the minds
of q wronged and outraged people. No,
sir, they will remember Il against you
and your party during the remainder oil
your miserable existence. Such gross
usurpaHon Of power-such utter disre-
gard ofthe viii of the people, is sufficient
to sink YOU and your followers so deem
into political damnation, the sounding
of Gabriers trumpet at the last day
viii never reach any CT your miserable
ears,
This is your day, but the peoples day
will surely COME, and when il does your
political death is sealed forever-rest as
sured of that.
Next business in order was the report
ofthe majority Of the COMMITTEES in my
case. As i had always been a loyal man,
some other question must be raised
First, theytried in the committee to base
their report upon the ground that / have
bolteG in the house Ct Representatives
to prevent the passage of the franchise
bill. / objected upon the ground that the
committee had no right to cali in cues
ton anything 1 had done in the house of
Representatives, IS i had the constitu-
tional right to resign my seat in that
body, at any time, and that for my acts
in that body l was only responsible 10
the people. and that the people had ,sus-
tanned me molly. The committee found
that objection was not sufficient, there
fore they must spring some other ques-
ton, as il would never do to have me In
the senate, at least until sltei they had
passed the franchise bill,
Twas urging them toreport upon my ere.
dentials, therefore they must have some
pretense FOR refusingme seat, be it right
or wrong. Finally they concluded they
would override the law and testimony
and tAse heir report upon ineligibility
account Of citizenship, notwithstand-
! had proven by the positive testi-
mcDy Of three witnesses that ] had been
a citizen Of the district ver eighteen
months when the coilstitution only ste-
thctT should ka 3 eitisen fns y
months PRIOR u the date of mgF'
sAsSrSazhosc flia3 I he'd I
pAid pnH tax Id Smith county for the
year & Se Sit
efMareh, 1866. 1 called upon tbs
ofthe committee, fslFos-citf /.
zeas, "a have the proceedings with the
leslimehs 10 my case Published, that
you % at sea he great injustice don5
YOU an4 in the report Of that csmk
TheF rsfusAd, At course. 1T
4oet ,otd0 30 let the world see how {
5alpa4 e al autrage they had committed {
Upon 4ba rights q Tie nee people OF 1s;
"a
y vhy should I be wasting siH
ma. when this grand ususpazi1n &
re IS only in keeping fxith faSSSf
course of legislation? I WI oEly Z
4 an Inteilsgent usErpeH or body