Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-27

the truth of history, to represent all these out
/ RACES on the ancient rights, liberties and p iv-
ileges OF American citizens as perpet' late sole
/ ly in the interests of a party, and to maintain
! in official position a particular class Because
/ the whites would not sustain this class and
! their policit 5, they are stripped OF the iran
| chises OF American freedom and the African is
/ aIraycd against them-fOr the present domina-
! ting over them-an elevation of an inferior
race, however inconvenient and insulting Tor
the present to the superior, to ultimately result,
as all intelligent meR must know, IN the ut
most future calamity to the negro. In the past
/ career of the Republic, party sntagonism has
been productive OF many evils and great
wrongs-has often been marked by public in
deCorum and individual deprayity, but never
/ before the present, and now passing period in
. our history, hssany poliIicalo ganiZaton dared
I to trsmple on tue suhstaniial liberties OF the
I American citizen or sought TO wrest the elective
. franchise fiom those entitled to ii by the an
/ cient usages d laws of tie Republic. No fac
ton ever before proposed to secure its success
/ by such a crime. This offeuse is the more rank
Lecause the act does eot stop with Striking
. down thelibeTties aud franchises Of the citizen,
I but heaps upon the victims OF this law!eSSneSs
tue ignOmlny OF political subOid Animation to an
inferior race Did the founders Of the republic
ever intend that any part OF the white sho1ld
. be subjected to the blsck race?
THE INTEREST OF THE NORTHERN PEOPLE IN
THIS MATTER.
1t concerns the people OF the NoTi bern States
who, thank God ave yet free, scarcely less than
those represented by your memOrialists, TO
/ overthrow he infamous pyl!cies of which we
/ complain. II our people within the several
Southern States are 10 he taxed and our domes-
tic policy shaped by the lately emancipated
slave and tbs irresponsible advt nturer who
uses INN as an unreasOning iRstrument of his
purpose, so will the Northern citizen be taxed
I an the Nauonal assessment by the same con-
istitueney, ard through the National LegiSla-'
ture his political and material interests Will be
affected by the same unintelligent and irrespon-
Sb!e vote. To substitute for the Intelligent
white voter of the South the negro elector is to
expose the interests of the North TO almost the
same hazard that threatens those OF the South
~ his n1Gter The 1ceIdre Of the 0ite man IN tie
South cannot be separated from thGt Of pte tClte
~ iIl The NORTH
OUTRAGEs UNDER REGISTRATION ACTS
Odious and OPP, essive as are the franchise
laws of Tennessee they have been greatly ag-
gravated in all their evils by the registration
acts and their administration. The first stat
. ute committed the work of registration TO the
. clerks OF the County Courts, who are officers
. elected by the people and the etors so situated
as 70 understand that it was not prudent for
them u play the role OF petty tyrants or tIihe
. Wi h The rights and liberties OF the citizen.
But by sub equent act these delicate and
respons bic duties have been assigned 10 com
m ssiOners appointed by the Governor, TO
I whom alone they are substantially responsible
I for their conducf III is true tEat there
Is a provision snrJscting these COM
missioneTs ts punishment as for a mis-.
demeanOr for UiifH or Intentional yiO-
lation OF the law; but when II is consid-
cred that by the terms o. the law the burien of
proof as 10 wtllfu ness and intention Of the cor
Z rug register is thrown on the accusing party,
and that Il Is easy for the offending Off er TO
h9Ve his dere ictiO1 construed into mere mis-
tdke, IL Wlu be ;, en- that tae people are Without
. protection in this regard against the corrupt
practices or arbitrary action OF the register.
4 10 render this very ight and evaSiNe res'raint
on the conduct OF TIE Tfff ial utterly inefficient
Tor the security of the Pe3pe the legislature
has ordered that The counsel fees and costs OF
. sult incurred by him 10 defending any prosecu-
tion penal or civil, instituted against him fora
violation of the rights OF the CITIZEN in the per-
. fOrmance of his official duty. shall be paid out
{ OF The public IRE ssury, thus taxing The people
topay the expenles IF heir oppress sors incurred
I IN the perpetatiOn of the wrong When Il is
/ remembered that the taxpayers Of the State
/ are those opposed to the faction in power, and
consequently those against whom these Com
mlSloners OF heg'SiFalion Wou Do most
likely 10 perpetrate, AID do in fact, work in
Justice the vice aud tyranny OF this legis alton
must at once become apparent. In effect 1t
/ mpels eemen to pay for the chains with
which they are 20 be bound.
Additional impunity is secured to these ser
wants OF the Executive by statute which ena-
b es them to exc Ude nom the jury-b0x by
challenge for c "a any one who is not voter
Thus is rendered certain in every trial AN avail
abe partisan influence on the panel In behalf
OF the trans gressing register. r...
EXECUTIVE CONTROL OF BALLoT-Box.
