Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-21
ENFRANCHIsEMENT.
speech Of Senator Lyle I'm Support Of
His ResnIufsnrs

speech of Senator Lyle In Support of
HIS Resolution.
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Lyle made
the following remarks in favor of the reso-
luton introduced by him on Friday:
Mr.. Speaker and Gentlemen of the SEN
ate: The resolution just read contains, as
You all know, no new project of mine, but
it contains living principle as old as the
government, although dead 30 far as the
last four years legislation of Tennessee is
concerned, and is cherished in the honest
patriots heart, and will burst forth, sooner
or later, to the disgrace of all its opposers.
What is this principle? 1t is, Mr..
Speaker, that taxation and representation
are inseparable, and should through right
and Justice go hand 10 hand. Now, how
stands the case?
Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen Of the SEN
ate, we have been here now, altogether,
nearly eleven months, and have been sub
sisting mostly on the substance
of men who had no voice
nor choice in our coming here. Can we,
as men wishing to do to others as we
would have others do unto us, say that this
ia just and right2 If Mr.. Speaker, it is
because of their participation in the re-
bellion that they are made to pay tax
without representation, why should they
not all be treated alikes | know some,
Mr.. Speaker, that participated largely in
the rebellion, that are now prominent lead
ers in the Radical party of the State.
Are they any better than those who have
conscientious scruples in regard to taking
an oath-such an oath as would
entitle man under our laws 10 vote? l
think not, sir. Has not the government OF
| the United States pardoned them for their
| participation in the rebellion against the
| same? / contend that no man has right
| to govern another man without his con-
| sent. Now how stands the matter with
us? We are not only governing some men
| without their consent, but we are actually
| applying their own substance to do
it. How long this state of affairs
will exist do not know, but certainly not
long, although from certain indications re-
lief for the many grievances of the people
is not looked for from the present General
Assembly. l am in hopes, Mr.. Speaker,
that this resolution will pass, and that
Senators will 60 to work in earnest for the
good of the whole people of the State by
perfecting some proposition, either as an
amendment to the constitution of the State
| or by the passage of some act which will
equalizs taxation and representation and
thereby give peace and prosperity to our
distracted but beloved State. You are now
upon the eve of adjournment without
touching this question, and you are
further from it to-day than the frsl
month after you arrived here. l claim
TO be as good Republican as any man
on the floor, but want principles to do my
fighting instead of bayonets. Let US come
out and let US do justice 10 every man in
the State. We have class of men voting
who do not pay any taxes whatever, and
we are sitting here feeding upon the sub
stance Of men who are debarred the privi-
lege of voting, and who pay taxes 10 sup
port Us. l hope the resolution will be
adopted and that this Senate will devise
some plan by which justice will be melted
out to every man in the State. / know,
Mr.. Speaker, that there has been some
depredations committed in different locali-
ties in the State, but there are bad men in
all parts of the world, and it is wonder
to me that more crimes have not been
committed than there really have. 1t is
time that we should look after the interests
Of these people; they are the tax pay ers,
to a great extent, and should they not be
represented on this foor7 / hope the Con-
stilutional Committee will 60 to work and
report some plan by which taxation may
be made uniform. | move the adoption
of the resolution.
The resolution was referred to the Com
mittee on Constitution.