Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-02-13

I
nassae stsnds bafore the country in an attitude q
: far removed from that which they occupy as
nFsom the center thrice TO the utmost pea
desire, in behalf Of the State Of Tennessee and
of my colleagues, including the one now absent who
introduced this proposition that the case Of Tennes
see shall be decided upon its merits; and let ever,
other State through its advocates or representative
be heard in the same way and upon the same prin.
cipie- Let every tub stand upon its own bottom,
IS as expression that has force and Justice per-
haps than rhetorical beauty.
MI. Stokes-Mr Speaker, hope the resolution
as reported by the Committee will be adopted The
gentleman from Ohio Mr.. lie Blond holds that
there ought not to be any difference made between
Tennessee and the other States that have been in
rebellion. differ with him in that regard; there
ought to be difference made by this House between
Tennessee and those other States. AS the gentle
man from California Ar. Bidwell1 has very truly
remarked, If the other States will adopt the policy
that has been pursued by Tennessee since the close
of the war have no hesitation in saying that this
House Wiz accept their State Government and ad-
init their Representatives upon this floor.
| Why SIR. the idea Of not making q difference be-
tween Tennessee and the other States is absurd
When you come TO compare the act of the people
Of the loyal State of Tennessee and the people of
the other States, how is it Before the rebellion
closed the loyal people Of Tennessee ordered con-
vention of five hundred and twenty delegates who
assembled, amended their State constitution, sub
mitted It to the loyal people, and the 22d of Feb
ruary 1865 the loyal people went to the polls and
ratified the Constitution They then elected loyal
Legislature and that Legislature by virtue of pow
er delegated 70 them by our amended Constitution
and after having enfranchised the loyal Of the
State, has prohibited all disloyal from voting
or holding Office. And yesterday tie lower branch
of that Legislature passed bill to organize tie
militia and 70 organize a regiment Of cavalry sub
jet to the order Of the Governor in each Congress
4 nd fhav hay furth
have passed bill striking out the word white and
have thus enfranchised every loyal in the State
regardless of coler. They have thus placed the
Government in the hands of loyal men, and by the
God that made them they intended to keep it there
Now, / say let the other States do what Tennes-
see has done and have no doubt that this side of
| the House will vote to o man to recognize their
State governments and admit their Representatives
who are loyal.
| A member-And give them the land.
Mr.. Stokes Yes sir; and give them the land
scrip. Bet appeal TO the House not to trammel
this resolution with amendment including all
the other States lately in rebellion. If they have
! no Representatives here let them present them
! selves through the gentleman from Ohio, Mr.. Le
Blond and have no doubt they will be dealt with
| fairly Tennessee came forward with a resolution
obeying the orders and wishes of the loyal people
of the State. We simply ask the House to extend
the time which granted under the act of 1852.
We could not accept the grant of land; we were
prohibited from accepting it, and after having done
what we have, we come forward and ask Congress
TO gran. US time in order that may accept this
liberal grant of land.
Mr. Speaker, we ought not to be trammeled with
the proposition to add the ten States You may re-
member there was school fund in the State of Ten
nessee that did belong to the poor children but it
went with the rebel Governor of the State the poor
children were Invested of their just rights by the
act of the rebels. And now it is proposed to invest
the loyal people of Tennessee with this fund.- to
fde it to them, TO keep the rebels from running
of with it again. Suppose you were to extend it to
sntee that they would take of it. and not squan
der it again? think this House ought not to tram
mel this resolution with any amendment of that
sort, and appeal to the House to sustain it as
ported from the committee
Mr.. La Blond-I would ike 10 ask the gentleman
question. understand him to say that Tennessee
has recently amended her Constitution that
but the loyal people now permitted to partici
pate in the elections Now, wish to know from
the gentleman, taking into consideration the letter
that he wrote some time ago stating that he for
the patriot Davis and against the tyrant Lincoln,
on which side he is now left by that constitutional
amendment--the side of Davis or the side of the |
Union. Laughter. a
Mr.. Stokes-The gentleman has alluded to what
is called the Duncan letter again. 1t was alluded
to the last day of the last session. That, sir, is
the only letter. the only word of mine that any
can put his finger on where I have deviated from |
the track. will state that letter was written on |
the 10th day of May, and on the 10th day of May
/ tool. the stump in favor of Lincoln and this Gov
ernmtint. Bus not satisfied with even canvassing |
my district and filing my appointments up to the /
9Th Of June and voting against secession, went to
Nashville and there entered the Federal army. I /
took ray position in the Federal army under the old
flag, snd fought out of that Duncan letter as you
ought to have done out of your CopPerhead connec-
tions. [Grest applause on the floor and ii the gal
leries.j
hope then the House will sustain the joint reso-
luton reported by the Committee on Agriculture.
And all wish to say IN conclusion Is, that shall
stand upon the same side and be ready to take the
saddle again when the time comes, if it ever does,
and we'll and hearty and able to do service for
three years and three months again in the Federal
army
Mr.. Keley-Mr. Speaker thi nix that the very
language of the law to which this resolution refers
demands that we should adopt it. think too, that
the course of things in Tennessee demands it. Con-
gress made provisions for the education of the youth
of the country by of agricultural colleges or
universities and in doing so declared that States
should be the trustees Of the fund. Tennessee is
State with her representatives in this Hall and in
the Senate Chamber. More than that sir, she has
shown her fitness as State to administer fund of
this kind. She has established an educational sys-
tenn which embraces all her people and see by the
papers of to-day that that to be the governing law
of all her institutions.
q bill will pass.-Ed. Press and Times.l
She is organizing militia with cavalry regiments
for each county, and is enrolling alike the black and
the white citizens to serve side by side in the cause
Of order and law.
Therefore say there is q trustee that may accept
the fund for Tennessee. But affirm that gentle
erroneous terms when they speak of ten other
States There is no other State " to which the
under consideration will apply. There is
no Estate of South Carolina or of Georgia or of
TLo-~ 4l,-- 4...ki
they were overthrow. Andrew Johnson--not a
very good authority in general but one that may be
accepted on this pointhas told the world that the
people of what were those {" States have been de-
prived of all civil government. Since the over
throw of those States took place, the law making
power has never recognized them. The bastard
States, they are called are but work of usurpa-
ion, and are in the handsof people who have shown
themselves, not only once, but hundred times,
ct to administer fund for educational purposes
Sir, the statute books Of the country are swollen
with grants Of lands TO the old Southern States for
educational purposes; and challenge gentlemen TO
show that any one of the grants was ever faithfully
administered and applied within those ten over
thrown States.
As much land has been given to the Southern
States for educational purposes as to these of the
North, and yet whore are their common schools p
They had none, bat they bad laws prohibiting Chris
sian benevolence from teaching childran adults TO
-esd the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments,
while they were squandering rich grants Of lands
made for educational purposes
Mr.. Eldridge-Will the gentlemen yield 10 me
Mr. Kelley--I cannot in five minutes speech.
Mr.. Speaker, how is 1t that if sticb grants were
faithfully applied whole regiments OF white soldiers
q the Confederate army, when called upon to sign
heir names, had to employ other than their own :
lands and TO attest the signatures by their marks
WkyG Because the men who are welding Andrew
Johnsons usurpAtions had cerrupEy used for other
purposes, private public, the grants of land for
common school, college and university
purposes. The intellectual eyes Of the masses Of the
south were put out; thar inteec.s were benumbed;
heir passions were excited by the men TO whom We
ire asked now to grant lands for educational par
,nsns Sir a man who has nroven hinasalf 70 be q