On the other hand theauthOTitles controlling
the State have not left their interests TO the
hazard Of even the acfiientaI or occasional
honesty Of these officers. The power has been
, reserved 10 The Executive to Geclare by simple
proeI }matlon the registration Of any county
void, aud TO remove at his sovereign will any
register that may excite his suspicion or incur
his displeasETS. Thus hsS been rey0sed fa he
Enecsaue Department Of the Gorey7l0ient Lte en-
tire control Of The ballot Dor and to that end he
exercises judicial aud executive functions iu-
dicial 70 Give {, and that, too without trial.
freemen OF privileges duly acquired execu-
tive to Infl ct his own enieuce OF disvestiture
in violation or ali principles of free govern
ment sg inst all preced enIs known TO AmeTi-
c N law, and in utter disregard nf the pTovi
siOns OF the Constitution. This arbitrary
power has been exercised by the present EX-
utive oft n, and always TedOundng TO the
advantage OF the lacticn supporting him and
MS policy. In this state of the case, where is
there fOOthOld Tor those who wo1ld lift from
earth the PROSTATE form or liberty and ami
maze her fainting spirit,
NEGRO vs. WHITE MAN
Personal ambition and desire for official pre-
ferment are by every selfish consideration en-
listed on the side Of absOlutism, because all ex-
pectants OF place bow 10 him who can work
through the registers any elective result de-
sired. Il is vain to expect in any canvai S
through fair and orderly polling sucs essful
issue for him who opposes in opinion
" the powers that be-" With the entire
control Of the ballot box thus Sc
the elective franchise is but delusive and Idle
ceremony. Though the result purports 10 be
accomplished through democratic iorms it Is
none the less the mere expression OF autocTatic
viii. The candid rescript Of the En- perUr would
be better, because none could be deceived as to
what was the fa9t in the present nor deiuded by
vain hopes as to the future. In addition to all
this the conviction is Feneral among the cit-
zens Of the state, that while the act of regis
tratiOn is made easy and rapid for such Whites
as are known to affiliate with the authorities
of toe safe, and for negroes, who are Ioanipu-
lated in the same interest by secret political so
cetes aud army officers In the Freedmen's Bu-
reau, the same process is rendered slow and
opposed a sentiment TO the now prevailing
policies Of the state and Of Congress. Thus, in
many instances, by these indirect methods, the
parry IN power Is protected against hostile
sUtfrsge, from which even their rigorous fran
chise laws would not protect them.
We are, therefore, compelled TO announce to |
this Convention that republican government, |
as understood 10y Americans, no longer exist. |
iu the State of Tennessee: that freedom OF felec-
lions, the chieI "suniment of English aud |
American liberty, has pershed; that Ireemen !
may here be disseizeo Of priceless privileges |
without the judgment o. their peers nd other |
wise than by the laws of the land-and that the |
order OF Warsaw reigns throughout her bOr- |
de,s.
1ha evil effects OF this oppressive pol cy |
are already plainly manifess IN the material /
condition Of The STATE, and palpably ib'e on |
the S1rtace Of society. We viii briefly advert |
to them.
EVIL EFFECTS OF THIS POLICY OPPRESSED AND |
OPPRESSOR.
The great body efthe whites feeling that they |
victims OF oppression, that they are ul- /
justly deprived of any share in the Govern |
ment, that they are in ali respects fitted by in
tellgence 10 participate in affairs OF Stale, and
remembering that tie political privileges of /
which they have been deprived constituted a |
Part Of their birthright, are discOntented and
apprchead still greater calantles and out.
ages. They recognize that at present they are
neither secure in their property liberties
Stripped OF suffrage, they cannot defend these
at the ballot DoN. Ihelr loes among The whites,
ana the negroes, granted by the statute the
privilege OF b ing armed while the same is de-
MED 10 them, deprlVes them Of that sense of
security which ever resides with physical
power and places them under constant me- |
Aace from tie vicious and depEaved elements |
Of society. Hence the division between |
the people and their rulers is sonethiJg
more than the mere array Of conflicting op.n. |
ions, which with free suffrage and free snleoh
seldom breeds vii cOmmOJiOn or iplurfouslV |
affects the state. l. is in this instihce the |
threatening antagOnism between the oEDreSsor |
on the one hand and the oppressed on the |
other. The apprehension and natural resent
ment of the latter, and the official insolence |
and hate Of the former, ret1Tting the detesta- |
ton of which he Is conscious are constantly re-
curing pToYooations 10 physical violence. TEx-
psrience and story prove that there can be
neither happicess nor prosperity for a state |
thus circumstanced. So long as republican |
forms are preferred on this Continent no |
American State can have any assurance of |
peace and prosperity unless the ballot is free to
tie white American citizen. The Inherent |
vig5r and imperial qualities OF the white race |
viii be content with nothing less until they
shall agree 10 accept other political institu-
uOns.
EXCLUSION PROM OFFICE OF THE INTRIIr- |
GENCE OF THE STATE
10 is OF the utmost importance 10 every free
State, that those VINO are the most inteIjieent |
have the largest stake in social order and nos
sgss property, or are interested in property by
the hope OF accumulation through steady indus |
try, should participate in The government. But |
in cur unfortunate Commonwealth tn = is the
very class which is excluded from the manage
ment of It's affairs. The people are thus de-
priyed in pablo business Of the efficient ca
pacity OF their best citizens. Their affairs are
enuseUuentlV in the hands NJ fru |