The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-06-21
THE LATE AUTOCRAT OF TENNESSEE ON
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.

W. G., edyclep, "Parson" Brownlow ha.
issued his pronunciamento to the people OF
tennessee on the question ofsutirage in that
state. The text Of the document is sub.
Joined
In my judgment, the existing franchise law
was an absolute necessity TO prevent the State
from being thrown into anarchy. and +, nrnt,rt
'Ne '"ya' people thereof from being subject To
prescription, violence and murder or exile. On
'Hsaceount and with this view have supportcd
INe measure. If | had the power, | would dis
'IAnchlse, Tor hte the active leaders who brought
On and upheld the rebellion. These bear ab1pt
INC proportion 10 the other numbers who were
aLa"n into the rebellion--say, as one 10 ten
Ihe question arises, then, in view Of the recent
uGs'SI'n OF Tue Supreme Court, and to which I
wiz soon more particularly refer how can Won
discriminate 10 make the disability fall nm.
on hem aloneI Would it be- right or wise 10
heer thousand men under disabilities. nine
HuAdTel To-! whom no longer REQUIRE It, for the
sake OF the one hundred who do ?
ne Republican PARTY Of Tennessee have 40
cured the entire judiciary in the State for eight
years TO come and should the Governor recon-
merd to the Legislature All alteration Of the
contribution admitting the disfranchised to the
DaHot II twill require two years to accomplish Il,
Inc rebel population Of the state will then
have been disirauchised st 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 injure, because Of the four
tenth amendment to the United states COnstitu-
Non.
There is still another view Of this subject |
wish to present, The Supreme Court Of Ten.
Hessee, Il court Of our own choosing, has recently
restored TO the ballot, by its late decision. abou,
twenty thousand rebels, among whom were some
OF the active leaders of the rebellion, who had
been excluded therofrom by the franchise law.
We elected Grant upon the platform Of uniyer-
sal suffrage, East Tennessee alone giving him
about tNenty-six thousand majority In his in
augural address Grant comes out fair and SQUARE
for universal. suffrage; the reconstruction meas
ures ei Congress all proceed upon the principle
NJ universal Mirage the entire Republican
party Of the nation, and the entire Republican
press u the North are out uncquivocally in favor
y, universal suffrage Should the Republicans
oi tennessee o5staateiy stand out any longer
against ,ee great Republican party Of the Ma
Ion uho us entire press, and als1 against the
resident ana ha'h Houses Of Congress they
WIlI SIMPLY rcndcr themselves ridIculous in the
estimation OF all besides themselves
II will be seen from the f,ragnir, Elm, =, u,.
Judgment the safety ofthe s,afe Iba vsIfora ~,
ats people and the protection ., i. l.ysI ct;,an
do not demand ths perpetpation e existipo ia
abilities longer than the time Wheu ,bcy can bo
consututionaly removed.
10 conclusion, have no confidence in th,, mr.
ganlzauon known as the Democratic partv. ei,bs-
North or South. l can never act with tina, -,
gantzatien, nor support any man for office Who
have reason TO believe, will be controlled by i,
rartisans. Indeed, if desired to bring the
devil out Of his lair and secure his active coo D.
Grafton With moin politics, would proclaim m Y
set DemoorAtof the Rebel. { On serTatiye school
Ihe organization is choke-full Of hatred of the
United states Government, and having the Ash
.he smell Of Estates Hights,"it il unsayory 70
tue no'trIls Of modern progress. There are but
TWO parties left in this Countrywide diminishing
PTg oil tue Democracy, that brought about the
feoeiiion aud the rapidly growing party DINA
uohSl NepunAoans, who advocate universaI suf-
rage and the equal rights Of ALL irrespective of
births, place or color. To this party I belong.
and with it and my country propose to sink or II
swim, live or die, survive or perish.
Among the last official acts Of BrOwulow.
as Governor of Tennessee, was message to
the LegiilstuEs protesting sgsiaat ANY &c.