Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-03-26
A CONTRAST.
HLOOk on this Picture and then on That"
Senter's Statement 10 GraHt--ThOmas
Statement 10 the Reconstruction
Committee.
Senter says the Operation Of Justice
has Entirely Csassd---ThOmas
says not, and thatwe are a
Peaceful People.


New York Herald's Washington cor
respondent, we reproduce the follow
ing as the gist of SenteT's statement t,
Grant, made in dispatch to tn
President, of which Hyberger, Sen
ter's Secretary, was the bearer:
The dispatches called the attention o.
The President 10 the e.ciSteKce Of q con
dition Of idicEeSsReSS ia Tennessee GShicj
auGs 6eVoRd ms pOiCsT 10 suppress Gkd
the Legislature had repeated the JGlc
0iCsaQ him the right to cal O1a the mil
stiG Of tie State TO suppress C5Oteglce 0IlC
disorder, and to authorize q posse @
citizens 10 pursue and GrraigH cTimi
glGls; that the operation Of justice hGC
entirely ceased, and he tCGs perfectly
gala6le to protect 57llOeOIat persons; alQ
,gaygg Of svBi0ns JCers organized dRC
deliberately murdered citizens lc5th TIE
Pretesse OF lar.
Statement Of Hon. Dorsey B.
Thomas, Speaker Of the Senate, before
the Reconstruction Committee:
To make myself understood it will
hs necessary to review a little of OuI
1,es. .Ssstory as a State. Under Gov.
B-@Trlo,~'s l administration, the right
,1f S,,fIrss,a 1ves~ denied TO q majority OF
the white men on tbe state.
This embraeed ness~ly all the tax
payers and most of the IN SlI15S'ADe VI
the State.
Many who had acquired the Itgnt !
TO suffrage were deprived Of this rlght
without charge or conviction of crime.
They were denied the right TO sit
on iuries, or assist In the arrest OF per
sons charged with crime, unless by
permission.
The Governor had entire control Of
the right OF suffrage, and gave, or
withheld, or withdrew at pleasure.
He appointed the judges Of the
courts, or kad them elected to order,
as he preferred.
The blacks were nearly all voters,
and paid no poll-tax, while the dis
franchised whites paid nearly all the
taxes.
Militia were called out at his pleas
nre and quartered on Us to awe and
intimidate.
Felons, by hundreds, convicted by
their own courts, were turned out of
the state Prison, and enlisted in this
militia.
Secret political societies were formed
all over the State, and the cOlOred
voters, almost without exception III
Quoted therein.
On election days they were gener-
ally marched in solid column TO the
polls and voted to order.
Everything was done that could be
to engender race antagonlsmS ana
ALLEVIATE those whose interests are
identical.
A despotism such as never existed
on this continent before was eStao-
lished and maintained.
The ballot, the courts, the purse and
sword all in the bands Of and under
the control Of one man.
To'protest -gainst this, whether Re
publican. Whig, or Democrat, Union
or Rebel, was political death. None
but suppliaHts at the throne could
live politically, except by accident or
fIy personal power and influence so
strong as to be feared.
OaF fund set apart for common
schools was sguandered and lost.
Our taxes were increased until they
were burdens0ple, and yet the treas
>, y WRs bankrupt.
u NFfnle was frequent and often went
- wished.
unpI IS3,. u q change in administration
~ ~ by the election OF appoint
y WI. ~ tiae NoyernOE BrOwnlOw to the
lllsi.t Ilsi.,,'3 u O. rs Senate, a dawn OF day
III : ll.s7l l,9.- -, bic. Many Of the prOmi-
wa. Wa PSiUel ,.o 20 "a Sa dominant party de-
iSa,s5loI ilS,ie ~, ober, e. They had felt the
,,nlle ,l.uU end did mo- want its burdens
continued. - t,od
Two uromipent men Of the party WtTe
The little glean., ol Isiiff
they had received had revl gSl al al
their former love of liberty ana lL'5e-
dom. Each WED with the OtheL IA
the3- advocacy Of a restoration OF llL'-
ertv and the establishment Of a ne (
publican, representative state Gov /
ernment ..,-.:,;4
THE Supreme Court caught the spirit
and released some twenty thousand /
voters. who had been deprived OF the
right without trial for or CONVICTION OF |
crime. All became liberal and ieit
the time had arrived when we should
f,e set free. The majority OF the pec- 1
DIe had little or no choice between the !
contestants: but one held the power 1
while the other did not, ana interest 1
induced them TO support the ineom-
bent.
A liberal construction of the ffan-
c5lise law was given, and large vote
Was polled. None advocated the con-
tuuation Of the franchise laws, ana
= sy were considered as virtually re-
"a, fed, and vet the forms were Tigidly
80 80. lied with.
'O5Iip 5,ip members elected to the Leglsla-
me e, almost without exception,
Ii's,I, .ie tnlon men.
u I,La y l,loa cry effort has been to repeal
., Il nele - viHinaflBg in t8vGF OF or
~ "a 1isO ESQ pass all laws pe-
,essary ss for the oppression OF crime =
a short TO do al.t ana e. ~ t"-; lidbts =
Is power to restore lhe equa- iss,si /
md protection TO all without r. ia
% race, color or previous condition
% restore the credit Of the state finan-
,ially, politically and morally. That
We have abridged the powers OF the
Is true. We advocated and
we knew it to be necessary to the pre-
servation of republican liberty in the
State. We submit our every act TO
YOUR careful consideration.
To carry out the wishes Of all par
ties. as expressed at the ballOt-box last .
summer, a change in the organic law |
was necessary. For that purpose a
of the people was asked. I
We herewith submit to you their acts,
which If ratified, become the organic
law of the State. II speaks for itself.
The crimes that have been mention
ed in such brilliant colOrs (if commit {
ted at alb have been committed under
their own laws, and while every officer
in the State is OF their own appoint
ing. If il is az they say, let US make
the change. We can't make 1t worse.