Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-07-18
SPEECH OF JUDGE HOUK.
Delivered al the Great Union Mass
Meeting at the State House on the
Night Of July 4th.

Delivered at the Great Union Mass
Meeting at the State House on the
Night Of July 4th.
Ninety years ago our fathers gave to the world
the immortal Declaration of American Indepen-
dence, which contained the germ of universal free
dom. Those into whose hands the administration
Of our Government descended stifed ths great prn-
cpe, and our patriotic Governor has called the
Legislature Of Tennessee 20 assemble on this the ns
tai day Of Union and liberty to carry ont the sacred
! precept Of freedom thus shadowed forth by our
/ fathers.
THE AMENDMENTS.
| Perhaps you infer from what 1 have said, that /
favor the amendment TO the Constitution lately pro-
posed by patriotic Congress- describing the terms
of reconstruction do 1t is proposition 10 which
| every Union man can heartily subscribe. l hail
| from the mountains Of East Tennessee, where q
grand reaction is setting n looking to equality be-
| fore the law. What does this XIV Article to the
| American Constitution propose? The hrst section
simply declares who citizens OF the United States
And it is nothing more than settling q doctrine upon
which every lawyer in the land must confess should
| be the law of Republc-that sll persons born
within the Jurisdiction Of the United States and of
the several States regardless of color race or blood
entitled to equal rights before the law and the pro-
lection of the Government against all oppressors-
/ Is there anything wrong in this
SECOND SECTION.
Inc sSC"Au sSStiOIL pTGsCTIOtS Luat LC person WHO
has heretofore taken oath TO support the Constl
tuition Of the United States and theE went into the
rebellion, shall ever hold any Office under the Gov
ernment of the United States or any State TO which
proposition give my most enthusiastic support, be-
cause l happen TO believe that those who Inaugural
ted the rebellion should not be trusted and re-
turned to power TO reenact their scenes Of treason
and blood Is there a loyal man in Tennessee will
ling to reinstate the traitors of the country with po-
Iitical power? If beg to dissent frO his views
They have proved themselves unworthy TO enjoy
political equality with the loyal men of the nation
and shoald be made to feel that treason is q crime
for which political power should 5e withheld. In
other words by the commission Of treason the trai
tors forfeited all rights 10 participate in the govern
ment OF the country and should be made feel that
treason will not be tolerated by the American peo-
| pie Anything wrong IN that? think not. Upon
the contrary, IS eminently proper and should be
carried out
THIRD SECTION.
The third section provides that representation
should be sppOTtiOned among the several States
cording to population, provided that whenever any
class Of persons denied the elective franchise for
any cause except as punishment for crime or par
ticipation in rebellion, such persons shall not be
counted in the enumeration for representation. That
is to say, il the negroes not permitted 10 vote
for themselves, the white shall not vote for
them, as they now do IN Tennessee and the South.
As the matter now stands, every i've negroes are
equal 20 three white men, and yet the negro does
not exercise any discretion in the matter. The white
man votes for him without his advice or consent
This amendment simply adopts the white basis sys-
tem advocated for years by Andrew johnson, and
presented at different times upon this floor through
his annual message TO the Legislature Of Tennessee.
/ There is much talk about this being the white
mans government. II so, let Us adept the Consti-
tutional amendment, and thus destroy The mixed
system Of white and black representation combined.
As il now stands, the negro is political element,
-, IL E%,.tL
white mans goVernn nent, but that both black and
white participate in the government Of the country
/ Let rs tear away this relic Of barbarian, 90 back
to first principles IS taught By these white phoso
pliers, and make this e whit9 man government in
fact If these men are in earnest they will aid 70
pass this amendment and TINS establish the doctrine
that the negro shall not exercise political power BY
proxy but that loyal white shall rule the coun-
! try. Is not this eminently proper? Cannot every
p8tro: heartily subscribe 10 this just snd equitable
measure? The remainder Of the amendment only
provides that the debt incurred 60 suppress tie
bellon shall be paid and that the rebel debt never
! shall Who can oppose tais except tFsitOT 70 his
! country
THE GREAT ArosTATE.
! Snow me = man Who opposes this measure, and l
will show you traitor TO his country, else
who does not know what the amendment is and op-
poses it through ignorance or prejudice. But, they
tell u.s. Massey Andy, the President, opposes It, and
! therefore it should be defeated. Now, in the name
of common honesty. what is il be has not opposed
\ rebel lady Of your own beautiful city remarked
the other day that he first betrayed the South,
the North, and finally the poor negroes" whose
Moses he had promised 10 be- TO lead them up TO
equality before the law. Such is Massy Andy.
But We are continually told that Congress favoTs
negro equality. This l deny. Il is 3 slander upon
this patriotic body.
BLACK LOYALTY ". WHITE TRAITORS
1t is true the negro mas been il bondage near four
hundred years. He has been denied the right of
human, and placed upon g level with the beasts of
the forests He has been reduced 70 a chattel TO be
bought and sold as stock in the market. But, l
stand here onight ready TO enter my solemn pro-
test against so Jar degrading him TO place him
upon an equality with the traitors of the South He
| deserves no such a tate.
appeal to you that it Is wrong, that IL is unjust
TO place the rebels upon 4 level with loyal negroes
As to the enfanchsement of the black race, il will
in my opinion come sooner or later. The loyal peo-
/ pie Of East Tennessee have been opposed TO negro
suffrage but when the issue is made IS the rebels
are making it, whether the ballot shall be en-
trusted TO loyal black men, or placed in the hands
of disloya whites then you will find that the color
of the skin will not prevent the loyal people from
! doing Justice to their friends.
! l would arm negro TO the polls before 1 would
8 traitor TO my country
And now, appeal TO the old citizens of Tennes-
! see and there are men l see around me who will
bear witness TO what | am about to say: That An
drew johnson in 1850 canvassed Tennessee for
Brecknridse, and in his speeches appealed 10 the
lowest and meanest passions Of the human heart, to
resist the encroachments of tho Republican party,
ezclaiming at the top Of his voice. Is there man
under the sound OF my voice base enough TO submit
to the election of Abraham Lincoln ?' He followed,
rather LEAD the Democratic party of Tennessee into
the vortex Of dlsunion; and seeing FAILURE writ
ten sll over the serpent Of dsunoH he temporarily
abandoned the Cause and gr0fssssd TO be s devoted
! Union man. But how has he fulfilled his proroi ises
carried out his pledges and sustained the cause he
professed TO espouse. Let his record answer. In
addition 70 betrayng every party with which he has
been connected he has finally betrayed bis country,
and the rebels are to-day in power.
Another instance of Andrew Johnsons treachery
is evidenced in the fact that be above all others
forced the present State Government upon the pec-
pie of Tennessee. happened 70 differ with him as
10 the best method Of restoring civil government to
our people. l thought regularly elected Consttu-
tional Convention could best adjust our affairs and
this measure would hsvc been adopted but for An
drew johnson, who abandoned his executive cham
Der and from this stand made speech not only per-
suadng, bat almost threatening the people Of Ten
nessee into the adoption Of the plan he had desired
and which he finally succeeded in having carried
out And now, true 10 the instincts Of treason and
Democracy, his organs by his sanction l have no
/ hat