Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-01-21


msr,-apd for the truth Of this we appea
% history. and challenge the world Il
,sbow a angle exception. We hold tha
,bs inferiority of the negro TO the white
man in race, color and capacity for per
manent, we'll ordered government, hal
heen fixed by Him who doeth all thing
well. and whose natural or revealed Law
has never been violated by any human
government without disaster and eonfu.
siop. The proud Castilian violated
this natural law, when, instead o.
recognizing 10 the body polite the
distinction which God bad made between
him and the Aztec, the Indian and ne.
GRO. he made them politically equal, and
swiit destruction came upon him, mas
much that his pure blood cannot now be
traced in the mongrel miscegenating
horde, who, by never-ceasing revelation
and civil strife, desolate the rich and
beautiful lands Of Mexico. We hold that
the elective franchise is the highest
browning right which can be held by q
free man. The which, when man shall
DO legally entitled to enjoy these, doth
nece ssarily follow those incidents, the
right to sit on juries, to hold office ~nat
Ia more terrible to contemplateY), the
right to social equality and intermarriage.
We hold that this Convention should not
he meyed by fear Of arbitrary power to
sbut their eyes to the light Of experience,
and falling in with the fanaticism OF the
hour, deny the truth, aud blindly rush IN
defiance of the natural law of God to the
confusion of our race, and destruction
of the Government our fathers left us.
We hold that the people Of Tennessee
hvae the right to consider this lremen-
dous question for themselves as a sepaa-
rate. distinct proposition, as the people
Of New York, Ohio, Michigan, Mime.
sofa. Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and
Connections have lately done; aud hsv-
iuq considered it in oil its bearings, to
decide 1t for themselves, free from the
incumbrance of any other questions;
and that any attempt by this Convention
to prevent fair expression of their will,
by refusing to allow the people to vote
upon it as a separate question will be q
gross violation Of the rights OF the people,
and of the principles of Republican and
Democratic government Especially so
in this case, because no expression OF the
will OF The people, or general discussion
mon il. was had pending the election in
a large msjority Of the districts repre-
sented by delegates in this Convention,
and in a great many the question was
not even mentioned, and deliberate dis
cussion was impossible in the brief time
between the call of the Convention and
election Of delegates. !,
Therefore, in behalf OF the people OF
Tennessee, and in view of the fact that
no convention of any State in the United
States has refused to submit this ques-
ton as a separate proposition back to
the people, asd following the precedent
of the States above mentioned, and IN
order that the discussion and delibera-
ton. and the light of events which may
'transpire between the adjournment OF
this Convention and the time liked for
the vote of the people may be had; hav-
ing also the utmost confidence that when
said subject has been fully discussed,
delibers,ed upon and weighed, the peo-
pie will do right, it is recommended that
this Convention adopt the following, to-
wit: That on the - day of -,
A. D. 49,, the polls shall be opened at
the respective voting places in each
county in this State by the proper officers,
and those who are in favor of extending
the right of suffrage to the negro equally
with the white man shall have printed or
written on their ballots Negro Suffrage"
and those opposed to the negro's being
allowed equally with the white man
the right of the elective franchise,
shall have written or printed on their
ballots "White Suffrage" and in case a
majority of the qualified electors vote in
said election Negro Suffrage" then the
word #" white" in the first line of article
4, section of the Constitution of Ten
nessee shall be stricken out. But if
majority of said electors shall vote
"Thite Suffrage" then said section shall
read as fellows: Every free white man
of the age Of twenty-one years, being a
citizen of the United States, and citi
zen of the county wherein he may fer
his vote six months next preceding the
date of the election, shall be entitled to
vote for members Of the General Assem-
BY and other civil officers for the county
or district in which be resides.
Respectfully submitted.
JAMES FESTREss,
WIN. 81. WILLIAMSON,
81. R. BATE,
W. CUMMINGS
On motion of Mr. Nicholson, the re-
nort was ordapad laid on the table with