Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-13


Vocate their continuance. As one Acknowledged
equal responsibility with any, say II neve
needful 10 the States safety, / sincerely regre
tive in their support was the public safety. the
| / trust to be forgiven Of all men as stand ap
| proved in my own conscience. Let US | bu
| makea Mecca of the stand-pOints Of our oppo
| nents and when we have jOurneyed thither AM
| felt the influences which may have actuatet
| them, L can but deem it viii tend to soiteI
asperity and inspire the holy spirit OF reconclia
| ton. II there was, or not. demand ~ the stare
| safety for the temporary Acknowledgement OF
| portion of her people, may only be known q
| 0mniscience Be this it as it may, even thu
| party which, under the claim and convietion
Of demand for public safety are Iesponslnle lor
| never eontsm plated the perpetuity OF such dis
franchisement. And. as time in its course as
| sured more and more the States safety, IN tn'
| councils of that party feebler and feebler grew
| the voice of caution and warning, and louder
| and holder the tones when. under the inspira
ton Of the nations institutions, demanded, VILE
the States stability. party progress 10 the prln
eiples cfliberty, equality and liberal Justice, II
| which must rest the foundations Of all partte!
which command success or the confidence and
approval of an intelligent and free people
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
For all human ken to the contrary. 1t may
have been ordained. in the plan Ell oVer-ruii,ng
Providence, that in the fuilne ct time THIS
nation should honor itself by vindieatlng, IN
the conformity of practice with theory, thai
first great " self-evIdent TRUTH, uttered ~ o, rs
immortal declaration of independence, tna'
all men are created equal" Be this rs II may,
it was result of the war that the sun-ilgnt
which fell upon the soil of this American Re
public shone on none slave; and events since
have, under the laws of this state, cl0tned e g
race, raised from servitude to freedom, win az
the rights and privileges of citizens within ats
limits.
With the appeal Of our State interest for quiet
and rest from political turmoil; with the 0mln.
GUS memory that violent political agltan0ns
n tad nit rQFA evils
of a Pandora's box to the people OF the south;
IS there party with us rash enough 70 propose
destruction or disturbance of these privileges!
The popular intelligence would eondema III
Will people who have Just won their own en-
reimbursement under the unansWerable claim
of seeking only to enjoy the blessing IN common
with all other citizens. signalize their victory
by undertaking to wrest the same blessing rom
others whose generous aid has contributed
greatly to their success? Honor aud justice
make solemn pIotest
Can the liberal spirit of the age and the re-
public's fundamental idea of equality before the
law be violated and the vested privileges Of 40.
600 citizens ruthlessly torn from tn EN-, without
q shock threatening to public interest, even II
it do not endanger cOnvulsi0n2 Reason makes
denial. Then, under the dictates OF public in
telligence honor, justice and reason, the colOred
mans suffrage may be safely reckoned liked
fact in Tennessee.
What, then. are the purposes. so far as this
race Is concerned, of the proposed amendment
to the constitution of the UAited States Not
to confer special immunitiss. or compel any So
eial equality of the colored people against the
will and consent of others. but only to protect
them against being deprived of privileges
against their own. To afford them the right OF
citizenship and equality before the law in every
part of the land, to simply extend and secure
TO them the same privileges in Ohio and Msssa-
chusetts which they enjoy in Tennessee.
Is it claimed their degradation would render
them, as citizens, dangerous to the public inter
est May it not be technically asked, II the
L. ko1 khorg AaFl1Tra
ished. by adding degradation and denying OPP
p0rtunity of improvement?
Is it charged. By their ignorance they are IN
entitled to voice in the selection of those who
make the laws they must equally obey, and for
violation of which they are held to equal ha>
bility; does not this strike at the whole idea Of
reciprocal obligations and rights fundamental
to this representative republic?
l know it Is. with vehemence, urged that col
Ored suffrage and equality in citizenship are
repugnant to the American people, and that
it is even opposed by large majority Of
the Northern States. But l submit to candOr
If this is not the cry of a party rather than the
voice of the country, spoken through its law
fully constituted authorities-aye, and OF a
party which, let it be deliberately pOndered,
has little cause, for its honor. 10 crave balance
sheet of advantages and disasters its cOunsels
have brought to the people OF this and other
Southern Stq-es. Impartial justice will de-
mand the proof of charg, which may be brought
to degrade race, the fortunes OF which. with
out agency on its part, are identified with
this land; nor will be satisfied with less than
the demonstration of experience
If names of expediency need be added to
those of principle, then. if the objections urged
to coiored citizenship be founded in truth, may
not those who areimmediately charged with the
inter est of the State where it exists. nationally
and rightly protest against concentration OF the
evil upon them, to The exemption OF states
where 1t does not exist. If the intelligence Of
the race be insufficient to quaiits for citizen
ship, it will yet be found enough TO prevent
change Of domicil. from where the advantages
of citizenship are enjoyed to where they are de,
MED. Further, the Congress of the United
States has, by decided msjolity, formally pro,
posed the amendment in question az part OF
the policy of the government and, am I'M
pressed it would. under existing conditions, be
peculiarly fortunate that this State should &C
cept and ratify it.
