Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-06
Gcorgia-A Few Facts.

| Debate on the eorgla bill was resumed.
MIR. Farnsworth continued his argument
against the bill He contradicted the state
ment made yesterday by Mr.. Butler, that
only two members from Georgia had been
| admitted to the House last Congress, and
those through mistake, the fact being
six members out of seven were admitted.
Provisional.
In criticism of the theory that the Gov
eminent of Georgia was only provisional,
he called attention to the fact that Gov.
Bullock, of Georgia, did not sign himself
Provisional Governor OF Georgia, but Gov
ernor of Georgia; that his messages to the
Legislature were not addressed to the Pro-
visional Legislature, but to the Legislature
of Georgia that the test oath which all
officers of Provisional Governments were
required to take was not taken by the Off
GERS of the existing State Government.
Besides he also wanted to know whether
Provisional Government could ratify an
amendment of the Constitution Of the
United States. What became of the ratifi-
cation of the Fourteenth Amendment by
the Legislature of Georgia, if the theory
was correct that the Legislature was only
provisional as alleged?
Mr. Lawrence replied that provisional
116RlSlhlUTt ID d til4o 6ltu Ddl
the same power with the scope of its au-
thority as any other Legislature.
Were the Qualifications EIIcgaIl
Mr.. Farnsworth remarked, asserting to
this bill, that the Georgia Legislature was
not only provisional, but was illegal, and
the logic of the bill, as well as the speech of
Mr.. Buler yesterday, was that everything
done by that Legislature, including the
election of United States Senators, was il
legal. Therefore, its ratification of the
Fourteenth Amendment was also illegal.
Why not as well declare that Bullock shall
be Governor of Georgia six years or for
life? Why, it was monstrous and more
monstrous still in the face and eyes of the
fact that the same Governor was charged
by the State of Tennessee with stealing and
appropriating money of the State.
How TO Manage NcIv York.
The only excuse for the Bill was, that
if not passed the Republican party would
lose the next election in Georgia. He was
afraid they would also lose the next election
in the State of New York.
Mr.. Stevenson Of 0hio-How would you
save it?
Mr.. Farnsworth Ironically Why of
course pass a law installing Republican
officers there, and providing their tenure
Of Office shall be for life. There is an
easier way of maintaining our ascending in
nation than by holding elections that way
is by an act of Congress, that is the way
to do it.
The Cry of Murder.
The gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr..
Butler, had yesterday, raised the cry of
murder in the House. Whenever he
wanted to pass one of his reconstruction
bills he got up in the House and cried
Murder, murder, and by a howl and cry of
that sort got the bill passed. Whenever
one Of these bills was to be passed, the
Washington Chronicle published an ac-
count of some great outrage, and immedi-
ately the Reconstruction Committee was
called together and bill reported to the
House.
Pathetic story OF the Troubles OF "a
LoyaIisL.
He remembered that last year a
gent-a very clever fellow, but whose
politics were always those of the reigning
dynasty, who had sold arms to the people
of Georgia, in the winter of 1861 and 1862,
with which to shoot down Union soldiers,
went to Georgia, and with the assistance of
Gov Bullock, manipulated the Legislature
and got committee appointed to examine
his claim for the payment of those arms.
The committee was manipulated so as to
make . favorable report, but the Legisla-
ture refused to adopt or pay the claim,
thereupon the man came to Washington
full OF sorrow, his heart wrung TO its
depth and with tears in his eyes, over the
terrible persecution of thenegroes and loyal
men of Georgia. That man was in favor
of the reconstruction of Georgia at once.
What was the object of his touching story
1t was this: He could get his S25, 900 and
| interest, for the arms he had sold the State
of Georgia.
"a Most Internal Oufragc''
He Farnsworth) felt that the passage of
the bill, and prolonging Of the terms of
| Office of the men who now controlled the
| State, authorizing Gov. Bullock to COM
mence denovo, and putting the power Of
| the State into his hands, would be most
internal outrage on the taxpayers of the
| State. lie believed the bill was in the in
terest of people, who desired to perpetuate
their reign, so they might put money IN
| their purses.
| A Radicals Reply.
| Mr. Lawrence made legal argument in
defense of the bill, and to prove that the
| present State Government of Georgia IS
only provisional.
Much of his speech was in reply to OBJ
iections and questions put by Mr. Farms
worth, one of these was to the point that
the Senate had treated Georgia not as a
| provisional Government, but as an actual
State Government, to which Mr.. Lawrence
replied in suggestion which caused some
laughter, that the Senate had not yet read
Mr.. Farnsworth's speech.
| Trusting TO Providence.
In reply to the suggestion of Mr.. May
ham that the State would not have been
interfered with by Congress had it not
been for the expulsion of the negro MEM
bers of the Legislature. Mr.. Lawrence
said that God in his providence had per-
mitted the Rebels so to demean themselves
as to finally bring Congress to a sense Of
its duty, and enable Congress to do what it
should have done before. 1t was not the
first instance of the kind in history.
MI Eldridge asked whether Georgia
would have been reconstructed if she had
sent to Congress a rabid, fanatical Repub-
lican delegation.
Mr.. Lawrence replied that, if Georgia
had sent to both Houses a regular Radica
set of Representatives and Senators, as she
ought to have done, and she had also ex
cluded from the Legislature colored Re
publicans, Congress would have take1
Georgia, for that crime against the Constr
tuition, God and humanity, into her militia
~ control and reconstructed her.
spirited.
In reply TO another remark of Mr.. Ed
ridge on the subject of paying the war debt
| 7 ,ur,r,,., lid Fbot InppraSc NvnJ1i1 in
crease the tax on whisky, and thus MAKE
the Democratic party contribute its share
| Laughter.
IssadiCalisnB SnhaSks-
In reply TO the question of Mr.. Farms
| worth as to when had a Provisional Legis
, | lature ratified a constitutional amendment
} | he asked when had anything else but Pro
visional Legislatures In every one OF tn
late Rebel States ratified a constitutions
amendment!
MIR. Farusworth-Never, never.
: Mr.. Lawrence undertake to say tina
: every ratification of the Thirteenth, Fom
/. teenth and Fifteenth Amendments has bee
: by Provisional Governments, and befor
q the State was entitled to representation Il
= | Congress.
Mr.. Farnsworth-The 18th Amendment
got its validity by the ratification OF thos
States that were in the Union.
= Mr.. Lawrence repeated his assertion, an
the discussion on the point was continue
y some time longer. He was allowed to oC
{, cupy the floor one hour and three-quarters
e and his speech attracted close attention o
Il the members.
d Simplicity.
g Mr.. Beck addressed the House in oppos
| u Al. o,r4,nlinrr tlaf n A IaU1ll,