Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-21
REvOLUTToN rrvvssSrr

AENOLONtON IN TENNESSEE.
1t viii be seen by reference to our tele-
graphic column that il has been discover
ed'in Washington that there is revolu-
ton pending in Tennessee. Judge Kelly,
an extreme Radical from Pennsylvania,
yesterday presented to the House Of Rep
resentatiyes q memorial of Senators and
Representatives from Tennessee, praying
the interposition Of Congress for the relief
Of loyal citizens of the State against re
cent or pending revolutionary proceedings,
and for the maintenance of a
republican form of government. This is
but another step toward Congressional
despotism. The President and the Su-
preme Court, two co ordinate branches of
the Government, lie powerless at the feet
of Radical Congress. Again and again
efforts are being made to reduce the States
to the same pitiable condition. What
most astonishes us, is that the States of
the North do not see the tendency Of such
legislation and interpose a protecting arm
for their own safety. Are they so blind
as not TO see that the day is
not far distant when the same
rale win be made to apply to them, if
successful in its application to Southern
States The present members of Con
gress from Tennessee were elected by a
gross perversion of the most unrepubli-
can and Ubiquitous franchise law that
ever disgaced the statute books of any
civilized State or nation. There is not
one of them who could have been elected,
il there had been fair administration of
their odious franchise law. There is not
one of them, who would have had the
effrontery toaspireto a candidacy, if their
franchise law had not been in existence.
They know that an outraged people will
hurl them from power into the lowest depth
of popular obloquy to which thereis no low
er depth. Horror and doubt distract their
troubled thoughts. They see before them
&" infinite wrath and infinite despair. ="
Hence their resort to such desperate en-
terprises as that which now they under
take. The Congressional heart must be
fired Their partisan prejudices must be
aroused. Tales of terrible enOrmities
will be told. Fictitious frauds win be
published. Everything that the wicked
ingenuity of mischievOus men can de-
wise win be attempted to induce Con
gress to interfere in the administration of
our local government NOtwithstand-
ing the extreme informality, to say the
least of it, by which the amendments Of
1866 to the State Constitution were
adopted, they will be held as above sus-
picion or reproach, and the convention of
1870, called by vote of the people in the
manner and form prescribed by the Legis-
latue, viii be denounced as revolutionary
and destructive of a republican form of
government. If the members of Congress
from this State had been in truth sOlcitous
for the maintenance of a republican form
Of government in Tennessee, they would
have presented their memorial four years
ago.
This is but an attempt to keep in power
a few men, who are not only not the
representatives of the peoplr, but are
utterly abhorred by them. We cannot
believe that Congress VIII be guilty of the
gross injustice Of giving favorable con
sheraton to this memorial.