Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-01-31
Help for Tennessee.

lately voted TO cooperate heartily with the
loyalists of Tennessee. Recently, the I'm
ion League Club of this city held special
meeting, at which the subject was thor
oughly discussed, and the views of the
Tennessee Union men explained by Judge
North of Knoxville and Gen. Eaton of The
Memphis Post We believe the matter to be
worthy of the attention of all earnest Re
publicans. The old battle of ideas we
fought and won in Kansas is to be renewed
in the Border States of the South.
Tennessee is the only position now held
by Republicansm within the laie rebellious
territory. Unfortunately for Northern
knowledge of the State, Kentucky inter
venes. But we know il 10 be beautiful
State, with delightful climate, and rich
soil, combining the product of cotton with
that OF cereals of the North; possessed of
vast supplies of minerals-coal. iron, cop
per, &c; singularly intersccted by naviga-
bic rivers, and already facilitating COM
merce by over a thousand miles of raii-
roads. 1t contains six thousand square
miles in area more than Ohio, and was adj
mtted TO The Union six years before tnat
State. One of the first anti Slavery move
ments in the country was made at Jones'
hOro. The negroes voted till 1885. aiding
al different times in the election of Jackson
and his cOmpeers. Yet, overwhelmed in
the progress OF Slavery. the State had in
1860 about 100000 slaves and S00,GGO
whites, and Of the latter IS Geo who could
not read, and had only about onc-tcnih as
many issues from the press as Ohio. Her
Cnionism strongly resisted rebellion, but
finally succumbed 10 tIiCk and violence.
The heroic suierings and deeds Of her 10y
alists have never been told: bat enough has
been known TO thrill the hearts of all Union
people. They rallied 10 the old flag, and
aS soon as safety warranted, began 10 reOr-
ganize the State on the basis of a loyal
franchise They purged their Constitution
of Slavery and intrused the re ulaliOn of
the ballot To the first General Assembly.
That sterling body of men, in spite of their
old prejudices, have swept away from the
code one after another OF the relics of Sla-
very; given the negro all rights of court
and OF industry and to the aSlyGms OF the
State; enforced law and in the cities by
Metropolitan system of police, and now
propose i bill for the establishment ofloyal
militia which shall BE- ready at the Govern
or's command to enforce law in the coun-
try; another for the establishment of
school system, free for whites and blacks
the enfranchisement of the negroes.
Lcgislating on suffrage, they first allowed
registration for voting on the taking of
stringent oath. Alas for Rebel morality.
this proved and insufficient barrier. No
election for State officers was held: so the
State was not lost. But in the local ciec-
lions had results often followed. In Mem
phis. for instance. John Park, who surren-
dered the city to our forces. WIS elected
Mayor, and then. through his police. came
the Nav riots Forewancd. he General
Assembly revised the Franchise law bS
making the oath more stringent. and re-
oniring additional evidence. The local cl
ections held under this law, which is now
i'm force, with few exceptions, as in Shell
bv and Davidson Counties, hive resulted
in the triumph OF ri.c Radic Is or thorough
onion men. But the Rebels threaten To
disregard it. and have in SOME DISTANCES;
and il is feared, since the President dos
not use the troops for the enforcement of
laws when the interests Of Union men re-
quire it, that in any important election. as
that of next August for Governor, Legisla-
ture, Judici .rv, and members of Congress,
they would altogether set il at defiance:
md. outnumbering the Union men Gas they
do. would take possession of the Govern
ment as they did in NJ .ryland. Should
this he so. the Union men of Middle and
West Tennessee fear thev will he driven
from the State. This fear, we are told,
quito as much as anv sense of justice, is
prompting the enfranchisement of the
blacks. by which it is considered beyond
question that the State would rem in in
loval hands. thus giving the North a strong
hold upon the non reconstructed States
which adioin Tennessee. Gov. Brownlow
and other leading men of the State. inclu
ding Senator Fowler. and Messrs. MAYNARD,
Stokes, Arnell. and Hawkins of the Lower
House in Congress, have openly declared
for negro suffrage, and must 30 to the peo-
pie on that issue.
If Tennessee triumphs in this contest she
will do in the periou of single State Ad-
ministraiiOn what New York has not fully
accomplished in the halfcentury since
freeing her slaves. 1t is not strange that
the interest of the friends Of civilization is
aroused Such progress is almost without
Narallel. Our experience confirms the wis
dom of our Tennessee friends in selecting
the press as the means of influencing the
people. ANY one observant of political
changes has observed the relation the cir
culation of The Tribune has had to the re-
suits accomplished. One or more of the
loyal papers of the State, should at once
be put into every family that will read, and
sent free'where they will not subscribe. un-
til the election. Tennessee is in the Union,
and must participate in the general legisla
lion for the country. and in the next Presi
dential election. Republicamsm is strong
for thai conflict, but has nothing to spare,
and should gain all it can. Besides. sue
cessful solution of the question of Recon
stmction bv Tennessee would relieve the
difficulties in reference to other States.-N
Y Tribune.