Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-28
yEMPHIS APPEAL
rIIE TESNEssEE MEMBERS ON THE
BACK.

YEIH Pills AZ ! MAL.
riIE TENNEssEE MEMBERS ON THE
RACK.
Debate ON their Admission in the House.
Poisoned .ChRIies Commended TO
/ Them.
The eight members elect from Tennes-
see having been called by the Speaker to
take the oath, and having approached
the Speakers chair for that purpose;
b Mr.. Eldridge (Dem., Wis., objected to
the administering OF the oath TO mr.
Stokes, and moved that his credentials
be referred to the Committee on Creden-
tials.
Mr.. Brooks Dem, New York; OBJ.
iected to the administering OF the oath
to any one Of the Tennessee delegation,
on the grounds First, That TIVE II not
more of them had been guilty of treason
TO the Government, and had taken the
oath OF allegiance to the Confederate
Government and to Jefferson Davis and
second, that there does not now exist in
the state of Tennessee a republican form
of Government. Loud laughter on the
Republican side. He (Mr. BrOoks) ar
gued that the electoral law OF Tennessee
disfranehised a large proportion, major
ity of its white citizens. The whole
vote of the State was 100000, and yet
loo. 900 voters had controlled the election,
55, 600 Of whom were negroes, controlling
the 5000 white voters who were not
disfranchised. An oligarchy now ex-
listed and reigned in Tennessee, and the
Franchise law there was disgrace to
any free form OF government, q dishonor
to civilization, and a reprObati0n TO all
forms Of Republican self-gOvernment.
Having disposed Of this general obIec-
ton he proceeded to state his special OBJ
lection to theswearing in OF Mr.. Butler, a
member elect from Tennessee, because
as a member Of the Tennessee Legis-
lature, before and during the re-
belIion, he had introduced, sup
| ported and voted for resolutions and
measures proving his disloyalty to the
United States Government. Among
! those were resolutions TO reject the con-
| frmatiou OF any man to Office who in
| ddrsed the "Helper Book ;" cOndemning
the appointment OF Mr. Seward in Mr..
! Iincoin,s Cabinet as an act of hostility to
| the South, and for the calling Of Con-
| yention TO take the State Of Tennessee
out of the Union. Mr.. Brooks quoted
| the precedent established by the Repub-
/ lican side of the House last July, in
regard to the Kentucky members, and
/ argued that they were now irrecOvabiy
| bound by it. Mr.. Brooks then objected
/ to the swearing Of Mr.. Mullins as mem
/ Der from Tennessee, on the ground that
| he had given aid and comfort to the
rebellion had made speeches in behalf
| Of it; had lent his aid and support to it
I 4 - e. a-aA
| that he had made a speech in Bedford
county in 1861, in which he urged the
Young men to enlist in rebel company,
/ and to defend their homes and fiTesides.
| Mr., Brooks also objected 10 the swearing
/ in of Mr. Arnell on the ground that he
/ had established in Lawrence county,
| Tennessee, a tannery, which was devoted
/ to supplying shoes to the rebel soldiers.
/ Mr.. Brooks also objected 10 the swearing
| in of Mr. TTimble, saying that his infor-
nation was tnSt he (TTimble), if he
| had voted at al on the question OF seces-
| sion. he had voted for taking Tennessee
out of the Union. Mr.. Trimble lin his
| seat assured Mr.. Brooks that ne had not
| done so. Mr.. Brooks accepted the denial
and therefore withdrew all special objec-
ton to the swearing in of Mr.. Trimble.
