Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-15
CARD FROM BR0WNL LOW.
He is for Senter and Universal Suffrage.
He Gives the Democracy Wipe and Pro-
poses TO Die in the Harness.

Z i Ililjt lilNSell Cttilcu upon, ny lOllCl
and through the newspapers, to de-
/ fine my position on the suffrage ques-
ton, now being agitated throughout
/ the State. | have never held an
[ equivOcal position on any great pub
/ lie question and | never will. Nor
! have I the vanity TO suppose that my
/ opinions will influence those of any
/ considerable number of men, on this
or any other question; and certainly
have no purpose to dictate to any of
them, how they shall vote at the
coming election. tits from an entire
ly different motive that ] shall state
what follows.
In nv Judgment, the existing fran
chise law was an absolute necessity to
prevent the State from being thrown
into anarchy. and to protect the loyal
people thereof rom being subjected TO
prescription, violence and murder or
exile. On this account and with this
view l have supported that measure.
III had the power l would disfran-
chiSe, for life, the active leaders who
brought on and upheld the rebellion.
These bear about the proportion to
the other numbers VINO were drawn
litLp IEpEillbli- a. OiAN W lNAAs
The question arises. then, in view of
the recent decision of the Supreme
Court. and to which [ shall soon more
particularly refer, how can you dis
criminate to make the disability fall
upon them alone? Would it be right
or wise TO keep thousand men under
disabilities, nine hundred of whom do
not longer require it, for the sake of
the one hundred who do?
The Republican party in Tennessee
have secured the entire judiciary in
the State for eight years to come, and
should the Governor recommend to
the Legislature an alteration of the
Constitution admitting the disfran-
chised to the ballot, it will require
two years to accomplish it, The rebel
population of the State will then have
been disfranchised at least six years.
Should they then come into power by
welding majority of the votes it will
be impossible for them even then, to
fill the offices Of the State, with rebels,
to its injury, because of theeOurteenth
Amendment to the United States Con-
stitution.
There is still another view of this
subject / wish to present. The Su-
preme Court of Tennessee, a court OF
our own chOOsi@ has recently re-
stored to the ballot, by its late decis- |
ion, about twenty thousand rebels, |
among whom were some of the active |
leaders of the rebellion, who had been !
excluded therefrOm by the franchise |
law.
We elected Grant upon the platform |
,F, nj ffr-n E'gG1 fiosafn
alone giving him about twenty-siX |
thousand majority. In his inaugural |
address Grant comes out fair and |
square for universal suffrage; the re- /
construction measures of Congress all |
proceed upon the principle of univer- |
sal suffrage; the entire Republican |
party Of the nation and the entire Re- /
publican press of the North are out |
unequivOcally in favor of universal |
suffrage. Should the Republicans of |
Tennessee Obstinately stand out any |
longer against the Republican party |
of the nation, and its entire press, and |
also against the President and both /
Houses Of Congress, they will simply |
render themselves ridiculous in the |
of all besides themselves. |
1t Will be seen from the foregoing, |
that in my Judgment the safety of the |
State, the welfare of its people and the |
protection of loyal citizens do not de- /
mand the perpetuatiOn of existing dis |
abilities longer than the time when |
they can be cOnstitutionally removed. |
In conclusion, have no confidence |
in that organization known as the |
Democratic party, either North or /
South. / can never act with thatGr- |
nor support any man efOr /
office who, l have reason to believe, |
will be controlled by its partisans.
Indeed, if l desired to bring the devil |
out of his lair, and secure his active |
cooperation with me in politics, l |
would proclaim myself a Democrat of |
the rebel-conservative school. The |
is choke-full of hatred of |
the United States Government, and |
having the fish-hke smell of Estates
rights" it is unsavOry to the nostrils /
of modern progress. There are but |
two parties left in this country-the |
party of Democracy, that
brought about the rebellion; and the
rapidly growing party of National
who advocate universal |
suffrage, and the equal rights of all,
of birth place or color. |
To this party l belong, and with it
and my country propose to sink or
swim, live or die, survive or perish,
w. G. BROWNLOW.
dobSA@' hooS-