Santa Fe weekly gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1864-1869, 1869-07-03
Number. 4.
Senator BrOwnIOw on Universal
Suffrage.

| find myself called upon, by letter and
through the newspapers, to define my posi-
ton on tho suffrage question, now being
agitated throughout the State. have never
held an equivocal position on any great pub
lie question and never will. Nor have |
tho 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. 1t is from an entirely different
motive that | shall state what follows.
In my Judgment the existing franchise
law was an absolute necessity to prevent tho
State from being thrown into anarchy, and
to protect the loyal people thereof from be-
ing subjected to prescription, violence and
murder or exile. On this account and with
TINS view have supported that measure. II
had tho power ] would disfmnchise for
llto, the active leaders who brought on and
upheld tho rebellion, These bear about the
proportion to the other numbers who were
drawn into rebelion--say, as ono to ten.
The question arises, then, in view of the re-
cent decision of tho Supreme Court, and to
which shall soon more particularly refer,
how can you discriminate to make the disa.
bility fall upon them alone? Would it bo
right or wise to keep q thousand men under
disabilities, nine hundred of whom do not
longer require it, for the sake of tho one hun
dred who do?
The Republican party in Tennessee have
secured the entire Judiciary in that State for
eight years to come, and should the Govern
or recommend to the Legislature an altera-
llon OF the Constitution admitting the dis
franchisod to the ballot It will require two
years to accomplish it, The rebel population
oil the State will then have been disfranchis-
ed SIX years, Should they then come into
power by welding majority of the votes,
II Will be impossible for them, even then, to
MI the offices of the State with rebels, to its
injury, because of the Fourteenth amendment
to the United States Constitution.
There is still another view of this subject |
wish to present. The Supreme court of Ten
neSsee, court of our own choosing has re-
Gently restored to the ballot by its late de-
clsion' about twenty thousand rebels, among
whom were some Of the active leader. of the
rebels, among whom were some of the active
leaders of the rebellion, who had been ex-
cluded ,hereirom by tho franchise law.
we elected Grant upon the platform of
universal suffrage, East Tennessee alone Civ
ing nm about twenty-six thousand majority.
In his inaugural address Grant comes out fair
and square for universal suffrage there con-
structlon measures of Congress all proceed
upon the principle of universal suffrage; tho
entire Republican press of the North arc out
unequivocallyin favor of universal suffrage.
Should the Republicans of Tennessee obs.
tlnately stand out any longer against tho
great Republican party of tho nation, and
Its entire press, and also against the Presd-
ont and both Houses of Congress they will
simply render themselves ridiculous In tho
estimation ofall besides themselves.
1t will be seen from the foregoing, that, in
my Judgment, the safety of tho State, tho
welfare of its people and tho protection of
loyal citizens do not demand the perpetu-
alton of existing disabilities longer than tho
time when they can be constitutionally re-
moved.
In conclusion, | have no confidence in that
organization known as the Democratic Party
either North or South, | can never act
with that organization, nor support any man
for office, who, | have reason to believe, will
be controlled by Its partsans. Indeed, if | de-
sired to bring the devil out of his lair and
secure his active cooperation with mo in
politics, ] would proclaim myself Demo-
crat of the rebel.C Conservative school. The
organization is choke.full of hatred of tho
United States government, and having the
llsh-llke smell of States Rights It is un-
ssIayory to tho nostris of modern progress.
There are but two parties left in thi. country
the diminishing party of Democracy, that
brought about tho rebellion; and the rapidly
growing party of National Republicans. who
advocate Universal Suffrage, and tho equal
rights of ALL irrespective Of birthplace or
color, To this party belong, and with II
and my country | propose to sink or swim,
live or die, survive or porishl
W. G. BRowNLow.
June 12, 1869.