The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-03-03
A VINDICATION.
Our Conservative Representatives
TO the People of Tennessec---A
Truthful and Eloquent Protest.
AYainst Radical DishOneSty.

to the People of Tennessec---A
Truthful and Eloquent Protest
against Radical Dishonesty.
? In the discharge Of a duty incumbent
upon the Representative to render an
account ofthe trust reposed in him by
the body who have delegated authority
to him, we beg leave to submit to the
people Of Tennessee, and to ON lmme
diate constituents, the reasons when
have controlled us, as members OF the
present General Assembly Of the State
in Withdrawing from its deliberations.
Recognizing the serious character OF
the step we have taken, we protest mat
the direct and immediate consequences
involve us, in common with the great
mass Of the people Of the State, and
are, therefore, a pledge Of the rectitude
Of the intentions and motives which
have governed us. From it no special,
local or personal advantage, immediate
or prospective, inures to US, or to any
party or section with which we are
identified. On the contrary, we, lndi-
vidually, might derive advantage by
|, pursuing a different course.
To do so, however, would be q base
betrayal Of our constituency, an aban.
donment of right, a sale o~fliberty, and
the overthrow Of Republican institu-
tons. TO preserve these WI have not
hesitated to take the step which has
led to the present condition OF affairs
in your General Assembly.
We pre-suppose, fellow-citizens, that
You have not been in%attcntive to the
state Of affairs, rs they exist, or the
events that have preceded their present
condition; and that you are aware that
there is now pending before the House
Of Representatives "a bill to amend
the present franchise law passed June
9Th, 1865, the object of which is to lin
it and lessen the number Of qualified
voters, as ascertained by that law, and
to lodge the control Of this most i'm
portant political power in the hands OF
the Governor.
1t will be remembered by you, fellow
citizens, that under the schedule to the
amended Constitution, adopted on the
22d of February, 1865, that the ''quali-
fication of voters and limitation OF the
elective franchise" was deposited, so
to speak, with the first Legislature
which has met since the adoption there
of. It is, therefore, claimed by some,
and which many deny, that whatever
law is passed by this General Assembly,
becomes constitutional in it's character,
and cannot be modified save in the
manner pointed out by the Constitution
for its amendment. In view, then, of
the probable permanent character of
any law passed, or to be passed by this
General Assembly, it became our sol
emn duty to see that neither the rights
of the people were abridged, or the
Constitution violated. Waving any
expression just now, as to the want Of
fairness, Justice and courtesy manifest
ed by a majority Of the House of Rep
rescntativcs, in their action to cut off
debate, amendment or other proceed
ing of the undersigned, to expose, per-
feet or defeat the bill, by Legitimate
parliamentary steps, we proceed to
state the merits of the issue as they
exist.
Early in the session, the question of
the amendment Of the existing franchise
law was mooted, and the bills thereon
referred to u special committee, who
reported q bill in lieu Of all others,
which was adopted. Pending the con
sidcration thereof, on its second read
ing, a new bill was introduced and
adopted in lieu of the committees and
this bill, passed its second reading, and
by Il vote Of the House was made the
special order of the next day. Pend
ing its third reading, and under the op-
Grafton of the previous question, it was
put upon its passage. A number of us
felt it to be our duty, as your represen-
t~atives, to withdraw from the delibera-
tons of a body which, under the forms
of the law, sought, in our opinion, to
make sale of the liberties ofthe citizen,
to usurp the sovereignty of the people,
destroy the Constitution, and change
the form of your government. We
submit herewith the Bill as it now
reads:
This bill, known as the New Fran
chise Bill, we will try to publish next
week. Its infamous provisions are al
ready well known to the people of
Tennessee. Owing to these facts, and
its great length, we omit it from our
columns this week. Indeed, its publ.
cation would force out other matter we
desire to get in.
1t was sprung upon our deliberations
without previous notice to the House,
adopted and hurried to its third read
ing. An examination of its provis-
ions, fellow citizens, will show yOuthat
the intention is to reduce the number
of "qualiied voters in the State al
though the disloyal" are now pro-
hibitcd from voting and why should
the number be reduced? Is it for the
good of the country, or that office
should become an inheritance? 1t will
further show you that more political
patronage is created, and thus tax
es are to be levied and collected off of
an impoverished people. 1t will again
show you that the object is not the
peace, harmony and prosperity of our
beloved State, but the continuance of
discord, strife and trouble; and fur
ther, that it is to destroy the republican
form of our State government, in max
ing the Governor of the State the arbi-
ter and ruler of the ballot-box. No
p~otentate v sought greater power
than this bill confers, and he who de.
sires the overthrow of popular institu.
tons could not be invested with q more
fatal weapon. p " rt at.'
We invite your attention, fellow-citi-