Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-25

70 suggest to you the propriety and iHa- |
portanee Of petitiOning the Governor to |
recommend, and the General A sssIAbly,
to be convened at the Capitol in extra
ordinary session, on the 9th instant, to
call asconvention of the people of the
State at an early day, or to adopt such
other remedy as in their wisdom may
be deemed wise and legal; to remove the
civil disabilities now resting upon large
portion of the white male citizens Of this
State, and to restore them the elective
franchise, and to the full enjoyment ofan
civil rights under the Constitution of the
State. ..-.s4.-..ss
In addressing this appeal to your
Judgment, the undersigned distinctly
wish 10 be understood as not intending
in the least degree that the organic law
should be so amended as to destroy or
impair the vested rights now possessed
by portion Of the citizens Of the State,
but to enfranchise that portion Of our
citizens now dislranchised by the laws
of the land. This proposition is SUBJ
mitted, as we honestly and sincerely be-
heye, in the interest of the peace,
happiness, present and future prosperity
of ali the people of the State; and we
hope that every thing may be ayerted at
all calculated to produce discord,
strife and violence growing out
the existing troubles that now SO
unhappily affiiet as as people. We con-
fdently believe that all the political dis
abilities now resting upon large pOr>
ton of our white male citizens can, and
will be removed speedily, by legal and
peaceful means by the Governor and the
General Assembly of the State. And we
therefore beg leave, most respectfully, to
say, that "strict obedienee to law is the
sword of liberty"
We cannot permit ourselves to believe
that if you, the people in every county
IN the State will send up your respectful
memorials addressed to the Governor and
Legislative Department of the State gov
ornment, asking for speedy enfrana
chisement of that large and respectable
portion of our white male citizens, that
your petitions will not be granted by the
Governor and General Assembly of the
State, who are your public servants and
representatives In their care and keep
ing, in legal contemplation, is the peace,
happiness and prosperity of our great
State.
That large portion of our white races
now disfranchised pay very large pro-
portion off taxes to support the Fed-
eral and State government and to make
the internal improvements in the State,
and to support the common schools, and
contribute to Tighten all the public bur-
thens, and to uphold and maintain the
laws of the land. And it seems harsh to |
us, andin violation ofthe bill of rights and |
the Constitution, and at war with the |
spirit and meaning of our free and re-
publican institutions, as we believe, to |
deny to said disfranchised citizens all |
participation in the public affairs of our
State. To deny them the right to vote |
in the selection Of those who make the |
laws to govern our great Commonwealth, |
or to vote in the selection of those who |
are to execute the laws, is a discrimina.
ton against very large portion of our
worthy, intelligent and useful white citi- |
zens, which is unwise and unjust We
believe that the practical working of the
present franchise law has been such as
to satisfy the Legislature that if its orig,
nal design was to discriminate against
that portion of our fellow-citizens who
were connected with the late rebellion, it
has failed in this; for each one of them
can call to mind Federal officers and sol
diers who have been excluded, and to
whom the Commissioners of Registra-
ton have refused certificates to vote.
This is the natural result of the alb
solute power and discretion vested in the
Commissioners of Registration by the
law, and which must have its effects
upon the origi nal friends of the measure
1t tends to promote strife and discon-
tent 1t is destructive of that peace,
and prosperity which other
wise would exist throughout the limits of
our State 1t renders our peaceful and
Iaw-abiding citizens discontinued and
unhappy; and hangs like an incubus up
On the material growth and prosperity Of
.he State 1t defects the legitimate
stream of money and commerce from
bur State 1t retards the immigration to
,ur State of a large, useful and much
needed population from the Northern
States and elsewhere, who would settle
n our midst invest their money in the
purchase of Cur lands, in manufacturing
md in developing the resources of the
State, and increase our wealth and pros
'erity And above all, we confidently
,elieve, with the Embarrassment of all |
ur white male citizens, strict obedience
0 law and order would reign supreme all
yer the land, and protection to life,
liberty, property and the pursuit Of hap
'iness would be extended to all, without
Of race, color or former COM !
That the people of the State have
be right to petition our Governor
nd Senators and Representatives for
be redress of grievances, or for the en- I
ctmGnt of such measures as will proc
note the public welfare, there can be no
uestion. And we are reminded by the S
immortal Declaration of Independence
that all men are created with certain