Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-01
The TWO Leading Radical Repre-
! sentative Papers Of the is
/ North ON the -. .,,,,.
aesis's i; qqs ueStlehs sa1 i', ..
Political Prescription no Longer
! Admissible ~ The Whites
Must be EnfranchiSed.
THE TENNESSEE ELEoTIoE.
From the Chicago Tribune. May a.

4 - /.
Republican, but in this contest the
chances are that the candidate having
| the support of The Democrats will be
elected. = g9s n q ~ 4E 81
| The difference between the two can
didates is not wholly personal; it ex-
tends to political matters as we'll. Col.
Stokes represents the extremists-the
men who, having got the negro popula-
ton enfranchised and invested with the
same political privileges as the whites,
and having got the entire former
Rebel population disqualified from vot.
ing and holding Office, insist up
on maintaining this condition of
things permanently. He represents the
faction which will not tolerate the exs
Rebels as voters, and which scouts and
rejects universal suffrage coupled with
universal amnesty. Gov. Senter repre-,
sents that portion Of the party which
proposes TO relax the disfranchisement
/ which followed the war, and, with sui,
frage secured to the freedmen, contems
plates the restoration of The same privi-
lege to the white population, without
| reference 10 the Rebellion. In this policy
he is sustained by Gov. Brownlow, who,
| IN his day, has been as extreme as any
person in the State in his rigorous treats
ment Of the Rebels, but who now thinks
that the peace and prosperity of the
whole people may be best promoted by
equality of political rights.
Looking at this question from nation
| al point OF view, we cannot forboar saving
that Gov. Senter represents the better
policy. To prolong the political punish
ment of the Rebels is neithe wise nor Just.
They constitute "a large portion of the
people OF Tennessee. Thousands Of their
sons have reached manhood since the
close of the war, and, annually there are
large additions to the number who feel
the disfranchisement of their relatives
and friends keenly, and resent it as a
personal outrsge. While the disfran-
chisement continues, the ex-Rebels and
their friends must regard themselves, in
the contemplation of Law, as alien ene-
mics in their native State, and they will
be very likely to assume the attitude
which the law gives them. Every year
Of dlsfranchisement serves to embitter
them against the existing government,
and tends to strengthen their purpose,
when they do get power, to retaliate
upon their enemies. Good policy de-
nands the earliest and most liberal re-
taxation OF the existing rule. The Res
publican party has battled Cor equality,
and not for the overthrow of one oligs
archy that another might be set up in
its place. To amend the suffrage
law so as TO admit all tia nAnplA TO Abe
privilege Of voting is the true policy, and
the one which commends itself to the
Judgment of every thinking man in the
North. 1t is impossible-indeed it is al
ready announced-that Senter will get
the votes of all who favor the enlarge.
ment Of the suffrage, irrespective Of par.
ty. A disruption Of the Republican par.
ty in Tennessee, however unfortunate
that may be, is not the worst that could
befall the State. The political rights of
the blacks are no longer dependent upon
State law and regulation. Even if the
Democrats should attain power in the
State, they could not deprive the colored
men of their right to vote, and, so long
as the law gives to the freedman the bal.
lot with which to defend his liberties, he
stands in all respects upon a political
equality with his countrymen, and must
not expect higher privileges than those
which are common to all. gErT = =
THE WHITE MUST HAVE THE BALLOT.
The following significant editorial arts
Gle on Texas from the New York IFi-
GuRe, hath double application to the
situation in Tennessee. The Tribune
says: r-s u
There is party in Texas opposed to
an early election in that State for the
frankly avowed reason that they do not
feel sure that they could carry it.
This party is composed Of Republicans,
but it does by no means compose the
Republican party. 1t is so dissatisfied
that the constitutional convention failed
| to disfranchise and exclude from Office
all who had been Rebels, that it would
vote down the proposed constitution if
it could. Feeling unequal to that task,
! it runs to Washington and importunes
| the President to put off the election to
the latest possible day. Gen. Grant, we
| rejoice to hear, has declined to follow
the counsels of this party, and will pro-
baby order an election in August, so
that it shall fall between the heavy la
bors Of making the years crop, and the
less hurried yet busy season of cotton-
picking. We hope to hear that his reso-
luton on this point is inhexible.
| We can make every allowance for
those Texas Republicans who insist on
sweeping measure for Rebel disfranchise-
ment. Their experience of violence, OPP
preston and butchery from an early PEI
Rod in 1861 down to the news Of Grants
election in 1868, were fearful, and they
naturally dread even possibility Of the
return of Rebel domination. Not hay
ing yet learned that killing men will
never teach men not to kill-that pro-
scription will never prevent prescription
They look to the Federal government to
keep them eyermore in power and their
late prosecutors under foot They forget
| that our government must be republican
or despotic, and that rule based on the
| prescription of full third of the adult
males-this third comprising two thirds
Of the property, with very large share
, 1 Of the natural ability, experience and in
teligence which are presumed to fit men
for responsible participation in politics
lis questionably republican. 1t may do
-pay,i. muslin the immediate pres
ence of formidable rebellion it can
| not be maintained indefinitely after that
, | rebellion has thrown down its arms. Our
Southern Republicans are quite free in
: telling us what they must have and
: how impossible it is that they should
: live under Rebel rule; we tell them in
: turn that it is impossible that we should
: perpetuate o rale over the South in
g which the people of the South, or any
considerable share of them are denied 4
voice. If we should attempt to do it
: we should simply sacrifice our ascendan
ey in the North & and they can judg'
0 where this would leave the Republican,
9 OF the South. We can do and dar,
y much here for equal human rights
i We are a shorn Samson. wherever W
y shall undertaketO argue and insist tina
II part of the Southern people ought t
d be disfranchisedy and powsfless ever
d more. We know that we can maintai
j. no such position, and we are nowise in
IS elined to attemptit. Is rES't;,E
"Then the Rebels. will sweep th
South" esNgWf. 1Alh
N No, they will not With, universs
in amnesty and impartial suffrage, there
h | decided majority Of the legal voters