Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-26

lIdl bAilCG lltt SLAVES nave DGHl HeE. aS tate
as the 2Sth of May, 1864, Brownlow had
expressed his qualification that the slaves
were free for Just two controlling reasons.
First, that u w0lId Be the Ssreresi punishment
Of Southern Rebels which could be inflicted,
and next that it would be the rery means of
ertinguishiHg he negro race, in proof of
which he read an extract from the Knox
vile Whig of May2S, 1864, and commented
at length on the same. The extract is as
follows:
w 9 have never differed with the South upon
the abstract question Of slavery. and do not now
differ, and We are free 10 say that the condition
of the slaves, when liberated if left in the
South, will be worse than it has been during
their seryitude and we are for emancipating
every negro in the south. notwithstanding
all this. For taking this ground, we have two
controlling reasons first, it will be the severest
punishment of the Southern Rebels that can
be inflicted, and next, il viii be the very means
OF eNhngnshing the negro race, AS the removal
and civilization of the Indian tribes have
tended TO extinguish them"
tie also read from the Knoxville Wig
of June %, 1863 in which Gov. Brownlow
had expressed his sa tisfaction at the free
dom of the slaves, because it was the Sc
Verest punishment of their Rebel masters,
and in which he avowed the opinion that
their freedom would lead to their extinc
ton.
Mr.. Etheridge concluded his speech as
follows:
We must learn how to forgive until we
do 30 weare unfit to govern the State. When
we are in power We will govern the State in
the interests of all. Do you desire more
than this? We will accord exclusive priv
iteges to nome Equal rights for all Is what,
MA lav.,,u1 W. .aL
cept no less. / repeat, We must forget the
ssnguinary past. Pardon and forgiveness
for all will not only conduce to our material
prosperity, to the peace of society and the
repOse Of families, bat il will render the
MORAL atmosphere Of our lives redOleut
with JOY and happiness.
There ia a beautiful gem from Persian
literature, which has been thus rendered
by Sir William Jones:
The sandal tree perfumes when riven.
The axe that laid il low;
Let man who hopes to be forgiven,
Forgive and bless his foe
NoTE-Several points made in Mr..
Etheridge's speech towards the close. we
are compelled to omit for want of space.
SPEECH OF Mr., STOKES.
am here to-day in company with my noble
and distinguished friend and felow-citizen.
Emerson Etheridge to discuss the issues of the
day, and | ask you TO give lie as patient hear
ing as you have given my distinguished friend.
| have never. believe, had the honor of ad-
dressing so large and respectable an audience as
that which rs assembled here to-day. Some days
ago | was invited by Union men of the Western
portion of the State to reply to the speeches Of
my distinguished friend. / accented and on my
arrival at Memphis L found that my friend EN-
erSOn Etherldge bad made an appointment for a
public meeting there on the 18th, mine being
made for the 18th. We both spoke at each
other meeting, but the thing was managed
that hei spoke some thfee hours longer than
/ had a chance of doing. Mr.. Etheridge and
and myself appeared at the Opera House.
/ then challenged him, that if he would
come into my district l would divide
ptime with him, he having an equal showing
with myself Il want you, said he, ''to follow
me; aud II you will, aad take up and reply to
my arguments, | will guarantee to you q patient
hearing, and give you hundred dollars for your
services" / am here, therefore, under his EN-
ploymeht: He agreed TO give me hundred dot
lars to golarOund with him TO fiddle and play the
banjo, and now and then dance a jig. Wen. in
tend to show him that | have learnt some new
pieces since was az Ciarksville. have ap-
pOIntments commencing on the first Monday in
June at Chattanooga, and extending through the
various towns and districts in the State. up to
the middle of July, and Ehen having got through
with these. | am willing to come back and help
my honorable friend to gather in the harvest and
thrash out tue wheat.
|, unlike my friend. feel no difficulty in ad
dressing this assembly as feliOw-citizens. There
are many persons who cannot vote, such a.
children under fourteen years Of age and all
women, yet if any of this class of persons. white
or black, were going to travel In foreign land.
and should call on Mr.. Seward, at the State De-
paTtment ut Washington, for "a passport, they
would all receive one as citizens of the United
States although they had not the power TO vote.
