Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-15
THE sITUATION.


THE SITUATION as {
The Franchise Questton-A Coieres
Man Wants Light ktlAi
To the Editors of the Union and American:
have read with good deal Of interes
an article in your paper of yesterday.
issue, headed Tennessee Politics. What
was Decided by the Late Eiection-Th
Demands of the Hcur-The Voice Of The
Press.'' The article is from the Memphis
Appeal of the 10th. In pursuance ofthe
demands of the hour" wish respect~
fully to demand light on the question
there obviously raised, that may make
myself understood. will quote few
sentences from said article. shall only
quote such sentences as I wish light
upon. The Appeal says: "Fhs princi.
pies involved in the contest which closed
so disastriously for Radicalism on Thurs
day last, ought not to be inexperienced
at home or abroad, and we mean that they
shall not" "a correct appreciation of the
issues at stake in the election, viii save
us much trouble in our domestic affairs"
"At no time in the history Of the whole
country or that of our Seate, was it ever
so important that the real significance of
| our election should be precisely UNDER
stood, and the extent of the revolution
effected by it exactly measured Spar
ties long since disintegrated or now dis
migrating, coalesced and made up the
great popular forces that have overthown
most odious state despotism.'' sit was
from Tammany Hall, under the auspicies
of National Democratic Convention, and
backed by its influence, that the expos
ures OF the wrongs and expressions in
fiicted on the people of Tennessee first
went forth to the masses of the Nor tn"
"The real questions involved in the
contest, and indeed :he only questions,
were set forth in the report on the po-
litical condition of Tennessee, presented
to the National Democratic Convention,
assembled in New York in 1865" "That
paper emanated from Tennesseans, and
clearly defined then for our people the
issues they had to meet" "rhese issues
can be briefly epitomised from that docu-
men, which then received the approval
and assent of the great mass of the white
people of the State. 1t demands that
the government Of Tennessee shall be
restored to the ancient electoral body of
the State, which was the white people,
claiming that it had been illegally and by |
usurpation wrested from them" at |
exhibited the intelligence thu props
erty and industry of the State
as under the control Of illiterate negroes
and vagabonds." "To reform these evils |
and restore the State Government to the |
control Of the old electoral body, sums |
up the entire purpose of those who sups |
ported Senter. His triumph hath bet |
to this extent and no more. His adver- |
sary was opposed TO this consummation
and was beaten" Now, Messr5 Editors,
as l have been absent for the past four
teen months, with the exception of a |
few days last spring. and am not as well
posted as desire to be, you will please
pardon me for thus seeking information.
During my travels North l was
asked by those who l be-
lieve sincerely desire the peace
and prosperity of this portion of
our great republic, if | believed that
the men who formerly owned the col
ored people would, if they could, deprive
them of their present political privileges.
said that l had not learned anything
on the subject that led
me to such q conclusion. Candor re,
CURED me to say that had no doubt that
there were white persons desifous to do
so, but the leading, solid, substantial
citizens, / thought, were anxious to regain
their own political privileges, and that
they were in good faith disposed to ac-
cept the present situation as regards the
cclored people, whose conduct they found
no fault with when they left the welfare
and even the lives OF their families in
their hands when they were from home
fighting for the lost cause. l returned
to my native State in time t.. hesr two
or three discussions on the question at
issue in the recent canvass. From what
| could learn in the somewhat confused
state of Tennessee politics, there was but
one question properly before the people,
3 question upon which many of US had
thought and some of US spoken, as did
at our Capitol at a citizens meeting last
spring, at which time / defined for my
self my position, and as l knew of no
other question Of vital Importance in the
very naturally desired that it
should succeed. L of course mean the
universal suffrage question. The first
discussion l attended, l heard our fellow
William G Brien, say that ''if
any man told the colored people that his
party wished to deprive them of a
single political right that they now
possess, that such an one lied and he
knew it." was glad to hear that from
him; particularly so, inasuuch as he was
opposed to the fifteenth amendment. But
what now? Do the press in Tennessee
indorse the Appeal? We have often been
told that we are actuated by hatred
when we differ with our fellowscitizens,
and that when we hesitate to act, even
in the absence Of single promise, that
we fail to look to our best interest.
There should be better understanding |
between the citizens of the same State
and country. 1t appears that Republi-
can journal in Washington IS calling at
tention to a mistake. There are more
ways than one to make mistake. l have |
experienced something Of that sort by |
believing men whose words aid acts |
were about as homogeneous as oil and |
water. But for the present must stop |
and await the approach of the desired
light. ID. WATKINS.
Aug. 13, 1868.