Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-25

and interpreter, the guardian and trustee
of these oracles of freedom, and these
Written constitutiOns-frail paper checks
are converted into ramparts of adamant,
and hurl back into their proper channel
the boiling waters of faction, even as the
rock repels the raging sea" E---.
| am at a loss, Mr.. President, TO aseer-
tain under what degree of dominion TO a
party spirit Judge must be to become cor
rupt in office. suppose every man is
more or less under the influence of society;
how or wherefore he nor any one else could
ever tell. suppose the heated partisan
| becomes sometimes subjected to the inhu-
ence of the opposition, and in his fright,
felt at such times, imagines dangers which
could find Judgement only in feyerish
fancy. To such man, goaded by his pas
SIGN,
| Tribes light as air. are combinations
| Strong as proof of holy writ"
If such man could vainly imagine
himself the State, he would start at every
noise in every picture fear a painted
| devil, aud to his "slumbry agitation" the
dumb pillows would whisper Of "conspira-
cies," and arouse his valiant fury
The proof shows that Pleasant Williams
was a citizen OF Carter county aud was
elected to the Legislature of the State.
| The confidence Of his constituency was
based in all probability upon the fact that
| he had been a soldier in the Federal army.
and as such had won the confidence and
merited the appreciation of his fellow
citizens. HIS loyalty is beyond question.
What higher test could his countrvmen
| demand than four years exposure 10 the
| chances of war? Who of us, his indges.
defenders, and accusers, can present higher
/ claims 10 loyalty or better evidences of de-
yotiOn to our country? Is this mans pa
triotism to be tested, and marred by the
| opinions of witnesses who never saw a
tented field or heard lannon's roar, but
remained in their homes until he and such
as he once more waved over them the flag
Of their country? Who had a better right
to demand not beg, Of the courts that his
liberties be nes restrained or taken from
him, save by the clearest and most un-
questionable law of the land? And this
man is to be written down as a 'cOnspira-
tor" against the peace, quietude and gov
eminent of his State.
What hot haste he manifested to undo the
work for the contamination of which he had
so recently offered his life, and wonderful
that this vast conspiracy, to which coun-
sci for the prosecution have so often ad-
dressed themselves, and brought before the
court, were composed of these homogeneous
elements-of Federal and Confederate SOL
diers-ere they had laid aside the harness
Of war; q conspiracy which, in the Ian
guage of the prosecution, could be gathered
from the public journals seen in the faces
of the multitude, held its 'caucuses' in a
public Law Office, and unawares impressed
itself upon one of the Judges of the State,
notwithstanding an honest desire on his
part to do his duty That many persons
opposed many of the enactments Of the
Legislature, there can be no doubt. That
many all over the land opposed the pro-
posed amendments to the constitution is
also true but to blend in one body those
opposed to many laws enacted, and those
opposed to the adoption of the constitution.
al amendment with those who wished tc
see the Legislature broken up is unjustand i;
a SANDER upon many classes of the people.
Certainly the court would not condemn
the defendant because there were some
people Who in their opposition to the con.
stitutional amendment, resorted TO the
extreme measure of defeating a quorum
in the House of Representatives, and
in the discharge of hia official duties
not sought by him but forced upon
him. He did an act, which, Inadvertently
swelled the hopes, of these extreme men.
To see and know Judge Frazier, as he was
and felt, during the tendency of the habea-
corpus, read the evidence of Judge Lea
Did he regard himself az invited to Join a
conspiracy when Judge Frazier, with fear.
iul interest and anxiety, talked to him; OF
did he see corruption in the defendant, OF
so much as a personal sympathy for the
+ petitioners, or their cause? Did he know
the defendant well enough to form an
opinion of the character and intention Of
this interview. He swears he had known
him for twenty years, and adds his
, voice to that Of all others who have spoken
on the subject, that he is and was pure
honest and upright man, good citizen, and
a conservative Judge. Is there any one so
judicially blind, SO mad with passion, &C
, | filled with hatred that consideration Of thi.
, character arouses no emotion of his better
, nature? What are a mans principles
! | From what are they to be inferred ARE
, | they to be found III the newspapers, or th,
! platform Of party? Platforms prepared
| too often by drunken committee, opinions
: at occasional county meetings on part
I | measures, these are not deserving Tia
name sof rinciples-principles are no
e manufactured by political organization
anddealt out by committees. A mans prin
, ciples are discoverable from the actions q
f his whole life.
. = Has he been idst with his neighbors
: | Has he kept his word? Does he love hi
e country? How did he stand in the day @
= her anguish? As Judge, when clothe
n with power how was he toward his subor
3 dinates, tyrannical and unjust, Tor mild an
: firm? How was he in the full of power
8 did he shrink through personal considera
= tions from what he believed to be his duty
b. What do all classes, creeds and condition
g who have come in contact with him as
a man and Judge say of him? Are Their
e no principles, no guarantees in these
o truth, cOur age, justice and patriotism
= Can newspapers or committees on platform
g manufacture these, or are these virtues {
r be measured by the same plummet witt
y which You would sound a county conven
i ton Who of all the witnesses has state,
, that, from the earliest life of Judge Fra
t zier until his hair. has grown white witt
/ age, that his reputation was ever staiue,
O even with the breath OF calumny and Sian
der2 Who of all the citizens Of the Stat
. could have, in times like these, so crowde,
Q that witness stand with so many witnesses
/ of all degrees Of intelligence and politica
t complexion, each swelling the volume o
g his good name? His character and your
! are to-day put in the scale embodied il
n history, and all future time will weigl
E each impartially, for your character 70
f Justice and impartiality il no less involve,
Y in the record than his for corruption il
5 office
, ARGUMENT OF JUDGE PATTERSON.
= Judge n. A. Patterson then addresse,
r the court He said
E ! can readily agree with the counsel i
, his reference 10 the character Of the cour
2 now sitting as a high Court Of Impeach
- ment No court can be recognized in Tia
n State Of Tennessee a. invested with func
f tons 50 high and sacred as those pertain
t ing to this august tribunal. And
+ have no doubt that each member {
d this court is equally impressed wit
s the dignity as well as responsible
e ity, connected with its deliberation
;. and decisions. l may here refer to a.
e illustrious court, held in the highest regar
= BY the most distinguished people Of IN
c ancient world. / mean the citizens Of th
+ Athenian Commonwealth. That famou
e court held Its sessions IN the night tim,
n when only the twinkling stars and that Ey
j. which is ever over sll could look dow
Il upon its proceedings. We are informe