Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-12-09
THE CONVENTION QUESTION.

A professedly Conservative, but really
semi Radical, correspondent Of the Gin
cinnati Commercial writes from Nash
vile and Informs that journal that "somt
of the more extreme rebel papers of the
State" are mooting the question OF
popular convention in vague sort OF
way" the object being to extend the sui
frage to the now disfrancbised whites.
He thinks such convention is out OF the
question. Omitting the last section Of
the last article of the State Constitution,
he quotes the first two as the foundation
of the claim of right to hold conven-
ton as follows:
SECTION /. That all power is inherent
in the people, and all free governments
are founded on their authority, and
Instituted for their peace, safety and
happiness; for the Advancement OF these
ends, they have, at all times, an inahen-
able and indefeasible right to alter,
reform or abolish the government, in
such manner as they say hink proper
SEC. 2. That government being instl'
iuted for the common benefit, the doc
trine Of nou.resistance against arbitrary
power and oppression is absurd, slavish,
and destructive of the good and happl-
ness of mankind.
He next comments as follows:
That arbitrary power and oppression
exist to. day in Tennessee, very few
fair.minded persons will question. For,
Z. outside of the bare fact of DISTINGUISHING
the great mass of the whites, Brownlow
and the few who do his bidding have
made themselves as odious, by a re-
vengeful and malignant system OF pro-
scription and intolerance, as ever ancient
despot appeared in the eyes of abused
and down.trodden subjects. But, then,
what can be done? The prescribed
whites form minority of the whole
population, black and white, and are
placed outside the pale of citizenship as
a penalty for rebellion. The forms of
law have been gone through with IN dis
franchising this minority, and the Su'
preme Court of the State has formally
decided that the franchise law is constl'
tutional and valid. Would, then, a mi
nority Of the whole population, but a
decided majority of the whites, have any
show of right and justice by claiming
the protection of the State constitution
in resorting to revolution, peaceable or
otherwise, to recover their lost rights 7
We answer that the prospect of right
and justice to the now disfranchised
whites might no: be encouraging if none
but the disfraDchised class were repre-
scented in such a convention, for they
may not comprise majority of the whole
people. But suppose the State to be
fully represented as to all classes, is it so
certain that what is simply right and
Justice would be denied them? There
is a majority of the adult male popula-
ton of the State to-day in favor of
return to the old government We be-
lieve the sense of justice is strong enough
in the enfranchised whites, and that there
are enough of them, when combined with
the DISTINGUISHED, to carry a convention
and adopt republican and free consti-
tuition by an overwhelming majority,
outnumbering a majority of the whole
adult male population. We believe that
nine out of ten of the enfranchised whites
are for an honest and statesmanlike gov
ernment by men of worth and intelli'
gence. 1t is SANDER on the
men of East Tennessee to say they
are adverse to a white mans gov
eminent Leave the question Of
negro suffrage to that district Of the
State, as to itself exclusively, and you
could no more carry the negro suffrage
clause than yod could in Ohio. Penn
sylvania or New York. And, because,
when the passion engendered in the late
contest has now in the main died out,
we believe they are men, and must have
mems hearts in them, we doubt not the
enfranehised whites of East Tennessee
would as cheerfully grant white mans
government to their white brothers in
the middle and western districts as reso.
lutely and persstently claim it for them
selves. Any other conclusion, we are
persuaded, would do them gross injus-
tice; undertaking their intelligence, ca
paciiy and magnanimity. And, if we
are right in this, the proposition for a
State Convention, not yet made, but in
prospect, is not a forlorn hope, on
the ground that such a convention
would not meet the sanction Of
a majority Of citizens. Let all the
whites Of Tennessee vote in convention,
excluding only those who have been
convicted Of crime, and the convention
will not only contain large majority Of
the whole adult male population, but it
will also carry q white mans govern
ment By a vote equal TO a majority Of all
the now enfranchised and disfranchised
voters Of the State. We answer that a
convention would have q very desirable
"show Of right and justice, If not lille
gally and wickedly overborne By the
nover Of the fvraut In the land of Jack