Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-13

in all possible phases, not only East Ten
nessee, but nearly the entire Convention
were bitterly opposed. So strong VS.
the pressure against this feature OF th,
! Suhrsge Article-s feature, however
which still remained il the Constitution
because unaffected by any act OF thi
I C0nvention-thst there was q su5se
Qaent meeting of the Business Commit
tee to modify their original report. b
vote OF the majority, that report wal
modified by leaving out the Article OF
Suffrage altogether; and, in lieu of 1t, a
! the instance OF Mr.. Maynard, the nintt
section of the Schsdule was inserted
giving power to the fret Legislature as
sembling under the amended COnsti,u
ton, todetermiDe "the qualifications ano
the limitation Of the elective franchise ~
aod, as thus modified, the report wat
submitted to the Convention and adopted
1t was eontended, and not without some
show of reason, that the war IVES then In
progress, but the situation might he
changed before the Legislature consUm-
mated their work, and then they could
afford to be even more liberal than had
been proposed in the Convention. II
was with this understanding that gave
my assent that the franchise question
should be RENTED to the Legislature at
all.
The first Legislature under the
amended Constitution assembled at
Nashville on the Sd day Of April, 1866,
and on the 21st day OF ApriI-just
eighteen days thereafter-Gen. Lee and
his army surrendered, hostilities ended,
and peace was inaugurated. And yet
the Tennessee Legislature. with q full
knowledge of all the facts and circum-
stances under which the franchise ques-
ton was RENTED to them, and in utter
disregard of the wishes OF sn overwhelm-
ing majority Of the Union men Of Ten
nessee, as clearly expressed at the Con-
vention of tbs January previous, not
only did not evince more libsrality than
had been proposed by the, Convention
pending stats of war, but months after
hostilities had ceased-on the 5sh DAY of
June, 1865 actually perverted and pros
tituted the power which had been con-
ferred upon them, and passed "An act
to limit the Franchise Act" which ex-
cludes from the privilege OF suffrage 8
very large portion Of the people Of Ten
nessee. Az soon as the act was made
public, through the columns of the BuiIe-
tin, of which L was then editor. de-
nounced it as grossly proscriptive and
fagrantly unconstitutional; aud, from
that day to this, 1 have not ceased 10
make war upon it as one of the most ia.
iquitous and unjust measures that ever
the statute book OF any State.
This Franchise Act ia the one distinc-
tive badge of Radicslism in Tennessee.
Until its adoption by the Legislature,
there was no RsdicaI party in The State.
1t was devised not ia the spirit Of liberal
or fratsrnaI concord, but
entirely in the interest Of party. II was
to keep the State Government and the
member Of the Legislature in power,
and not to promote peace and harmony
among the people Of the STATE, that it
was originally enacted, and it is now iu-
sisted upon, as was recently affirmed by
Hon. VIM. Stokes, IN his speech bsfore
he present Legislature, in order to keep
he Radicals of Tennessee on top.n
When It was found that the original
franchise act would not keep the party
n the ascendant, then it was that "n ne
no suffrage" was resoFted to; and even
bat is now eontumScicusiy persisted 10
while an oyeIfi jwiDg majority OF our
white citizens, embracing many OF the
srCest tax-psyeEs, are made aliens in
heir own laGd-a lsnd which many OF
hem would die to save. No sueh ex-
.mpie Of selfish partisanship, aud Of out
age on the principles OF free republican
government can be found outside of the
Units OF Tennessee; and it is to Go hoped I
hist the Republican party OF the Union,
7hich is sOlemniy mmitted to uuiYer-
al suffrage, viii irO.n indignantly upon /
be miserable faction in this state, who 1
ssume utilization with the party only to
-iolate It's platform and ignore its pro-
sssed principles.
You will thus perceive that while l (
yas Z Union man, anu co-operated with i
ther Union men in devisipg means
Or the Inauguration Of civI goy-
rnment in Tennessee, am 10 60 man
er responsible for the iiliberal and IN
institutional law by which my fellow
tizsus have been SO TufhIessly pro-
ribbed but that, on the contrary, 1
ave, from the 1rst inception Of their
liquitous scheme to the present mo-
tent, opposed, with whatever vigor
luld command, their misehlegous I0a-
linations, IS well against the constitu
on, as of the peace and welfare OF the
sople cf Tennessee.
1t is known that I have been q fast
lend Of Andrew Johnson, aad a con
stent supporter Of his administration
ID, as such, desired his nomination,
Dove all others, rs the candidate of the
party of the nation at the
,suing Presidential election. Il seemed
me to be eminentiy proper to make
at man cur leader who antsgoDized. in
g own psrson, all the issues in contrc-
,rsy in the present contest. But, an
her gentleman having been chosen, in
-ery way worthy to lead the lovers of
liberty to victory, L am
willing, by supineness or inaeuoD, to
,cupy q doubtful position. Heretofore Z
II political contests have related 10
ere questions of policy in the adminis-
alton Of the Government; but IN the
,ntest now forced upon the country, tbs f,
.us is neither more nor less than !
neither we shall have q government at |
Ia government whose cementipg 1
md is the Constitution as our fathers
ade II, and regulated by lsws passed
eonsonance herewith. In such 3 !
ntest 1 shall not be an Idle or indifier- !
q spectator. Believing that the ,
ortesf, il net the only road to perma- :
mt peace and prosperity lies in the
,efion of Seymour and Blair, 1 shall {
nge myself among their supporters, /.
tn determination that however others =
sy labor with more ability and success. +
be exceIled by none in persistent ard g
alous lsbors in attaining so glorious E a
To this end propose. I
ring the pending canvass, 10 address
e Union men of Tennessee, and all :
aers, from the hastings as often as / \
~ have opportunity. !,
Very respectfully, n
!. b. BINGHAM y
fEsSPnIs, August Y, 1855. 4"