Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-05
TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE.

KEoxvILLE, TENN., August 8, 1858 -GeEflemen
Of The Senate and House Of Representatives d. Ny
high regard for the author Of heinclosed letter
and ordinance. Hon, John NJ Lea, my conf
deEee in his patriotism and integrity, to say no.
thing Of the Importance of the subject discussed
induces me respectfully to submit those. d0cu-
ments Tor your calm and deliberate consideTa-
ton. W G. BROwELOw.
z" LETTER OF JUDGE LEX u n
NASHVILLE, July q. 1856, His Exeeliency w.
G.. BrOwnlOW-DEAR SIR; had intended to go
10 Knoxville to see you, but so many people
have called on you that your strength as well
as patience must be nigh exhausted
You began the work of Reconstruction. want
you to end it, and you are the 0nip man rho can
DO Il. The PRESENT. is a most favorable time for
the consummatiOn of the work and the very
troubles that we had in a few counties nave pro-
duced great desire in the minds. of the people
for a settled government.
''There is tideIin the affairs Of men.
Which, taken at the food. leads Oh % fortane."
The same remark is applicables to States.
i speak the truth. and, whether you agree
with me or not, know you will give respectful
attention to what may say.
The great body Of the people, excluding few
revolutionary agitators, are content with the
results of the War-sOOn will be plad believe,
that the Confederacy was a failure-and their
exclusion from the polls is the chief and only
ground of complaint. There is nothing surer
under the sun than that these people sooner or
later viii be allowed to vote. An American
citizen has no idea of liberty unless it is coupled
with the right to vote The public opinion of
the world certainly of the Anglo Saxon race is
tending toward universal suffrage and the
speedy rehabilitation of all political offenders
is. also, another marked feature Of modern civ
iliZatiOn. 1t was wise and right for the loyal
people to organize the State governmental is
| unwise and wrong to discriminate in favor of or
against any class one moment longer than the
safety of the State requires such invdiOus in
teTpOSltIOn. To that proposition you, and all
good men, l know, will assent, Has the neees-
4 SItV for discrimination Pp1ga1 ? I do in
think that il has
am ignorant of the contents of your mes
sage; some say it is mild and others say it is
harsh and VindlctiVe in its tone and temper
Whatever may be the recommendations that
you have made to the General Assembly, recent
| happy circumstances have given an entirely
new phase to the entire subject. Petitions are
in circulation which will be signed, | sincerely
trust and believe, by the best men in the cOun-
try, pledging fidelity to the government. The
citizens who sign these petitions are in earnest
and mean what they say; they feel the respon-
sibility of their position. Lawless bands and
associations perpetrate unwarrantable Outra-
gesI and private crimes OF helnous nature are
daily committed. These evils are the indica-
tiOns of diSOrdered state of society, and all the
| i0rong is chargeable neither to one nor to the
other of the two political parties.
Let all good men unite to calm these angry
passions. The petitioners ask "A reinveSLiture OF
the elective franchise, and, III my judgment, the
Radical party will place itself entirely in the
wrong unless il taYOrably responds to the adj
vances which have been and will hereafter be
made. l care nothing for the election of cit her
Seymour or Grant, compared with the solicit
| tud9 which feel for quiet orderly, just gOv-
eminent in my native State When member
Of my own family lies dangerously sick my
philanthropy is not large enough to take an i'm
mediate interest in the health OF the people in a
distant country.
Had | nay own way, every man might from
this moment vote in all elections. but from all
that | can learn, and also from my knowledge
Of human nature, 1t Is not to be supposed that
the desirable change can be looked for till some
time after the next Presidential election.
Threats seldom obtain rights, nor does Injustice
| long hold power. Well, the present fixed right
of future enjoyment of the franchise. or an as
suranee OF 1t by those IN power, will, l think,
give satisfaction TO the people. True they would
prefer to vote at the approaching Presidential
election, but the deprivation Of that privilege
knowing that over altcrward they would en- :
1 JOY the right-wOuld hardly cause in their minds
feeling Of regret certainly not a spirit of dis
| content.
With much difidence take tho liberty to in
| close ptdt Of settlement, which, if adopted by
| thu General Assembly, will effect the desired
result in legal constitutional manner, with
out moving or dislOcating a cog in the wheels of
quireS no election of officers and the change
will only be felt in the blessings which il will
bring. | trust that the direction of your mind
| to the subject may suggest a more feasible mode
Ofreaching the end, and that upon consideration
of the petitions aforesaid the peace offerings of
| an entire community, you may find ample war
rant for making another communication to the
l General Assembly.