Men are sometimes prohibited from voting for
ofenses committed against the government. A
large number of the people of this and the other
southern states have committed the grayest
oHense that citizens can be guilty Of against the
government. now refer to facts that no man
can cOntrOyert. For four years the citizens of
these States waged war against the government
IA war the most O. ferce. destructive and hlnody
the world had ever seen. It Is "a fixed fact that
we had n war that the party who set IL on foot
were intent on setting up "a government for
| themselves, as q rival to that of the United
States. The other party said you cannot, you
| shall not break up this government. Each
party fought the other to try to accomplish their
| respective purposes. But finally one side laid
/ down their arms. gave up their cherished pur-
/ pose, and the war was finished. But other gues-
| tiOns remained unsettled. And first, Congress
| had to settle how these eleven States 10 be
L reconstructed. IL is a mistake of my friend TO
| say that they are not now in the Union They
are as much in the Union as everthey were, but
they are States without one particle Of civil
/ government. Congress has a right to admit new
States into the Union, and the Constitution pro-
i yides how this is to be ldOne, but 10 rein
| state rebellious States in the rights and
| privileges which they have forfeited, is "a much
L
without friends or any means of helping them
i selves, were thrown upon the cold chari-
| ties of the world. Congress had 10 provide
l for these and they created the Freedmep's Blu
| reau, through which all their wants we're sup
| piled and their safety and security ensured.
| Now there Is one idea peryadiug all these ne
| tiOns Of Congress They are thorough and rat
| zeal. aud | stand here to-day 10 proclaim this
i doctrine of Rudicalism. We defend the party
| that control Congress and govern this State
| because we believe they are radically right, aud
| we oppose the hostile party because We believe
| that they are radically wrong. There was an
| other question that Congress had 10 decide
| From seven to eight millions Of people haC
| committed the greatest wrong known to the con
| sttution. IL had to decide how these peOpl
| were 10 be dealt with. Again there was q larg
| public debt the payment Of which had t. he pro
| vided for. Then there Was about i've IriilIons o
| debt that had been contracted by that little on
| horse government that had been ret uD, calet
| the Confederate States. AMI Congress had 10 de
| termine how that debt was To be dealt with. an
| they determined that not one cent Of that shOuh
| be paid Congress also decided that they wOul,
| take care of that unfortunate class the widow
| and orphans of those who had died IA defense o
/ their country. During the we had tw
| parties and two alter 10. MIR. Lincoln repre-
| 5ented one aud Mcclellan the other
| thank God we succeeded in electing Lin
| colin After the election the cuemy5 arm
I surrendered to Grant and sherman. SOol
| after Mr. LincOln'5 election, his life was takei
| by an assassin, and Andrew johnson succeede,
| 10 the Presidential chair lie Is the man tha
| said 10 YOU that, Il there Il but five th1usan,
| loyal men IN the State. white or black the
| should control the destinies of the State. le
| affer talking about men that have disfranchise,
| Rebels and denounced them, you stand up 70
| Andrew Johnson. Mr.. kthcrdge has told yOt
| that the Rebels never distranchisrd Mon men
| Now / can tell him, and tell YOU what D. a well
| known fact that the Richmond Congress pas-ei
1 an act compelling every man 70 take the oath O
| allegiance 10 the Confederate gOvsrumeut uude
| pain Of leaving the country within forty day.
| Surely Andrew JUhnfOu, who Is now locke,
| upon a. the leader Of the Rebel party has besl
| Radical enough heretofore. In 1850 0Ovsrn0
/ BrownlOw issued an address cautiOuing the pe0
l pie that they sught not Ia violate the law
| Presideu- johnson wrote expressing his appTJ
| val Of this document although its tone VIA de
| eidediy Radical. aud again, in 800 he wrote
" hope and have no doubt you wall soc that IA
( law- passed by the last Legislature be faithful
l executed and rigitly enforced" The Goveruo
| issued his proclamation aud the election wa
| held aud then the Legislature came up an
| ratified the amendment t0 the constitution
4 'fhe Legislature Wa elected. aud som
4 Of them, my friend says, got no vote
1 Why because certain cJuuties were held b
| guerrilla aud bushWhAcker-. The Legislatur
/ Of Ienuessee needs no ylndtcatlsE from me
| they stand on the very top round Of the ladde
| Of popular favor. They have accOmpfishe
| more than any other Legislature ever did
have been travelling Of late, and ain now frol
the Wezteru part Of the State. and there hear
1 my friend say that hs sJulI receive the whU
| vote Of che Rebel. II stands, therefore t1-da
| As the head OF the Rebel party OF Ignue--e
| We'll, let glance al the party against HhIc
| be l. fighting, and see OF What stan Tue
| are composed. The great Radical part
| of the nation consists Of every soldier
| the Federal army that received and earn,
IN III p0cket an honorable lischarve:
| every man in Congress that Loves b
| country aud j. ready b sacrifice himself on hl
| alter, Of every father Oi sou that rushed
| has cJuntry's rescue With bis lile al hiA han,
| A. member Of this kalical party, | can "a
| that 1 had, during the war. three, Or psrha
four hundred Rebel deserters in my rssimsi