The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-15

/ EAulc1A on TINS uOOFg or tl1eHueitg 10 pass
law TO prevent enemies of this State Gov
eminent, or enemies Of the United State
Government from exercising the right @
suffrage until they become reeoneiled an
their vitiated judgment and scared con
sciences have time TO heal; but as this oh
ject is accomplished and society incline
TO grow together, I see no reason why tn
laws Of the State should prevent it.
The rebels, since they surrendered, have
behaved as well as I supposed they would
Indeed they have done exceedingly well fol
men who had been engaged in such al
internal cause as they had for fouE years.
Il is true that some Of their conseienee
were erisped up, and others were burn
through, so that any sort of al oath eoulC
/ pass without touching side, top or bottom
/ BY the burning and dsmOralizing influence.
/ OF the rebellion. But I will venture the
assertion that our American rebels have
displayed more native dignity since they
| entered into a new covenant TO be loyal
| than has been shown by anything like the
same number Of men since the world wa
| formed. This, think, is because they
were Americans, with native greatness thai
could not be blotted out in four years.
Wehave fifty thousand old fashioned Union
men in the State Of Tennessee, who prac-
tically stand for place and power, under q
| republican form O. government in juxtaposi-
tion to neerly double that number Of voters
who, Notwithstanding they are sworn to Be
our friends, are yet supposed, by majority
of the members Of this House, to be IN the
''gall of bitterness and bonds Of iniquity.'
Il is said that, notwithstanding they are
sworn TO be our friends, that they throw
ballots as iur:ously at the heads Of Union
men as they did bullets in the days Of their
acknowledged delinquency. And hence, it
is thOughs by many that law must be
passed, Ostracising this redundancy Of num-
bers, in order TO keep the government of the
Stste IN the hands OF its true friends.
Well, now Mr.. Speaker, hope and think
You VIII pardon me for speaking freely on
this point, as l am as deeply involved as
any member on this floor. ! have thought
the matter over and over from an impartial
stand point, and deliberately arrived at the
following conclusions.
That We can pass no law by which men
can be elected who obstnately opposed the
rebellion in localities where the main cur
rent Of society was in favor oft, unless you
make the people fear 10 vote against them
and compel them to vote. As they are loyal to
the United States from a sense OF fear only,
it is idle 10 think that they will support
Union men unless they are operated on in
the same way. But as Union men are iden-
tilted with just and living cause, and the
prestige Of victory Is on their side, l think
they may, without franchise law, exercise
q greater influence oyer the state than they
can with SUCH an one as is now before this
House.
You might as well try to check the
mighty current OF the Mississippi river with
a cedar snRg, as to try to tone up the body
polite Of the State Of Tennessee, by a fran
chise law. A few Union men, by skillful
swimming, may float against it, but the dash
ing waves Of society, 1Rrl0HSiy driven by
the common current of devotion to q re
publican form Of government will compel
them 10 declare for despotism or 90 with
the irresistible tide OF Republicanism.
And, Mr.. Speaker, we must bear in mind
that we have no tight to withhold from
late rebels any privilege that we enjoy, ex-
cept such as they have forfeited. Then
what rights have they forfeited that we
have not voluntarily surrendered? l say
that the rebels have forfeited no right that
we ever claimed, except such as we have
voluntarily given up. They claimed the
right 10 vote secession and have forfeited
that, and gained in lieu thereof, a good
sound LraShiHg. We claimed no such
right, Notwithstanding it seems that we got
whipped out Of Congress, or rather the reb-
Gl5 ASoi 6uNug AAug butItlOItg ktlBEGeS re
fuses to let US IA. ct is not fair to visit the
sins Of soeessionists upon the heads OF Union
men, The rebels forfeited their right to
own slaves and we.have voluntarily surren-
dered cur right 10 own slaves. But, the
question is, have they forfeited their right
to vote for Union measures, because they
voted for disuniOn measures and have been
severely punished for the crime? l say, no,
unless you intend 70 brand them vita po-
ltical iBfamy.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, our suthority to limit
the elective franchise has been disputed by
SONG and questioned by other members Of
this House; do not sgree with either party.
IL is clear 10 my mind, that this General
Assembly is clothed with discretionary 10 v
er by the schedule 10 the amendment 10
our State Constitution to limit the elective
franchise.
But the very fact that this matter was
left TO our discretion is pripla- facia evil
denoe that the Convention itself doubted
the prOpriety Of exercising It, and that fu
ture developments should influence US in
the exercise Of this discretion. Now, / wish
to ask this House in the name Of God and
common sense, what has since occurred to
satisfy us that we ought 10 do the thing,
from which the Convention shrunkp Your
answer is: They vote against Us, and there
fore they do not love the Union cause. and
of course should not be trusted. "TKaF,
Just I0hat'S the matter
Now wish TO say that regret that late
rebels seem TO be governed ly this sort 81
| Shiny party spirit and 7, individually, have
| felt the force Of this spirit Of antagonism "a
me at the ballot bOx-uuder Gov. Johnson
test oath policy but III not gre Il up yet
| I an still for Republican form of Govern
/ menu
am nos political aspirant, but if was
| ! would prefer for my platform the broad
| principles Of Republicanism, TO any Fran
chise Law that you could pen. Aud, per-
NIT me to say 10 every Union man up0u
this floor, that in my judgment, the en-
| tire Union party Of Tennessee should 90 tC
work, like statesmen, and lash these rebels
back into our ranks, that the Union
leaUeH may leaven the whole lump.
Twenty eight thousand original seees.
siohist, from February to June Sth, 1851
increased their strength 70 about ninety
| They did this at a time when they
were not compelled to 60 Of the Union
now they are compelled to come back
| Now, shall the Union party admit that il
| cannot convert the masses who have beer
| duped into the rebellion from the error o.
their way without the protection Of a Iaw
DISTINGUISHING the redundancy Of numbers
! I say we can, better without it than we car
! with it,
In conclusion, ! wish TO say that in my
/ opinion, the only power that we derive iron
the schedule, is the discretionary right {,
so limit or shape franchise law, as is ALSO
| lutely necessary 10 perfect the object Of tn,
amendment TO ;he constitution as proposed
to-witi ThB abolition of slavery. There
| fore, any law DISTINGUISHING voters undei
the old Constitution that vote for, must, il
| my opinion, be necessary TO accomplish
! this emo and then IL must eventuate 10
1 republican form Of government. / will nO
| vote 10 engraft sn anti-republiean form o
| government upon this State permanently,