Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-01-15
The FRANCHISE.

would ADOPT measures looking 10 the |
relief OF the disfranchiscd misses in
this state, the action of the House in
rcgarttto the bill of Mr.. Richards, on
Saturday last, Will undoubtedly OBJ
litcratc it. As for ourselves, we are
not Disappointed; but on the contra
ry, any display of magnanimity or
show Of justice ON the part Of East
Tennessee members, would have been
almost sufficient to strike us dumb
With establishment.
Civil revolutions, like troubled wa
ters, never fall TO bring the drcgs to
tho surface, and the subsidence of the
late rebellion left floating upon the
political tide in our State tho most
voracious aud illiterate set of cormo-
rants that ever afllictcda free and en-.
lightened people. Elevated to place
and power amid q storm of passion,
how could 1t be otherwise? The crea-
lures Of envy and malice, how can
they cherish other than feelings of
hatred for n gallant but conquered
foe? As the toolsof oppression, they
have only acted well their part.
1t il refreshing, however, to observe
that the tone and temper Of the East
Tcnncssce faction Is not reflected by
the entire Radical party of the State.
Secretnny Fletcher, by far the ablest
leader, and in fact the brains of the
dominant party, is out in n letter, in
which he strongly urges the removal
Of all political disabilities from the
now DISTINGUISHED portion of our citi-
Gems, and deplores the obstinacy and
,tardiness OF, those 10 power, In regard
to thls simple act of justice.
Mr.. Fletcher is accused of having
some aspirations for the gubernatorial
chair, and this has brought down up.
on his dev0tod head all tho spleen and
sarcasm of the pets OF tho "royal
household" After defending himself
against the unjust and malignant at
lacks Of tho extremists, he refers to
the franchise question as follows:
Candor requires me to say that I differ
with some of our party rs to the temper
with which cx-rcbcls should be treated
The state Government shoald have consid.
cred itself as standing in loco PARENTS 10 the
Whoie people of the state. II should have
,lrcn OF Tennesscc--to heal and soothe
rather than to irritate and provoke dissen.
sions-to cure up rather than tear open the
wounds which the war had inflicted upon
the body polite. 1t was absolutely neces.
sary that while the passions of the people
were yet innamcd and heated by the war
that the victorious minority should be pro
tectcd from the majority. A partial nnt
conditional Acknowledgement conld not b,
avoided. our mistake was that We mad,
the Franchise Law sweeping nj pcrpetua
--olFarinrno hope or induccmctrt 10 the cx
rebels to become loyal.
Tliis excessively severe policy OF our par
~ II about to produce its natural conse
,lienclS. Tdis hQrrolC policy is about 10 er
lsbI.1 for me ,rtt,,t OF cd'i6cT. / We had nj
lowed the courts or the Legislature, OF If W,
had provided special tribunal, to rclicv
such as manifested n ioyul and patriot
splritwc would have manifested a propc
spirit, and would have built up orr part,
und'hayc made IL inprcgnublo Instead o
THIS we are growing weaker daily. an,
many OF our best men have become dis
gustcd and declared openly for universe
suffrage at once. The Confcderntcs will er
long get this boon Ia spite Of ", and II,
thanks 20 VS., and VIII be The less incline
to lcuioncy. The only justiicntion tina
can he offered COR the disfrunc hlscmcnt c
any eitlzen is the protection of the minoI
ity. pity the man who would disfran
chisc his ncighhur Tor his own qualification
While we can not admit that
franchise law was at all necessary
NO should certainly have prcferre
one based upon his liberal views, am
would chccrfully forgive, if We coul
not forget, the errors Of the past,
there was any disposition manifesto
t. make amends oven in the futur,
We fully agree with Mr.. Fletcher
that "the Confederate (so.callcl, vii
orc long get this boon in spite OF u
and no thanks 10 us;" but We areno
prepared 10 believe that they will b
The less inclined 10 lcuicncy,n Thcr
can he no justification offered for Ill
Acknowledgement Of any whitecitizc
Of Tennessee, and the Conscrvativ
party docs not propose todo anythin
uniustitiuhlc.
THE present peace and future pro
per,ty OF the State demand the in
mediate and unconditional repeal
the odious law IN question, and Il
refusal of the Legislature 10 do thi
r. uumistokablc evidence that Il
majority of its members either do n
desire peace or are grossly ignorant
the solemn duties they have undc
taken 10 perform. In either ease, a
Fament would be uuapprrciatcd ~
NnlNailhlg.
\ BILL Is now before the I.cgisl
,urv la incorporate an association
manufacturers aud miners, and 4
,mpting them from taxation for
pcrind OF ten years. II Is by far &
most important measure, next 10 {
franchise question, which has be
introduced during the present seSsiC
AMI VIC hope 20 sec hadoptct
TINkER DAVE, Who hgnred son
,,.ao, .xtpnsivrlN i'm East Tonnes.