many Of the Northern people. If not its masses
that they should, for reasons unnecessary to
dwell upO1, secare the colOred population
against apprehended dangers; much may de-
pend upon the action of Tennessee, as to the time
and conditions for the restoration of certain 9TH
er Southern States and their people to their for
mer respective relations with the general gov
eminent, which. identified with her in past sui
ferings, yet have not been equally fortunate IN
regaining their advantages as States IN the
Union.
Again, there are many worthy men of Ten
| nes5ee. who labor under disabilities imposed BY
Congress, and which, consequently, our State
| powers are inadequate TO reach: Joined
| to all this. the State itself. in
| its exhausted condition. has most serlou;
complications with the General Government
| in its railroad and other important material in
terest. The adopt of the amendment by 9
| Legislature more thoroughly representative o.
| her whole people, than any fortune has afforded
| since the war, would at once tend to inspire
confidence with the Northern people, create {
| friendly inter est in Congress, and perhaps Wlr
| the strong. helping hand of the General Gov
4 eminent IN our many wants.
L H. sod NUIfh
/ lions, and by the emphatic declaration OF th'
1 people of Tennessee, at their last election, 10
/ manhood equality before the law and In pontl
cal privileges. would be recreant 70 my 4 GT;
| interest, did l fail to earnestly, yet re
/ az ectfully, recommend the proposed amend
| ment for ratification by your honorable body.
| IMMIGRATION.
If the maxim of political economy, tina
Population is Wealth" is applicable AM
where, tits surely 50 in THIS State, wnere IN
mineral deposits. has lavished so abundant
| all the means of material wealth.
| From the fact that our interests have suffer
ed, thus far, from exaggerated ideas, ABROAD, 5
| our unsettled condition; and because you WI
be regarded as fairly representing our publ
| sentiment / earnestly recommend SUCH actlo
| with regard to the important subject OF INN
| grafton, as will assure all who may desire I
| iOin their fortune with US, and, by thei; indus
| try and enterprise, to aid US in developmeI
and progress; that, to the Inducements ofere
| BY cur soil and climate, will be added that
our people.
OUR FREE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The popular appreciation of free schools (
the surest means of affOrding to all the beneh
/ of education has crown SO rapidly IN all par
of this republic that it is now freely accept!
with the people most enlightened that the chi
dren of State. as the property OF the stat
1 ha al tad v
1t is rare indeed now to find any member
| society objecting to the equal taxation of
property for purposes of educating the chlldr'
} | of the community-whether he himself ha
| children or not. Nor is this, while universal
| to public advaI tage. in any case deemed co
| frary to individual economy; for experience h
I | taught that communities which pay best
| schools are taxed least for crime.
Because of both its popular favor al
f | utility, the free school system Of eve
= | enlightened community Will prominent
!, | command the attention of its lawn
\ kers- The present system in Tennessee "
2 established by an act of the Legislature. pass
1 | March 5, 1867; and. if in no other partlculi
: certainly in that of perfect ana accurate SUPP
: | vision Of disbursements, and for what made
y n vast improvement upon the old. And Wn
deficiencies may have been developer IN 7
practical operations, yet has It, IN results. up
: the whole. been highly beneneiai, II NOT 60
n | DIete there having been, by the report OF I
l. | Efficient Superintendent OF Instruction, reaC
B | ing to July IL, 1862 enrolled total OF l5o
= | pupils for instruction at an average per seI9
e | of less than tifty-seven cents per month; ~
rsports will. however. in due time be SUBMIT
Il | In Won by the Superintendent. and l earnes
e trust your wisdom will be applied to increa
: its already large usefulness For both PoPu
il ton and capital will be induced to the State
!. Enowledge to 10 one that their children q
d have the benefits of education, and tbs feellI
n Of serurity always impaired to the other by
le laws of an enlightened people.
4 CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
/ tia pleasure to me to be able to report Il
a. az Stafe institutions for the care and instr
D, ton respectively. Of the blind and the deaf
3 dumb. are both in gO9d order and SUCCESS cess
AZ onersti0n, The Insane Hospital. also, IS ehec
~ otIv onerated in its charitable purposes.
of An of these institutions, together with GO
st respective unfortunate inmates, perhaps Pls'
ne | bv Providence with us to at once admonlsh
m Uonsr oratitude for our own blessings, and sol
ss and 6umanize our hearts by sympathy for :
j. fering. | confidently commend to your hoeral
"a TIE STATE PENITENTIARY.