Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-10

/ 10 repeal the franchise only, but with full
power to make new constitution In
other words, the Legislature have set on
| foot complete revolution. No pretense
is made that the Legislature had any cen-
stitutional power to call such a conyen-
ton for such q purpose. II y open,-
ayowed revolution, and this, too, in hot
haste. No time is allowed for deilbeTa-
| ton. The Governor is ordered 10 issue
| his proclamation immediately. The peo-
pie to 90 at once to the polls and elect
| delegates. and these delegates are
forthwith 10 assemble to make a new
constitution. The notice of the election
and time allowed for assembling, in all, is
| less than sixty days. And the law under
which the people are acting has never
been printed for circulation among the
people. A single official copy in single
paper is all the publication it has had by
authority The people are driven head
long and in the dark as they were IN 1861,
to delegate to seventy five office seekers to
destroy the constitution and form OF gov
eminent under which their ancestors have
lived. That which ordinarily requires the
deliberation of generation, is to be done
in a few days. IL might
seem at first thought that no provision
could be inserted in the proposed con-
stitution that would Cypress one class OF
citizens without expressing all alike But
it must be remembered that the ConYen-
ton may strike out that very provision OF
the Constitution which prohibits special
or partial legislation. II may no longer
be that the laws shall be equal and uni
form throughout the State. In that event,
we will be at the mercy of the majority,
and we regret to say that we have seen
and heard enough to apprehend the most
fearful oppression of the Union element,
especially the colored population. Even
if this clause against partial legislation
should remain, OF be transferred to the new
Constitution, the ingenuity of yindletlye
majority can devise many ways to evade
it. Measures of this kind are now before
the Legislature The proposition TO pro-
hibit the tenant from selling his crop
without the permit of the land owner; to
prohibit walking or riding over the lands
of another, without leave; or of hunting
or fishing in the woods or waters OF an
other, are all measures levelled at the
colored citizens, for these permits would
be given to Southern men and refused TO
the Unionist and colored citizen.
These Radicals talk as though the peo-
pie of Tennessee who are not Radicals
are very devils, and that 'the lake that
burns with fire and birthstone is mild
place in comparison with this State under
the rule of her native citizens. Look at
the estimate they place upon this people
1t is from such publications as these that
Radical papers of the North make up their
opinions of Tennessee. Here we are held up
by the Radical members of the Legislature
and by the editor of the late Stokes organ
as being bitterly yindictive, and but little
removed from the worst order of men.
The members of the Legislature go SO
far, in support of their charges against
the ani-Radical people of Tennessee, as
to cite the fact that a bill is pending be-
fore the Legislature to prohibit hunting
or fishing in the woods or waters of an
other" and other old laws as "levelled at
the colored citizens" These innocent
souls do not seem to know that this is al
ready the law and was long before ''cOl-
orcd citizens" were made. Such malig-
nifty must eventually recoH upon its
authors.