Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-26

/ WIS UuhllllCI 10 UOt(i- O1ltC6, afQ ne
should not be debarred from it.
1 Again, l do not see the grounds or rea-
son for SO much speculation il regard to
| nv motives; for it is well known, from
one end of the State to the other, to every.
man, woman and child, who has heard
me on the stand, Ii private conversation,
| or ID print has read my opinions ever.
stree the adoption of the fourteenth.
| amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, knows have been in favor
of relieving every man of bis disabilities
" aea applying Ito have them removed,
and in this l have not failed or refused in
a single instance.
have, during the present session, pre-
sentei asbill to the House every Monday,
with scarcely an exceptions, for the last 4
five months, containing from FIVE to
twenty names, and have proclaimed on
the floor that1 was ready and willing to
relieve all who desired it. After having
presented bill after bill every Monday
containing the names of so many of the
leaders, il occurs to me that it would seem
but natural for man situated as | am, to
endeayort TO make one bill answer for all,
and thereby save paper, ink, time and
further trouble. In word, if you re-
fuse to let man vote, you can very prop |
erly say he shall not hold Office; but if /
you declare be msy vote, you cannot con-
sistently say he shall not hold Office. As /
| said before, this is no new doctrine with /
me. i took this ground in the canvass of
1855, when my opponents said, 'Let al
vote, but not hold Office" | commended /
if man was a voter, he should be alsoi
able to hold office. But, said some, it
will let in such men as Lee, Davis, Hair
ris, Toombs and other leaders. We'll,
suppose it does, where is the wrong2 Has
not the Government had JEFF Davis in /
hand five long years2 Have they proved
him guilty of a single thing, except hav
ing on his wife's petticost or dress, when
he was captured2 Did not the President
offer reward of one hundred thousand
dollars for his arrest9 Was not mem
Der of the Committee thar divided the
money between the two regiments that
captured him? One hundred thousand
dollars of the peoples money paid TO cap
ture this great criminal, and yet no proof
of his having committed treason, high
crimes, or misdemesnors. Nothing posi-
live against him except as above stated.
AS for Gen. Lee, Iwould ask, would
not thousand men in the Rebel army
have been proud of and accepted the
position Of Commander-in-chiet Of the |
Confederate forces /,
Gen. Grant said 10 President Johnson,
when he wanted to arrest and try him
'YOu must let Gen. Lee alone; you can't
ry or hurt him while he observes his ]
,arole. = So s-s~rs fg~-ss.. go. 81
They say, also, there is that great trail
or, Bob Toombs, are you going to let
lin in2 Yes, let him in; perhaps Ack- 5
rman, the new Attorney General, may
iced his assistance, and as he had once q
,iven Alderman a place on bis staff 1t !
would seem but natural that such a turn
bout would be but fair play.
Now, sir, you can see the motives that {
ave actuated me- There has been and s
viii be no inconsistency in my course.
have proclaimed from every stump that
was in favor of relieving every man, if | j
e would simply signify his desire to have
is disabilities removed. Under those
circumstances if they were all to sign the | ]
anne petition, would be compelled to
rant their relief, or falsify my former
lodges.
Now, sir, there is another point gained
{ we make clean sweep. That is, you | 4
arrow the thing down to two parties, the
republican and the old Democratic. The
ormer would put forward their truest and 9
est men; the latter would Of course do
be same. There would be no middle, i
r milk and cider men. They would stand
% chance. To illustrate: suppose there =
q clean sweep and all relieved. Dorsey B.
'homss and Col. Whitthorne arecandidates ;
or Congress- Republican steps OUT
dorsey would have to throw up the sponge \
r the Republican would step in. OF 2
curse Dorsey could have no show J
gainst Whitthorne, for Col. w. was | n
7ue and tried Rebel soldier and Demo- 8
rat, while Dorsey was neither. This is D
s it should be, for tell you in all can
or that would prefer to be represented
1 Congress by straight-out ex-Rebel
older than quasi Union man and mis-
hief-maker ike Dorsey and others of
ne same stripe. F.
In CONCLUSION, l will state that l shall {
ltroduce tomorrow another bill with |
our az classes excepted, and if that fails Z
will then try to press one through to re- f
eve every man in my own Congressional g
istrict, so as to let on the track Savage, \
ardeuhire, Dibbrell, Colmes, Murray G
nd others, and then for jolly time.
After asking your pardon for the
myth of this letter, l am truly your v
lend, Es tE8 w. B. STOKES. O
P. S.-Since writing the above, the y y
Committee, through their i
hartman, introduced general bill, with o.
My two or three classes excepted, which L
wed me the trouble of presenting sec a
nd bill, as indicated above. Whether e
lie course being pursued by me walked "a
p the committee or not, it is fact, they \
ave been from some cause induced to
love, and l trust the movement may | Il
rove successful, and thereupon '1et US
ave peace" w. B. STOKES. G.