Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-21
THE CAMPAIGN.
Elherldge at Memphis.
HON. WIN. Il. STOKES IN A PITIFUL
PLIGHT.
Glorious Defense Of Equal Rights and
Scathing Exposure Of BrOwnIOWIsm.

The Memphis papers of Saturday con-
tain glowing accounts of the occasion of
the speaking the day before by Hon. Emer-
son Emerson and Hon. VIM. B. Stokes. 1t
was very lengthy discussion. To show its
character and drift, We give the following
synopsis from the AUalanche:
Mr. Etheridge began by saying that he
did not call them llow-citizens, as they
had been robbed of the rights that consti-
tuted citizenship. He therefore addressed
them as gentlemen and ladies'" He said
he was here TO commune with them in re-
gard 10 the condition Of public affairs, and
tosay especially that his name has been
proposed before the people of the State for
the Office of Governor, upon the platform
Of equal rights and civil liberty, and his
object was TO relieve the people of the State
from a domination whose cruelty had kept
pace with its fears, and whose power had
been perpetuated at the expense of the
people. Nowhere, from the mountains of
East Tennessee to that mighty river upon
whose banks they stood, could the people
say they are free men. The sun nowhere
shines upon a single man, black or white,
who is not a slave TO meaner man than
any in this crowd can be. In saying
meaner, he meant in a political
sense. He said but the truth yet in this
case truth was so monstrous that it
seemed the language of passion, to people
Graded in liberty. He did not denounce
any but the leaders who did or justified such
outrages on fundamental law, who, profess
sing friendship TO colored men, are seeking
TO array them in deadly hostility TO the
people among whom they have been raised,
for whom they labor, with whom they have
kindly relations, 10 whom the colored folks
often go for advice or assistance. Such
oppression az the people of Tennessee have
for two years endured could not have been
inflicted by many nations. The perpetra-
ton of such oTtrages is reserved to those
who have been untrue 10 every political
engagement and who are falseto obligations
of honor, to the ties of friendship, to every
principle Of religion and welfare of every
race. They are, with few exceptions, men
who melted the rebellion, who duped 9th
ers into its support and then did not repent
but apostatized. They were renegades and
apostates. They duped others into rebel
lion and then deserted them. Nearly every
Radical leader was a deserter from the
Rebel army. They constituted the refuse of
the rebellion, which decent Rebels for sani-
tary purposes wished put far away from
them. The world is no worse now
than it was a thousand years ago.
During a civil war the air was murky
and during ours every constitutions,
guarantee had been shaken. Desperate
courage was shown by both sides, but PROV
ess and resources prevailed. The war was
fought 10 vindicate the constitution. This
was the only reason for which it could be
fought under the old constitution. The
carcass of dead dog in summer sun is
not more fruitful of maggots than are civil
wars of loathsome vermin. These are the
scum which rise when the nationboils. They
may strut their brief hour upon the public
stage but their very names will he forgot
ten. Mankind only remember, with horror,
splendid miscreants with massive brains
and manly bearing, not legislative imbe-
cilty-imperial DEGREES, promulgated in
bad English The speaker showed that
these low-fung fellows were robbing the
people of their liberties and property in
the name of loyalty. lie had offered
reward for any Radical who could come up
and tell what loyalty and what treason is.
Nv LOYALTY, said he, is in obeying the laws
Of my country. If any Radical told those
present that he (Etheridge) was talking
treason and counseling sedition, they should
tell him it was a lie. He counseled all to
obey all the laws, whether they liked them
or not. There is, fellow-citiEens, no little
Radical who can claim to be as loyal as a
reconstructed Rebel who has obligated him
self 10 sustain the constitution Of the
country.
Ii would be gratifying 10 hear the Radi-
cal definition of loyalty. Mine" said he,
"can be easily given Loyaly, In the
heart of an American citizen, rs a cheerful
obedience 20 the laws Of his country, Do
You want more? Do you know any Con-
sentative who is proposing to change the
fundamental law Of the country? These
Radicals are swearing, in Loyal Leagues,
to support il, while they have four or FIVE
amendments, that <hey are pressing, to
change the organic law Of the land. Why
do they propose TO change it2 Because
they don't like il as IL is. Why do Conservs-
tives propose 10 stick 10 ii Because they
like it, Which Of them is most loyal, those
who stick 10 the constitution, or those who
propose TO change IL? The change is pro-
posed, but the people are not allowed TO
ratify any changes unless they raiify as the
Radicals wish. When we propose a change
IN the constitution, We want every man,
black or white who is free throughout the
United States to ratify it, These Radicals
tell you that thosepeople who sympathized
with their brothers and sons, but did not
90 into the Rebel army, are guilty of
treason. While the leaders Of the rebel
lion are stigmatzed, il is not the law Of
this country that those who gave aid to
domestic enemies are TO be considered as
1