Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-27
FOR PRESIDENT,
GRIEVANCES OF TENNESSEE.


the Commute, submitted the following
MEMORIAL.
To the National Democratic Convention, az
sem bled IN \ ew NOrk, July 4, lsbS, for the pur-
pose OF restoring the rights OF states and re-
establishing the ancient liberties OF the peo-
pie:
AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE.
A Convention constituted by the people Of
Tennessee, and representing the great mass OF
the Legitimate bOny polite OF what should be
a free and equal Siate OF the FEDERAL Union
directed your memOrialistS TO make report 10
this assembiage Of freemen of the oppreS-
STATE has been subjected by the miniOns and
agents Of the party now in possession Of the
Government OF the United StHles.
REASONS FOR ADDRESSING CONVENTION.
-Ehet granny Of which We, on behalf of a great
b sdyUf American citizens com PLATO, is not ihe
eSA supremacy OF "a mere domestic Iacuon
niatnJsiniDg itself against Odds by its own
gigor, talent atfd couTage; on the contrary, "
fiRtsu ported by the now lnisuirected powers OF
the Feuerai Union, the ruling oligarchs OF our
unfortunate Commonwealth would not long
abide the Indignation OF an Outraged people
IL is only because they represent and are exc
cuiing Jne policy OF the men'nUw welding The
vast weight OF ~ reueIa4 AuthOflty' VINO pIostl,,
tote the resources OF great natlon 70 uPhStu
aud protect these petty Oppressors OF nob:e
state, thst we appeal through you TO the peo-
pie tates Yet Tree, TO ala US in the redress Oi
wrougs which are lnUOlerabe e to American
fresu en-, and the longer cOnuDuance OF which
threatens either renewed commissions or the
entire SubversiOn OF liberty throughout the Re-
public.
TENNESSEE GOVERNMENT NOT A GOVERNMENT
OF THE PEOPLE.
Il is historically true that the present State
organism OF Tennessee was c. Gated IN violation
o. all American precedent. It was no. gov
eminent eStabIipned by a majority OF the citt-
zens or OF tie inhabitants. 1t rests on vote
OF uoeHtV tl0o thousand out of a voting pOpula-
tiOu OF one hundred and stUtg thousand. IL is
likewise true that the JOufsueraJs soldier and
his synpat iizer on the surrender Of the arm tes
nf he rprHwniyEs1 fs
as an exigency o. civil war, and We're entirely
willing 70 waive iis illegalily, believing that4t
WOuls c0rfOTm in its Legislation 10 the spirit
and meaning Of the terms OF surrender tender
ed by the United STATES and that Its adj iBlS-
Urailon would be relieved in TIE midst OF peace
OF Whatever hafs unt - TIE Tnl ltary nCcessller
out OF which IL sprung may have in The nrst
instance required. II was eApse ed IN Il
instead oI being confined 10 the
iut erests of the few tuat inaugurated its exist
ence it would be generously and wisely ex-
panded, so as 20 embrace and protect the whole
result Of the war aS restoring the o bOunda-
ries OF the Union and re-estiblishiUg z tue au-
IhOrity Uf the Federal Government over the Sc
cediug States, as a SO the abolition o. slavery,
our people did not apprehend that state gov
ernmsnt, lhe founding OF military camp,
would annul theseltlement OF the questi Dns at
issue in the civil war, made by the armies in
The field; DOr was IL anticipated that harder
terms would b. eXacied OF TIE defeated belhs.
erent when unarmed tban had beed demanded
Of hi "A by his brave adversary in the field,
when with arms ia his hands despair might
have renewed LIS enterprise and the horrors of
a aishOnOrable submission. more terrible than
those Of hOpeiess war, might have Tecreated Ia 5
wasted resources. The parole OF the COufeu-
erate,as understood among all honorable beilg-
erents, guaranteed TO him on the part OF u e
supporters OF the Union his existing rights,
civil aud political, as a citizen, ON the cOndl-
ton of obedience 10 the laws, State and Fede
RAJ. 70 plsce the ) uthern citizen on lower
plane OF civil and political liberty than tuat
whereOn the Northern freeman st od was
Precedent 50 repugnant TO the spirit and lettor
of al American Constitutions, and 20 frausht
with danger to the Republic, that IL was n u
believed there cJuld emerge from the turUu-
lance Of the ZINES fact on so malignant or iu-
sane As to propose, much less eNecu. e, so mon
sJrous project. Thus cODceivILg the situa-
t'on- the people yielded acheeriul ooedlehce 10
the Stale government lnaugurated during The
ware confidently calculating that it's administra-
lion and conduct WOulu be such wOu
shortly legitimate II in their TesE ect and alice
Tnese Just ex pectaiIons Of the people have
not been re llized. II soon became apparent
that The faction accid, ntally in power did not
intend to recognize the submission OF the paU-
pc to the arms OF the Union unless for The
iululc lhey Moulu mortgage 70 sLeh ILeIt
opinions and votes. IL was not sufficient that
they had IL good iaith resumed tdeiT allegiance
to Feoerdl authority so long as they re served
to themselves the right tC think and v,te as
A American frcenen. To exclude them ftOm ali
participation in the affairs OF government and
reducs them substantially TO a cOndi ion Of
alieuage, while cxacting Of them all the duties
and imposing Oh them all the burdens OF Citi-
ZensEip was deemed the only expedicut by
which the men then in Office cou-d prolong
their power.
