Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-07-18
lie tier from N. A. Patterson.

lexnIoits of Don Quixotte de la Mancha.'
Letter from N. A. Patterson.
KINGSTON, Tenn, July 9, 1866
Mr. Eel;tor During last week quite discussionl
was had at this place on the subjects of RadicasmI
and Conservatism. The discussion was opened BY
: myself Oh Tuesday, and followed on days succeed
+ isp bv Mr. Fleming, Col Baxter, Col. Tempted
and Col Byrd, in the order stated reference toI
{ the debates has been made by the editor OF thtl
East Tennesseeap. strenuous advocate of hat isl
know rs the Conservative Democratic Party, and al
the OBJ ect of the editorial netces we'll IS theiI
effect is to do manifest injustice to Col. Temple and
4myself submit for the consideration OF the public
1.-THE leading points made And hFst, ns to Col.
s Temples speech he assumed at length and showed
Econclusivey that what is known the radical par
ty is composed of those who not only are, but have
been all the while the devoted friends of the Gov
srnment in its adversely as well its prosperity
and that the conservative party with but few ex-
ceptions is composed of those who are or have been
its inveterate enemies The exceptions referred to!
he was willing to say we're honest, patriotic men but
were misguided and deceived as to their present
ston.
q Secondly as to the Franchise law it was but car
Frying into effect that determination agreed upon by
the great body of the loyal people to retain in the
hands of its true friends, the reigns of Government
& and withhold them from the hands of those whoI
are or have been known as its avowed enemies.
Thirdly, as TO Negro Equality, he was not afraid
of IT, There a difference of the races, but i'll
the negro could eevate himself to the level of the
Z white and convince him (Col. t. of his equality
there would then be no ground Of complaint on his
a part THAI none but the low and degraded would
descend TO the level Of the inferior race The East
q Tennesseean reports him as intinating thst the
black race WOULD become the equal of the white
and that the lower classes Of the white race ,goui
naturally associate with the blscksl
The Colonel supported the action Of the body of
Congress and our present State Government, and
showed that order had been brought out OF confu
: sion and credit out of discredit. The ColoneTsl
speech had the ring Of the true loyal metal, was
pointed, powerful and convincing.
Messrs. Fleming Baxter and Byrd, made Presi-
dent johnson the head-centrs of the conservative
! party indorsing in general terms his policy, and
that he and the conservative party the great
break water which alone saved the country from
! being overwhelmed by the most terrible and re-
lente's despotism with VII ich the people had ever
: been cursed. The most severe denunciations and
Opposition expressed against our State Fran
chise Law, the Freedman's Bureau Bill, thel
SClvil Rights Bill, the proposed amendments TO the
nited States Constitution, the Governor and Leg
Sslature OF Tennessee and the Congress Of the Uni
! ted States That they were acting from corrupt
motives, intending to arrogate to themselves unm-
fitted and unending powers, and to fasten upon the
zpeople undesirable expressions, and sweep from
j them every vestage of constitutional liberty.
As the speeches of Mr.. Fleming and Col. Baxter
followed and intended to be res ponsive to mine
s I state the leading points presented by me onI
4 Tuesday.
Z lst. The late rebellion with its untold evils andl
Expenditures of blood and treasure had one highly
important good and valued result. It had solved
satisfactorily, the great problem among the civilized
governments Of the earth, that is capable of:
{ selfgovernment" republican form Of gov
EeFnment has been, is, and will be maintained by the
speople That the peoples government of the Uni
ted States not, had been predicted, both I'd
home and abroad faiImre, but living, lasting and
aglorious reality. That the greatest rebellion mark
) led in the chapters of the worlds history, having
all the advantages of numbers material intellect
and time for its formation had been speedily andE
thoroughly suppressed, and at its close our govern
s ment was not found to be impoverished broken
weaken ed or dismantled but that it had increased
in all its elements of power wisdom and influence.
Aud what power has effected SO much in So short
Stime The President and his Cabinet, the Con
gress and the commanding Generals? Mo- Thes
speoplethe great body of the people have been the
deficient successful power. The intense and power
ul throbing of the great heart of the people prOv
ded the means furnished the bone and sinews gavej
the wisdom and will struck the blow and the work
. was done
Another advantage gained by the rebellion was,
III has taught US where the danger to our govern
ment is and how to avoid it, and that the lesson ofI
wisdom learned among scenes of blood would
never be forgotten or disregarded. The first de-
Eception is the wrong of the deceiver-he second
gception is the fault of the deceived. The peopeI
whose strong arms have sustained the life OF their
cherished government, at so great cost, deter
mined that the hands of the same enemies shall not
again be permitted to strike second blow. That
people thus determined are denominated the Tadi-
: cal party in the United States. They are uncon-
Rditional determined friends Of the United States
EGovernment.
8 What position or platform do they occupy Pres
Z ident johnson. whilst Military Governor Of Ten
ncssee, defined the groundwork, That the loyal
people of the State must control the government,
S be that number five thousand or less" they must
8 be the governing power. "Rebels must be dislran
chised and impoverished, because Of their treason
they had ceased to be citizens" That must and
could not require less of them than of the honest
8deyoted foreigner who comes with q good will to
support and maintain our government. He is rel
quired even with his good faith, to stand of for a
term Of years.
Take another point-Negro Suffrage President
johnson in 1865, in his dispatch to Gov. Sharkey
! of Mississippi, recommended limited negro suffrage
mbraciDg 1st. All who could read the Constitu-
tion in the English language, and write their names
I'd. All who owned $3.50 worth Of property, and
paid tax thereon. And mark you we'll what did
the President say to this Recommendation This
= you Haay safely do" "Ihops you toiU 90 IT, Did
& the President mean what he said ! answer yes ,
= md he means it to-day. know him we'll enough
to say that what he deliberately says he sticks to-
think he is in error that question, as l believe
$the interest of both races is to coonize the blacks
7 think that both will do better separate. Howev-
Eer, may be wrong and the President right.
81 Another point. President johnson, at the break
cling out of the rebellion in his place in the Senate