Mr., Eldrdge then stated to the House
the ground on which he objected to the
swearing in of Mr.. Stokes. 1t was that
Mr.. Stokes had admitted in the House.
on the 9th Of July, 1865, his having |
written q letter to John Duncan, on the /
10th of May, 1861, stating that ne under |
stood some gross misrepresentation were |
going the rounds of his section in refer |
ence TO his position, which he (Stokes) |
wished to correct; that he had been a |
jealous advocate Of the Union up to the |
time Lincoln had called for IS, 600 troops, |
in violation Of law, for the subjugation |
of the South; that he commended Gov. |
Harris Of Tennessee for his course, and 1
for arming the State and resisting Lin |
coin at the point of the bayOnet; and |
that he had enrolled his name as vol |
unteer to resist LincOln's usurpatiOns.
Mr. Logan Rep, Ill.) expressed his |
qualification at seeing members on the /
Democratic side coming up to the mark. |
He was willing 10 have the matter of Mr.. |
Butler referred, but rs to MFR. Stokes he |
thought that II any man could wipe out |
a wrong that noble man tStOkes) had /
wiped out the wrong of that letter in |
fighting for the Union, while some gen. |
tlemen were publishing reasonable arti- /
cles.
Mr.. Dawes Rep, Mass moved as a /
substitute for the pending motion, that /
the credentials of NT. Butler be referred /
to the Committee on Elections, and that /
pending the decision OF the question that |
be be not sworn in. He Dawes under
stood the gentleman from New York .
lBrGOksl 70 make his motion in good /
faith, and ne assumed that that gentle
man had made wonderful progress since |
last session, when he put himself on the |
ground that no charge Of dislOyalty, |
however flagrant and palpable, was suffi-
cieut ground for the exclusion of men,
her who held a certificate OF his election.
He congratulated the country on this |
wonderful conversion, for which there |
was no parallel since the celebrated |
Journey to Damascus. He trusted that |
Mr.. Brooks would continue the Journey
until be saw more clearly even than the |
members on the Republican side what
did constitute loyalty and disloyalty. /
The gentleman had also taken the
ground to-day that it was proper for the
House to look into the Constitution OF a
State and decide whether ii is Republi-
can or not. He was happy for once to
be able to stand with the gentleman
from New York, and to vote with him.
He welcomed him as a new convert, and
expected him, like all converts, TO take
the lead aud do work meet for repentance.
Mr.. Kelley rep, Penn y opposed all
motions looking TO the exclusion of the
Tennessee members and eulogiZed the
character and services Of Mr.. Stokes.
He wished the members of the South to
know that il was the party on the floor
which did not acknowledge any time or
place for repentance which could not
relieve them of Acknowledgement, not
for rebellion, but for the holding of
opinions in 1861 which they held to-day
on the subject of States rights and the
degradation OF the cOlored people.
Nr. Dawes declared that he was not
willing to let it be said of him that he
had one set Of opinions and votes for one
side of the House and different set for
the other side, and he would leave it to
the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Brooks) to divide his vote and duty and
consistency.
Mr.. Chandler Dem, n. W COM
meuted on the fact that Mr.. Dawes was
willing, in order TO save Mr.. Stokes, to
throw Mr.. Butler into the arena, to let
him fight the wild beasts-Rn incident
which reminded him Of the Apostle at
Ephesus. That gentleman (Dswes)
should not read to the House any lessons
from scripture, as he and his party had
defied the principles of truth, had got
the ministers of the Gospel to join in
carrying out fanatical views, and had
trodden on every right, human and
divine. The House should establish the
principle either that the people can
elect their own representatives, or that
no member shall be admitted to a seat
here who does not belong to the political |
faith of the majority.
Mr. Dawes remarked that he would |
not waste any lessons Of scripture upon |
tbo Gentleman IChandlarl "a he did NOT /
want to hurt his feelings.
Mr. Marshall democrat, Illinois) ex-
pressed his conviction that the quslifica- /
tions prescribed in the Constitution were /
the only test that could rightfully be |
applied to members elect. But since the |
House has established different law for .
It's own act it should be governed by it. |
He described the State Government Of |
Tennessee as a disgrace to the country |
and to civilization, and said it was |
notorious fact that Uniln soldiers In |
a