THE DIsFRANCBIs-SG ACTS.
The amended Constitution proclaimed by the
military Governor OF the State, Andrew John
son, and accepted by those having Tennessee in
custody under Federal mi itaTy occupation,
granted power TO the Genera Assembly to de
JsrmiEe the qualifications Of voters and the
limitation Of the elective franchise II was IN
the eXer ise Of this power under Consultation
confessed,y the work OF Dot even One-thiTd OF
the people, that a system of oppression was
cOnsummated which has converted ouce Tree
anu sovereign STATE Of this Union into an od'-
Gus GsspOtism. The General Assembly first
constituted after the proclamation Of the
amended Constitution, when but a few OF the
ctiZsns cOu d vote. enacted three successive
franchise laws, C.Cn surprising the other in
hsrshness and injustice The result of the leg
islation on this matter has been the disfran-
chisement OF more an tlco thirds of tte ,chites
oud he surrender Of the bdLJOt 10 0e negroes.
II would b impossible, within tbe appropriate
compass Of this memorial, 10 present 10 detail
the enormitits of these franchise acts We can
only indicate tnen.
HOW MINORITY PERPETUArEs IFS POWER.
These acts We're passed from time to time
as lhe necessities OF the autu critics required
restricted suffrage, TO maintain them in or
dce. The only exceptions TO The Tgor OF THESE
laws were those who had or were sup osed 10
have assimilated with them in political ssnti-
ment. Thus political opinion was made the
condition on which American citizens should
en 10y thst franchise by which alone theiflib-
erJes can be Ir5Served-acceEs to the ballot
box. This principle, worked cut TO its iul ex-
TENT enables temyorary majority 10 render
lts rule perpetual, or force the people u3ti-
mat sly 90 relieve themselves by revolutionary
violence The majority OF today have only
To fnd their present 50 preinRcy threatened by
a change o. opinion in the masses hostile 90
tkeir policy ana power, really CONVEX .tiUg
them into a minority, TO justify the liue Of &C
ton plrsued in Tennessee. TEel the work OF
eXcisiOn fIOm the polls may commence, mar
rowing IN SUI decreasing circles the voting
ty depriving OF tbs ballot such
hunters OF the hostile voters Is 10 leave under
-
power a majority OF tie voters. but really an
minority OF the people. Thus is
.tthlished an oligarchy, the deadliest foe OF
popular liberty.
THE TEsF OATH.
A stlli more repulslve and tyraaniesl feature
OF these disiIauchiztng acts Is found IN those
prOvi-i0ns which p-Opound to the citizen, Ia
order to exercise tue right OF suffrage, harsh
and iu4uIsltorial Oaihs, reaching not only his
conduct, tut bis opinions tf The past. and PUT
ting upon him The alternative Of committing
perjury, or Of becoming his own acCEssr for
the disabling acts AID sympathies which, by
the terms OF The law, exclude him from the
ballO'. Thus has been inaugurated amid the
ci viliz ti5n OF the nineteenth century, and in
a rep lblIe, that Odlous inqutsitiOn INTO the Sc
cTet thoughts and private opinions OF men
which has BEEN Justly deemed the peculiar dis
sFaCs OF even remote and Dai barOUe Ieriod-of
even the mOzt Ignorant and cruel dCspousm.
Xxx POST FACTO LAWS AND BILL ATFAIEnER.
That provision Of The Federal Constitution
whIch fOrbids 4 state TO pass a bill OF attainder
OF 41t lAteO law lltla ubcl tlAlltA AuNhtlOuelA
violated, or AZ IS SO easy OF evasion to be uJ-
leriy worthless fOI the protection OF American j
citizens against the madness OF faction or the
liceniiou sneeS OF power; and the Intentions OF
the trainers Cfthat Instrument have Teen ut
terry frustrated by the Ingenious devices cf re !
venge and hatred. For it cannot be denied !
that under the pretence OF fixing the qualihca-
ton of voters Jwo-thirds Of the white men OF
this state have been diyested OF The elective
franchise by Ii gislatiye enactmentas punish
5le,lt for assumed odsnses. for " hIch they have
never even Deen challenged By any process OF
law.
NEGRO SUPREMACY.
Bv virtue Of the edisfranchfsem en- OF the great
masz OF the white people, Tennessee is now
practically under the dominion OF the negrO. /
IN WAS not, however, until IL became apparent
.hat no franchise law, however restrictive or
power in the hands OF our domes tic faction that
he negro was end wed with the ballot To 4
serve alone ther selfish interests, are the great
body Of the white people OF the State, cit zens /
If the Republic, long accustomed under an 4
Gent usage and the laws Of the State to exer- |
sis the right OF suffrage, ,dlsiTancnised, and the
ately emaDciDated African slave, untitled, ac-
.ording 10 the universal experience OF man /
Kind for self-goVernment, entrusted with the I
yravest duties ever deVolved on fresmen. II |
his legislation resulted from any conviction /
hat universal suffrage, regai dless OF race, as
DTinclp pie, should be introduced into The Amer /
c8 sys EN-, however foolish and dangerous /
we might esteem the measure its projectors |
would at least be entitled to that reFpect which
ever attaches TO sincerity. But We are not /
Permitted by the facts to accord TO /
hem this consideration. II ii was from prin- /
,iple and from an honest conviction OF duty /
Al fnh