New-York tribune., 1868-05-16
TFNNES0ER

The Knorrille Wing is edited bya son, We
| believe, of Gov. Brownlow. He does not like
| THE TRIBUNE so well as he might do il his
taste were different-we will not say better.
| He instances several points in which our course
might be more to bis liking, and thus proceeds:
The editor OF THE TRIBUNE would do well to display
greater degree OF modesty and less OF dogmatsn
in regard TO Universal Amnesty and Universal Suffrage
had been adopted in Tennessee this State would now be
under Eo rule .S and S @ men wSpa 10 t hTa Sse2 a
expressions and the most unendurable insults and In
Treason here is under the ban. Loyalty is in the
cendant The loyal Black man and the loyal White man
may assert themselves as ot[ens under the forms VI
The restlessness hatred and awessness OF many the
Rebels prove how wise IL has been 70 withhold from them
the exercise Of the right Of franchise and Of oce Tbs
situation In Tennessee State far IN advance OF even
NewYork in true Republican principles, s vindcation
ofthe wisdom and rghtfnlness OF our policy mauger the
| repeated imputatons OF THE TRIBUNE"
Remarks.-Even though We were agreed that
the state of things existing in Tennessee were
as altogether lovely as The Wing regards it, we
are obliged to consider 1. That there are other
States than Tennessee; e. That the existing re-
gime may not endure, even in Tennessee.
DR. Brownlow and his friends have disfran.
| chised part of the People Of their State-he
says a majority, but We think him mistaken on
that point. Now be says that the restless
mess, hatred, and lawlessness" OF the disfran'
chised moiety Of Tennesseeans proves their dis
franchisement wise. We cannot so regard It.
We have so long heard the ignorance and
degradation of the Blacks cited to excuse
their epslavement, or at least their priyation
of political rights, that we regard with
disfavor all arguments that run in the SAND
groove. We admit that the Blacks are often
ignorant and degraded; we insist that Slavery
and political nullity made and must tend to
keep them so. We admit that the Tennessee
Rebels are restless, hateful, and lawless: we
hold their disfranchisement at least q partial
explanation of this. We do not believe that
devils will be cast out by Beelzebab.
But Mr.. Brownlow's ground is unstable
Every day lessons the number OF disfran'
chised Rebels and increases that of theh
descendants who have attained the age which
entities them to vote. Ii the Rebels ar
indeed majority. their crowd will soon %
in power through the operation Of natara
causes. to say nothing of the chances and
changes of politics And then we may have
the Blacks disfranchised as well as the
surviving Rebels enfranchised. We dislike
the prospect. Shakespeare says that "bloody
instructions return &C. plague tn inventor.
But we cannot limit our vision by the hon'
zon of Tennessee. We look also over hen'
lucky, Maryland, Delaware, where the biacN
are under the feet of Rebels and sympathihe"
with Rebellion. We ardently desire to raiss
and to shield them. We are impelled, there
fore, to advocate principles which suffice io'
them Also
Educated in the republican faith, wo hoia
Government by the Whole People benencen'
and safe. We would not restrict power 10 oai
own party if we could. We submit to the dis-
franchisement of Rebels IS a temporary expo
dient; but we protest against Its perpetulU'
in the interest alike of White and Black. We
are confident that half the People Of Tennessee
cannot govern tina. State so wisely and well
as the whole could Not in the interest OF
class, nor in deference to the passions OF the
hour but in obedience to profound and long,
settled convictions, do we plead for Universal
Amnesty with Impartial Suffrage.