Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-02
GOVERNOR BROWNLOW ON NEGRO


The negroes In Tennessee having been
enllanchised, they are now called upon
to vote for Gov Brownlow on the ground
that he has been their Moses We pro-
pose 10 show that Gov Brownlow, in re-
commenting the giving the ballot to the
negro, has been actuated by no respect
for him or for his rights, but simply to
perpetuate the leasehold he now has up
on the State government In his message
to the Legislature of October, 1865, he
said:
81 am free 20 admit that, for the present,
We have done enough for the negro, and,
although negro voting cannot suit my natural
preiudices Of caste, there is a class Of them
/ would be willing 10 see vote at once. A
large class, ignorant, docile, easily led by
designing men, and not safely trusted with
political power am not willing to see at
che ballot-box but as even these have
been faithful among the faithless, if Rebels
are 60 be restored to the right of the elective
franchise ! would say let Ms no longer de
ny these political rights 10 The slaves.
And being satisfied that the imme
diate and -ndiscriminRte extension of the
franchise to the negroes will not prove as
beneficial as many suppose, | cannot re
commnd the measure Tor your adoption.
/ think il would be bad policy, as we'll as
wrong in principle, to open the ballot-box
10 the uniformed and exceedingly stupid
slaves of the Southern cotton, rice, aud su-
gar fields. If allowed to vote, the great
majority Of them could be influenced by
leading Secessionists 10 vote against the
government a. they would be largely
under the influence of this class
of men for years 10 come, having
to reside on and cultivate their lands
When the people Of Tennessee become
satisfied that the negro Is worthy of suf
frage they will extend and not before
] am free 90 confess that If il be-
comes necessary 20 enfranchise the blacks,
ia order 10 keep the control of the country
ont of the hands Of the Rebels and traitors,
| am for the measure. long
and intimate acquaintance with affairs in
the South has convinced me that the white
and colored people cannot live together,
politically or socially, as equals, and there
fore an our legislation should look 20 a
peaoeable separation of the two races on
Southern soil-the blacks in their separate
condition to enjoy iull political rights-it
vou please. she right Of suffrage and re-
presentation. In this way | would settle
the most difficult question that has grown
ont of terrible war Of four years dura-
ton. Ii is certainly right and eKpedlent
for the Legislature Of Tennessee 20 say TO
what extent the State shall be oyerrun b.
the emancipated slaves of other States,
/ would say, guard against eX-
cessive legislation upon this SUBJECT bni
by all means see that Tennessee as not
burdened with any but her own slaves. l
am myself the advocate of appropnanng a
separate and suitable amount OF territory
within such degrees of latitude As are
adapted TO their nature, and there settling
them a. q nation OF freedmen
Ii will be seen from these extracts that
the Governor announces distinctly that
he would favor the enfranchising of the
negro only as a means of preventing
power from passing out Of the hands Of
his party. As long as he felt satisfied
that the Radical party was secure in
power, and his reelection not endangered,
he was opposed 10 comforting the right
Vi suffrage upon what be declared to be
large class, ignorant, docile, easily
'ea by designing men, and not safely
trusted with political power" The negro
o"ght 10 be smart enough to see that he
70 De used simply as tool by the
NAu''a's 70 secure their continuance in
power 10 apparent is this fact that
with a majority in both houses Of the
Leglsi'ure, they refused to confer upon