Now, what Will bo the effect if some such set
1 Element is adopted? Here at home l verify be-
| lieve that peace would reign throughout the
| State-a general forgiveness ensue-a feeling of
gratitude engendcred toward those in power
/ hu-kluX organizations would be compelled to
| disband-LOyal Leagues would cease to exist
the people would look TO the law for protection,
ana not count on any help from secret assOcia-
! tiOns-and our Presidential canvass conducted
| 1t might be, with warmth, would be the most
| quiet and peaceable that ever took place in tho
| country Every man, both white and black,
| would have more respect for himself and also,
more respect for his nelghbOr and his neighbOr's
rights Abroad. the character Of the State would
be elevated; our bands would rise in value. The
resources of the State are ample TO meet our en-
| gagements. Extraordinary taxation, the incv-
table results of all wars, being the penalty that
we pay out OfOur pockets for the exercise of our
| unchrstlan passions. IS slight evil and will be
| cheeriully borne by the people. Good govern
ment cannot be dear at any price. The hold
ers of our bonds, if allowed to vote, would favor
my proposition, and its success would be con-
iutatiOn Of the charge that reconstruction was a
l failure in tennessee. In political or party as
| pect-I really look beyond all such questions
il may be taken a fact that power would be
kept ont of the hands of any 1p0i-cOntsUf9 VIII,
would Cypress and injUre the loyal people. The
excuse for yindlctiyeneSS would have ceased
and justice and moderation would guide in ALI
our cOunsels. There would be no danger in
deed there would not
If those public servants who have, in this
critical emergency, been clothed with the au-
thoTity, will only advocate and pass some such
measure as the inclosed plan, blessings will
| follow them through life and their memory will
be embalmed in the grateful recOllectOns OF
succeeding generations. Henry the Fourth OF
France said that he would be the happiest OF
monarchs If he could put fowl into the pot of
every peasant in his kingdom. That sentiment
/ OF hOmely beneyOlence was worth all the SPLEEN
did sayings that are recorded Of kings. But ne
wished for more than he could obtain and the
tnna Of he IN an aHnA hn ~
king. How much more glorious the privilege
to put ballot, the badge of a freeman, into the
hands Of every citizen of Tennessee. We are
more fortunate than the illustriOus monarch.
for happily our power is commensurate with
our good intentions. That ballot could never
be uSed-it would be an imputatiOn on human
nature to think that 1t could ever be used-tO
the injury of the men who granted it. Before
God and the American people. do not see that,
since these petitions have been presented there
can be any Justification for not taking decided
step toward settl ment of this question, the
longer continuance of which impairs the dig
nifty, monaces the peace. diminishes the pros
perity and impeaches the justice of the State.
My faith tells mo that you aud all good men OF
both political parties will join hands in striving
for so great a good to our suffering country.
Let us lay the first stone of the temple OF
peace"
Excuse this long letter You have known me
| many years, and will do me the Justice TO be-
| lieve that am actuated by desire TO help my
country out Of its difficulties. Yer Very truly,
ORDINANCE.
An ordinance to authorize the appointment OF
delegates to a convention for the purpose OF
amending the Constitution Of the State: Where
as. In the opinion Of the General Assembly
4 there prevails throughout the State with ex-
ceptiOns in certain localities, q general DISPOSE
| ton amongst the people TO acquiese in the re-
| suits which have been brought about by the late
| civil war, as is evidenced by the numerOusly
| signed petitions which nave been presented; the
! said petitions recognizing the validity Of the
/ State government, and the legality of all acts
| done TO reorganize political system destroyed
| by war-admlttlng the abolition of slavery and
| tho eutranchisement of cOlOrcd vOteTs-asking
for universal amnesty and an Oblivion of past
wrongs and grievances, and respectfully solicit
/ ing in a calm and dignihed manner. that they
be again Invested with the privileges of the cleo
4 tive franchise. Now the General Assembly, re-
luctant in the first instance to discriminate in
the enjoyment Of rights, and only impelled to 1t
by Just apprehension at the time that the safe
| ~ Of the loyal people demanded the protecting
| hand of power, disposed, as they have always
been, to render the government acceptable to
| the people, and glad TO meet in a patriotic
spirit al advances made in the interests OF
peace law and order. do now choerfully do
claro that from the evidences aforesaid no valid
reasons exist for a further continuance Of the
constitutional provisions DISTINGUISHING any
portion Of our felloW-citizens; and,
Whereas, the franchise law rs been declared
BY the Supreme Court to be a part OF the Con
stitutiOn of the State, and can hence only be
changed by a convention. or By the mode
pointed out 10 the third section OF the eleventh
article Of the Constitution, neither Of which
modes, unfortunately. meet tho present ext
gency-the former on account Of the danger of
Dnblic disturbance from the excitement Of an