Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-12-18
Extracts from the Speech OF General
Stokes In COngress-..Thc tennessee
State Government.


State Government.
Instead Of the government q Iennessee not be-
ing republican am inclined % think that il is al
most the only republics government that we have
/ within the United States
Tennessee comes nearar tie Standard Of true re-
publican government than any other State within
NV knowledge. There the only test made is loval-
~. The question Is asked, Is the man loyal to
the Dag, true 70 the government If he is, we
give him the right to vote If he is disloysl we
say 70 him, no. you cannot vote, you cannot hold
oice IN this State, for you are dslOyalD Upon this
ground and this alone, men kept from the polls
IN Tennessee. Such men the Legislature has re-
fused to enlranchise; but hope and trust that the
day is not far distant when all restrictions may be
taken Of, and those now excluded by reason Of their
own transgressions may be permitted 10 vote; but
they will have TO bring forth fruits meet for re-
pentance, before the loyal mon can allow them 10
vote
The gentleman from New York opposed the ad-
mission Of the whole delegation from Tennessee,
and charged number Of the members Of that del
egation with treason Why, Mr. Speaker, treason
is very grave charge. was sorry TO find the gen.
| tleman from New York opposing the admission Of
the delegation from Tennessee; for / remember
that the first day Of the Thirty Ninth Congress
that distinguished gentleman was, l believe the
first 70 rise in his place and advocate the admission
OF the delegation from Tennessee. Then the gov
ernment Of this State was, in bis view, all right
Ao StHbiSulhu Sd LDAt ne now places ms ODlec-
tion upon the ground Il will not take up time in
reading his remarks that the members now present
ing themselves were elected under the franchise law
Of 1865. Yet, sir, the members who presented
themselves from Tennessee at the beginning Of the
Thirty-Nnth Congress, were elected under the fran
chise law of 1859; and the gentleman from New
York advocated the admission of that delegation,
and also the recognition Of the State government
Why the difference between his position then and
ms ms position now2 What has caused this great
cnange TO come over the gentleman The Legisla-
ture OF tennessee has not since that time struck
down voters it has enlarged the elective franchise
by admitting forty thousand more men. The fran
cEise has simply been enlarged All the restrictions
that now exist existed at the time when the gentle
man from New York desired the admission of the
delegation from Tennessee But the delegation
stood little different then from what it does now.
Ihen the delegation was politically divided four
TO tOuri and when they first came here il was un-
certain how they stood. But now, when we present
ourselves, the loyal people Of Tennessee have sent
eight members, who have received maiorities of
from three thousand to eleven thousand; and the
gentleman from New York rises and objects 10 the |
admission Of the delegation. In fact was glad TO
see manifested on the other side disposition TO
scrutinize the loyalty of persons applying for ad-
mission as members Of this House. / agree that |
every person who presents himself at that stand |
ought TO be scrutnized The question of his loyal
ty ought 10 be examined 20 ascertain whether he !
has been and is now all right l do not complain |
of such scrutiny. What / complain of is the un- |
just attack upon the government Of my State and |
the members from that State.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DIsFRANcHIsEs.
We claimed the right in Tennessee to regulate
and control the question of sutffagea right which
fully recognized by the Democratic party in its
platform adopted by the Chicago convention. We
simply exercised the right that that convention as
serted as belonging to the States. The Democratic
party wherever it has the power, has enfranchised
whom il chose II has refused 20 enfranchise the
colorcd men, as was its privilege and right. II is
our privilege and right to cnfIanchise the colored
if choose and il is our right TO declare that
men who have been guilty, who have proved them !
selves traitors, shall not come TO the polls and vote
GOVERNOR BRowNLow.
Now, as TO the Brownlow government. Cover !
nor Brownlow is not the government Of Tennessee.
lie does not control the government Of that State
His duty has been TO execute the laws passed bv |
the Legislature. Ho can DO nothing more and
nothing less. Gov. Brownlow has not gone beyond |
the constitution and laws Of the State. challenge
any man TO show where Gov. Brownlow has exer-
cised power not delegated 60 him by law. He has
his post he has discharged his duty faithfully and
l trust in God he viii live long enough to come |
here and tak0 his seat Senator Of the United !
States. he deserves il. He is entitled to it, The
Legislature gave il 10 him as a true loyal man, de-
voted to his country and to the loyal people Of his
State.
dislike, sir, 70 hear these sweeping charges made
against tho State Of Tennessee A disgrace l ask !
gentlemen 10 show where the government of Ten |
nessee is a disgrace. The colored men voted right
they fought right they behaved well, and yet We
are asked 70 exclude them Sir, we have nothing
TO do with the color Of the skin. God has fixed
that When Christ was upon the earth he said
Suffer little children TO come unto me, and forbid
them not for Of such is the kingdom of Heaven"
He made no distinction as to color. And when He
sent out his disciples He said E" Go ye and preach
the gospel TO all nations and TO all people" He
made no distinction on account Of color And whom
we make no distinction of color, why should gen
tlemen denounce us upon this floor and say that our
State government is disgrace 20 the civilization Of
the age Why should it be denounced as a disgrace
because we enfranchise the colored soldier and re-
fused to enfranchise the men who were rebels and
traitors TO their country
trust sir, that the other ten States which are TO
come in will come in just as the State Of Tennessee
has come in. l shall, for one, recognize the ten
States if they are such as Tennessee is; but if a
constitution is presented here which refuses to the
colored man vote and enfranchsed the white
rebel l will vote against il. l will never vote TO
recognize constitution unless it conforms in sub
stance to the constitution of Tennessee that this
House has recognized as republican in form.