Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-12
TENNESSEE.
Memorial Of the Tennessee
Delegation to the Ma
tlOnal Democratic
Convention.
The DesAOtlsm OF BrOWnlOW and
His VagraRt Huns.
| Mastery Exposition Of
Peoples WPengs.

The committee appointed for the pur-
pose by the recent Democratic State Con-
veniion Of Tennessee, presented on Tues
day last the following memorial to The
National Democratic Convention:
To the National Democratic Convention assem-
bed in New York July 4 1865. for the purpose
Of restoring the rights Of States and Te-estab-
fishing the ancient liberties Of the people,:
A convention constituted by the people
of Tennessee, and representing the great
mass Of the legitimate body polite of what
should be free and equal State of the
Federal Union, directed your memorialists
to make report TO this assemblage of free
men of the expressions, usurpations and
miseries to which this State has been sub.
iected by the minions and agents of the
party in possession of the government of
the United States. The tyranny of which
we on behalf Of a great body of American
citizens complain, is not the evil supremacy
of a mere domestic faction, maintaining IL
self against odds by its own vigor, talent
and courage; on the. contrary, if unsup-
ported by the now misdirecLed powers of
the Federal 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 executing the policy Of the men
nov welding the vast weight Of Federal
authority, who prostitute the resources of
great nation to uphold and project these
petty oppressors Of noble State, that
we appeal through you to the people of
the States yet free to aid US in the
redress Of wrongs which are lntolerable
to American freemen, and the longer
continuance Of which threatens either re-
neWed conynlsions or the entire subyersion
of liberty throughout the republic.
THE ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT IN TEEEEs-
10 ' " SEE.
1t is historically true that the present
State organism Of Tennessee was created ia
violation of all American precedent
1t was not government established by
majority of the citizens or of the inhabi-
| lanls. IL rests on vote of q, 900 out of
a voting population of 100000. 1t is like
wise true that the Confederate soldier and
his sympathizer, on the surrender of the
armies of the South, recognized the State
government as an exigency Of civil war,
and we're entirely willing to waive its ille-
gality, believing that il would conform in
its legislation 10 the spirit and meaning of
the terms OF surrender rendered by the
United States, and that lis administration
would be relieved in the midst of peace Of
whatever harshness the military necessities
out of which il sprung may have in the
tirst instance required. 1t was expected
that instead of being cOn6ned to the inter-
ests of the few that inaugurated its exist
ence, it would be generously and wisely ex-
banded 80 as to embrace the whole people.
Intending TO accept in good faith the result
Of the war, as restoring the old boundaries
of the Union, aud establishing the au-
thoFity Of the Federal government ever The
seeded States, as also the abolition Of
slavery, our people did not apprehend that
State government, the loundIing Of a
military camp, would annui The settlement
Of the question at issue 10 the civil war
made by the armies 10 the field nor was it
anticipated that harder terms would be ex-
acted of the defeated belligerent, when I'M
armed, than had been demanded of him by
his brave adversary ia the field, when, With
arms 10 his hands, despair might have re-
newed his enterprise, and the horrors Of
dishonorable submission, more terrible
than those of hopeless war, might have re-
created his wasted resources. The parole
Of the Confederate, as understood among
all honorable belligerents, guaranteed TO
him, ON the part of the supporters of the
Union, his pre-existing rights, civil and
political, as citizen, on the condition of
obedience to the laws, State and Federal
To place the Southern citizen on a lower
plane of civil and political liberty than
that wherein the Northern freeman stood
was precedent as repugnant to the spirit
and letter Of all american constitutions,
and 50 fraught with danger to the republic
that il was not believed there could emerge
from the turbulence of the times faction
so malignant or insane as 10 proprose, much
less execute so monstrOus project. Thus
conceiving the situation, The people yielded
a cheerful obedience TO the State goyern-
ment inaugdrsted during the war, conf
IDENTIFY calculating that its administration
and conduct would be such as would short
ly legitimate il in their respect and affec-
lions.
THE DEsPoTIsM OF FACTION.
Tbasa inut avnaotations Of the ,,eo.lo