The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1867-12-13
NUMBER sd

peu 10 EOl6 DeiOTel long. w naL ulSs
! grace is there in thatY They voted
in Tennessee il. the time OF Jackson;
free colored men voted then.
Now, stand here and proclaim
from my sea. that / know the color
| e4 race, Truer men and nobIer men
God does not |, t live on the face Of
the earth than they are as race
They have proved themselves on the
battle field. And more than TINT,
they have at the balIot-box proved
themselves to be worthy, for they
have voted against the CONSERVATIVE
Democratic ticket and far the Radical
ticket. That fact PROVES their capacity
to exercise the elective light iud Il tir
superiority over their less favored
fellow citizens of the Democratic iaith.
The gen;iemcn from New Nelk W4s
mistaken. lie should lave reversed
his statement There were fdrfy FIVE
thousand colored men voting and fiIy.
five thousand white men. il il cause
for disgrace that the loyal c. lored sol.
dier is allowed To vote ? Il he not en-
titled TO do so ? He defended vour
country; he saved your flag Tho
Legislature of tennessee, that patriot.
ic, yal body of men, with. the Gov!
ernerof the State, guarded and pro:
tected the inter, sts Of the loyal ped.
pie OF the State, recognized the rights
of the coIored manto the suffrage, and
God will bless them and the country
will honor Them for what they bay6
done. Instead Of the government OF
Tennessee not being republican ami
inclined TO think that il is almost the
only Republican government that we
have within the United States. ;?
Tennessee comes nearer the stand.
ard of true republican government
than anyfOlher State within my know
ledge. There the only test made Is
loyalty. The question IL asked, ais
the man. loyal to the flag, ttte TO the
Government" ?" II he Is, We rive him
the right to vote. But if be IN dis.
loyal, esay to him, No, you cannot
vote, you cithnct hold ONCE in, THIS
State. for you are disloyal..1 Upon
this ground, and this alone, are mea
kept FROM the polls in Tennessee.
Such men the Legislature has refused
to cniranchise but hopo ana tfust
that the day is not far distant when
all restrictions may be be taken ofS;
and those now excluded by reason of
their own transgressions may be per-
mitted to vote; but they will have to
bring forth "fruits meet for repent
pnoe before the loyal men can allow
them to vote.
The gentleman from New York
opposed the admission of the whole
delegation from Tennessee, and charg.
cd u number Of the members of that
delegation with treason. why, Mr..
Speaker, treason is u very grave
charge. | was sorry to find the pon.
tleman from New York opposing the
admission of the delegation from Ten.
nessee for l remember on the frst
day OF the Thirty-Ninih Congress
that distinguished gentleman was, I
believe, the first 10 rise in his place
and advocate the admission of the
delegation from Tennessee. Thenthe
govcrement of that State was in his
view all right 2. a
Tho gentleman says that no now
places his objection upon the ground
Il will not tuke up time in readinf
his retnarks) that the members now
presenting themselves were elected
under the franchise law Of 1865. Yety
-lr, the members who presented them.
selves from 're""nSsPp Mt the begiR-
ming Of the Thirty Ninth Congress-
were elected under the francmse
law of 1885, and tho gentlol
man from New York advacats
ell the admission of the della.
CATION, and also the recognition al
the State government. Why the difg
creme. between his position then and
his position now! What has causeJE
this great change TO come over tfi8
gentleman! The Legislature Of Ten
no>seo has not since that tim6 struck
down voters il has enlarged the elec-
tive franchise by admitting fjrtv
h'''NHahh ilblo iutU. 1 no IfNntntN0
has simply been enlarged. All the
restrictions that now exist existed az
the time the gentleman from New
York desired the admission of the,
delegation from Tennesseo. Bus the
delegation stood little different then
from what il docs now. Then thsS
Delegation was politically divi,Ief,foaF
to four; and when they frst came
here il was uncertain how they stood.
But now, when We present ourselves.o
the loyal people Of Tennessee hAvsr
sent eight niembers, who have received
OF from three thousand TO
eleven thousand; aud the gcntlsma6f
from New York rises and objects to
.hc admission of the delegation. In
act ] was glad 10 see manifested ON
he other side disposition To scru,i.
lizo the loyalty Of persons applying
or admission ss members OF thi5
House. l agree that every por5on-
who presents himself al the slahdD
a .