The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-08-17

up Union meetings here 10 for the futDre u
determine. The right 10 assemble In pub
a llc convention Is q sacred one. The foul
est nsurpation ever beard Of 10 the land was
that infamous telegram from President John
son to Attorney General Heron ofLouisiAna,
to break up the Union Convention These
kilograms are flying in every direction over
the country. hope none will come this way,
The negroes hold conventions here and |
trust the good people Of DAWSON will permit
them to meet together. | saw an immense
procession IF colOred people in Washington
not long ago, and the President said TO tosm,
that be had done more for them than any 9TH
er living mar. Yes, more than Greedy, Gar.
risSon, or Stevens. While in this city be ac-
cepted gold watch worth four hundred dol
lars which he carries to this day.
SCENE AT THE INAUGURATION BALL.
You have heard what took place at the
great ball given on the night Of the second
Inauguration Of Mr., Lincoln. There Is man
here, probably, who knows all about II. An
immense concourse Of people filled the Exec
utiVe mansion. The intellect, beauty, states
men and soldiers Of the nation were pres
ent ItwaPa glorious. august, imposing as
sembly. The Vice President WAS too weary,
or timid, or sick, or something else, to es-
cOrt Mrs. Lincoln, 40 waa customary on such
occasions for one in his position, so Mr.. Sum-
ner had TO wait upon the lady. johnson sat
on sofa in the back part Of the room with
a colored man by his side, soliliqnizing as
fellows: I'm Vice President Of these Uni
ted States I've taken the oath aud been
sworn In, by God Sumner says I'm from
the territory Of Tennessee. There he goes
now with the Queen I've taken the oath
and I'm Vice President, and be says that I'm
from the territory of Tennessee There he
goes With the Quesn, and I'm here sitting
with my eolored friend on = sofa. I'm bet
ter friend ofthe black man than he 10. His Is
theoretical and mine Is practical friendship.
Just look ut me sitting by my colored friend,
| by GOdW Such was the scene at the Inau.
zuration Ball DoOsen't this look a little like
edging into negro social equality 1t 10 said
that Congress has put col0rsd suffrage In Its
platform. deny 1t AMI prove by the record.
Colorado asked for admission with the word |
white" in her Constitution, and Congress
voted her admission, and so with Nebraska, |
but the President vetoed the frat bill and |
chucked the second In his pocket. But there
Is party which says let all lnyal men vote.
But let me say that time only Is waiting for
the negro to get his suffrage. Il will not be
FIVE years hence. You can't stop four millions
Of loyal, patriotic people from participating |
in the government which they help 10 sup.
port and defend. You will have II rs an ex-
citing question in every canvass until the ne.
gro obtains his rights. Think oft. The col
Ored soldier comes TO you and asks "Did | |
not stand side by side with you on the battle |
fields, and fight with you under the same |
Stars and Stripes.p You reply, "But you |
are blackl" He will answer, "Where did |
you get that ideA?' God made him black,
and when you sneer at his complexion you
Ineer at the Almighty. Christ said while on
earth, "Go preach the Gospel to all nations" |
He did not IAy TO whites only. You may 6X
a qualification, Of education and intelligence,
but when you put in color you tampsr with |
the laws Of the Almighty.
TIM AMENDMEsT. dad. ..
And In this connection let Us look At the
constitutional amendment, which you rau-
fed 50 nObly In spite Of the opposition at the
White House. Were a member Of the next
Legislature, would vote fund Of one hun
dred thousand dollars for monument to be
erected in commemoration Of the Legisla-
ture Of 1866. [Applause.l THIS amend
ment says that voters everywhere shall have
equal representation In Congress. II you en-
franchise the negroes, you will have nine
members Of Congress II you do not, you will
have only six. II they will vote the me-
groes In South Carolina they will have Eve Con-
gressmen; If they don't, they will have but
two. Now there WAS furious opposition to
the emancipation Of the negroes, and there
was violent opposition 70 the admission OF
negro testimony quite as much as there will
be to negro suffrage. The negroes voted un-
der the Constitution OF 1895 down to 1885,
and we had no war Of races. Cave Johnson
said in Congress that negro votes sent him
to Congress. Now, as a legal proposition, |
have always doubted the right Of Tennessee
to disfranchise her negro voters after being
admitted into the Unlou in lT06. She had
right TO enlarge but not 10 to diminish the
franchise OF her citizens and voters IL the
Superior Court Of the United States had ever
had this question brought before IT, doubt
not Il would have decided that Tennessee,
having been admitted into the Union with
negro voters, had no right TO diSfranchise
chem nflerwArd. The question was not
sprung there, because the slave power evil
IDENTIFY had full poss ession Of the Government,
and the North was fearful Of offending that
tyrannieal power.
THB JOHNSON CONVENTION.
The johnson party will meet in Pbiladel-
phia on the l4th day Of August. ! do not
know why that day was selected unless II
was because on the l4th Of August 1851, JET
ferson Davis issued a proclan alton that all
Union men In the South should get out Of
the rebel lines within forty days. believe
that the Johnson rebel convention will em-
body as much mischief and treason as that
notorious order OF Jefferson Davis. assert
that Johnson's whole policy isto make trsa-
son respectable and Union men odious. His
whole course for the last ak months has
tended 10 place rebels over Uhion men.
BItL TO COMPENSATE UNION NES.
How differently Congress has aeted to-
wards the Union men Of this State. The
day after ! was admitted / procured the pas
sage Of bill recognising the loyal citizens
Of Tennessee as entitled 10 the same privil-
sges as those Of the Northern states with res
peet TO claims. . SO
PREslpESr's TREATMENT OF sol DIERs.
How has Johnson treated our gallant sol
dietS1 Why, soldiers 10 this State, who
fought 10 defense Of NashVilis 10 protect the
Capital, applied 10 him for humble positions,
some Of the poor fellows hobbling on eruteh.
Is and maimed for life, The President thrust
them contsmpuously aide and Appointsd
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