Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-16
THE KNOXVILLE WHIG
Knoxville. Tenn, December I6, 1858.
Reply TO Hon. J. 5. Fowler and Coy.
II. s. FO0te.


and h. 5. FoOte, constituting discussion of some
Of the leading political questions of the day, and
what they seem 10 eCtsem tho political exgences Of
the hour
have given the article a careful and unpreju-
diced reading, and feel constrained 70 write a sup
plemeHt 10 them for there are several important
views that ought 10 be candi1Y and earnestly taken
at tho same glance With those exhibited, and had
the gentlemen incorporated in their articles what
now propose 70 present / think the documents
would hAve exhibited more OF the cautious yet lib
eral statesmen. First the fact is overlooked that
10 one can reasonably expect condition of social
affairs 10 exist this side Of mienial DAYS when uni
versa suffrage safely, at least justly, exist for
from the time suffrage has been exercised as priv
ilege some have been restrained from II for viola
ton Of law; and the law-abdiRg have approved
the action. Who has thought to complain Of The
legal exclusion from the ballOt-bOx, witness stand
and official place Of him who breaks into his neigh
bors mansion house in the night time and despoils
him Of his goods Now, the question is--at least
has becHis the breaking into and breaking up Of a
State government the upheaval Of the very grounds
Of society, the prossraon Of public trade and NOR
ais tho destruction by wholesale OF human life and
Tho widespread ruin Of public and private property.
oaeRse IL 50, Is II great one or q small one
And IL forgiveness 70 the deliberate and wful per-
petrAtors should be extended, when and how Shall
thore be no discrimination made between grades OF
O9enBs2 Should the question of repentance have
nothing 10 do with the act Of forgiving And in
forgvng after the wrong doors have been restored
20 AL the natural rights OF citizens, ought another
step forward be made and confer on them every
special privilege that is granted TO the citizens free
from legal wrong3 These are some questions which
tho gentlemen ought TO hsve considered
Senator Fowler makes ghe following good points,
speaking Of the Republican control Of our State
government: The possession Of the government
became a matter Of sefdefense It's importance
could not be overlooked 1t could not be expected
that any party would permt their enemies 10 enter
freely the citadel Of their strength and safety, and
direct them in the measures thoy might take for
their security Speaking Of the franchise law, he
says II strictly measure Of defense, under
Che circumstances proper and intended 10 be tran
cient IN its duration 1t was 10 last so long as the
causes that had induced it should last.'
He then makes the point not so good, and asks
the question: 81 Has the time arrived for breaking
down the barriers TO universal enfranchisemont n
And answers /" In my judgment, it has" And
gives as bis reason, "That it is incompatible with
the cherished views and principles Of the kepubli-
can party and inconsistent with the idea Of repub-
lican government as now maintained, to exclude so
large part OF the citizens, and those representing
so much taxable property, from the ballot-box."
Does Senator Fowler speak from authority At
least is he correct Is this last point consistent
with his first bis idea of SelfdsfeHseP His idea
Of public necessity Did that necessity and self
defense only mean tho election temporarily TO Office
Of those friendly TO our republican form Of State
government and the enactment of laws necessary
20 pTivate and public protection, and st that point
dispense with further care2 Is the place Of the cit
adet only 20 be guarded and defended until the
works are complete and serYicable and then permit
il 10 be entered and taken charge of by enemies
II such be Senator Fowlers theory, cannot esteem
him 90 good a toaTTior as had supposed
But let us see whether Gov. Foote comes TO his
relief on this point That those who aDere enemies,
and in times past had 10 DO guarded from the cita-
del are now friends Is that so2 devoutly wish
I vae. Int
I an glad however, TO know and say that many OF
them arc in good faith, now friends; yet they are
quite minority TO Gov. Foote'S $4,000. And
would say that those who have shown themselves
10 be friends ought 20 be respected and treated as
such-may be safely enfranchised. am believer
in rewards as well as punishments.
But how about my estimated majority Of the SO, !
OOO7 How are we 10 determine2 l know Of no
better rule than "by their fruits ye shall know
them.n Let US illustrate by this rulo-it is a good
one II the the fruit imparts a bitter pang to our
tongue we have good reason 10 doubt the sweetness
aud purity of the troe To apply the rule with a
good degree Of force suppose Gov. Foote's letter
beaded observation" had been thrown out during
the late canvass in the form Of a speech, what a
stunning effect il would have produced; and, 10
make the point still sharper, suppose that after GOV
Foote escorted Mr.. Etberidge TO the Representa-
tvcs Hall Just on the eve OF the election, and gave
earnest attention 10 that most bitter of all Seymour
and Blair speeches, he (Gov FOote) he'd followed
in an independent speech compromising the sub
stance Of his late Observations what would rebe
Democrats have thought and, still more what
would Republicans have thought Would not
such haze been a ripe apple or two of rather good
favor7 And would not the TREE now be esteemed
better specimen for the public orchard than il il
because Of the good parcel of cutand-dried fruit IN
the form Of Observations p
noticed few days before the late election that
immense meeting was held in the Cooper lnsti-
tuie by Democrats resolving, first, that the in
surrectionRry features Of the Democratic platform
together with its want Of prospective good faith In
tho administration of the government, compelled
them TO withdraw their support from that party
and secondly their favorable estimation of the plat
form and candidates Of the Republican party-ir
short, taking the view that Gov. Foote does now
led them 10 give the Republican ticket their hearty
support. l think their action patriotic and
manly. That was in the State Of New York. Now
the question is il the loyal sentiment exists hers
with those who were enemies 10 our republican gov
ernment at the time when Senator Fowler insist
that self-defence tUGs necessary and virtue and i
its existence DO 10 tho extent estimated by Goyerno
Foote, why could not these Tennessee Democrats
have acted as those Of New York
Let us see il we can draw an Imaginary picture
of what the difference would have been by the tree
bearing differon. Lind Of fruit And l viii NO
insist on presenting so full picture would have
been printed by acts as full as those Of the Cooper
Institute war Democrats at the same time 1 think
that such action on the part of Tennessee Democrats
would have been we'll warranted, and must sup
pose that Gov. FOote thinks So TOO. Bat suppose
that from MIR. Etberidge down, the leaders IS well
IS the followers Of the Democratic party had admit
tod as much IS Senator Fowler saysthat the fran
chise law legal necessity, and that as a law
it must be respected and enforced that the laws Of
State making all men equal before the law, are
but legal expressions Of common justice, and must
be observed in good faith that constitutional as
well statutory laws providing FOR security to per
son, liberty and property shall BE- enforced TO the
strict letter and suppose, further, that what wal
thus said was meant and done in good ftith, ask
would whole counties have been paraded over tho
night before the late election By IN disguise Z
the terror Of the people? Would men have ap
pesred a. numerous ballot-boxes presenting nav
pistols Instead Of certificates Of registration Woul'
hundreds and thousands Of qualified voters hav
been deferred from the polls +? and would iliegs
votes by hundreds and thousands have been regis
tered 10 State II is enough 30 ask these ques
tiOns and leave them 10 be answered by those con
Germ Cd
/ do not insist az have been reported rs teach
ing, that before these now restrained are enfran
chised they must become hearty advocates and en-
dorsers Of extreme Radical Repnblieanism; bat l a
hnk they should at least to be the bitter enc
mics, by force Of arms, to enlightened progressiv
Republcanism, aud I am frank in saying that Ca
meyer be in harmony with the Democracy Of ls6
and of to-day az interpreted and erpounded by For
rest Hampton aud +, ?. Blair.
70 explnin more definitely 'Fhst I mean. STAT
hAi ~ car, Sc well as al other governments two o