The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-07-31
Mass Meeting.

On Wednesday, the 22d instant, the
citizens of Calhoun, Charleston, and vi
cinity, met at the Masonic Institute in
Calhoun.
The house was called to order by DR..
r. A. Sloan, and upon his motion, Maj.
b. r. MARTIN was called to the Chair,
and +. M. LINER to act as Secretary.
The Chairman stated the object of
the meeting briefly, and appointed
Messrs. j. G. Weir, VIM. L. Lafferty. r.
A. Sloan, j. M. Miller, and Curry Alex
an der committee to draft resolutions,
who reported as follows:
WHEREAS, the President of the Uni
ted States did, OH the 4th day of July,
1868, issue his unconditional amnesty
proclamation, restoring to all those en-
gagged in the rebellion their right as
citizens in every thing except that Of
slaves, thus placing them in the same
condition they held prior to the war-it
being in effect as if no conflict of arms
had taken place; and, whereas, the pre-
sent State government, without legal
right or shadow of cause, has deprived
the white man and taxpayer of the
dearest right of citizenship, The exercise
of the elective franchise, and has ele-
waited the negro, q race far inferior in all
the essentials CT manhood,to govern and
control them at the ballot box; and,
whereas, there is now movement on
the part of the citizens of this State to
memoralize the Legislature Of Tennes-
see to restore to us our rights as white
men and citizens, by repeating all of the
lately enacted franchise laws-We, a
portion of the citizens Of McMinn and
Bradley counties, in mass meeting as
semblcd, after mature dcliberation, do
adopt the following:
|. Resolved, That as taxpayers and
white men of McMinn and Bradley
counties, we approve the move on the
part of the people of other sections OF
this once proud but now down-trodden
commonwealth, to ask at the hands OF
the Legislature of this State the simple
act of justice of restoring to us our
common right, that as freemen and citi-
zens we may have the privilege of the
elective franchise, and that we pledge
them to do all in our power to give
strength and effect to that movement
2. Resolved, That we call Oh the citi.
zcns of both counties to assemble as
soon as practicable in mass meetings al
their respective county seats to carry
out the object contemplated by this
move, and that we appoint three citi
zcns of McMim and the same number
of Bradley county, to obtain the names
of all justly entitled to vote. of al
parties favorable to this movement, an(
that the appointees Of this meeting b'
requested to attend the county mas
meetings and represent us in said meet
ings.
3. Resolved, That we accord to tn,
negro all the rights of citizens befor,
the law. That we propose to obey, il
the future as we have in the past, al
the laws, however unjust, that hav,
been enacted by the present State gov
eminent, and that we do not intend t,
, interfere with the State government a
at present constituted. Ifrestored to on
rights, we will, to the best of our abii
ty, aid in carrying out its laws until tn
same are repealed.
After being read and unanimousl
adopted, the Chairman appointed 1. 3
Haney, L. B. Humphrey and DR.. Sloal
committee to Gerry out the second res
olution for the 10Th civil district O
McMinn, and Judge Collins and Curr
Alexander for the Charleston Distric
of Bradley.
The meeting was then addressed b
Dr. Sloan and Rev. j. M. Miller, in a
earnest and forcible manner, which eli
cited much applause.
, A motion was then made to furnish
copy of the proceedings to the Athen
= Post and Cleveland Banner. The meet
ing then adjourned.
b. +. MARTIN, Chm'n.