Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-29
not even know that any one wished t

| Ut Was Tic tMuSI VI tAO kA1SAfulS WH4
that he did not know who wrote til
article in question, but was certain it wa
written with no intention to do the gen
tleman from Montgomery Injustice. II
could, himself, bear witness that tn
article was entirely erroneous so far a
that gentleman was concerned.
THE FRANcHIsE.
The President announcedthe unfinished
business to be the report of the COMMITTEE
on Franchise.
Mr.. Stephens offered the following
amendment:
Article ", Section EVERY MALI
person of the age of 81 years, being {
citizen of the United States, and of thC
county wherein he may offer his vote fol
one year next preceding the day of cleo.
ton, and a resident in the civil district
wherein he may offer his vote for six
months next preceding the day of cleo
ton, shall be entitled to vote for members
of the General Assembly and other civil
offices of the county or district in which
thew NAV reside. Each voter shall give
to the Judges of the election satisfactory
evidence that he has paid all poll taxes
due by him up to some preceding period
to be fixed by the Legislature, without
which his vote cannot be received All
male citizens of the State shall be subject
to the payment of poll taxes and to the
performance of military duty within such
ages as may be prescribed by law. The
Legislature shall pass laws securing the
freedom of elections and the pnrity of the
ballot-box.
Mr.. Jones, of Lincoln, offered an
amendment to the report of the majority
to strike out the following, ''except that
each voter shall give to the judges of
election, where he offers to vote, satisfac-
tory evidence that he has paid the poll
taxes then due by him, without which his
vote cannot be received" and insert,
''as herein prescribed, and the right to
vote shall be determined by the judges of
the election, without tax receipt or GER
tifcate of registration. He said the OBJ
ject of his proposition was to get rid Of
the provision that payment of poll tax
should be required before the franchise
could be exercised. He said he was OPP
posed to all property qualifications to vote.
He wanted the right of suffrage to befree
and untrammeled, andhe could never vote
that man should come up and purchase
the right of suffrage in any way.
Mr.. Porter, of Henry, was also OPP
posed to the poll tax provision, and he
had an amendment which he would offer
at the proper time.
Mr. Garner favored the poll tax pro-
vision. In his opinion the people of the
State were in favor of it. He believed
that every man who voted should pay
poll-tax, and every man who paid a poll
tax should vote. It took money to run
The Government. This was not pro-
perty qualification; it did not require
nan to own ground enough to bury him
n. He was in favor of requiring twelve
months residence in a county as necessa-
y before a person could vote in that
,ounty.
Mr.. Brooks was not in favor of requir-
ng payment of poll tax as qualification
o vote. He didn't want suffrage ham
,ered by any property qualification.
Mr. Stephens said there. was not
patriot in the whole country who would
object to the payment of poll tax. He
vas willing to stand upon the report of
he majority on this point. The poll tax
vas designed TO reach the floating populs-
ion of the country, and not its yeomanry.
The class that was here to-day and there
class who had a hand in
haping the destinies of the country but
lid not now contribute to its support.
Mr.. Gibbs was opposed to the poll tax
He did not believe the peo-
DE wanted it, and he believed that it
would result disastrously in many cases.
Mr.. Brown, of Henry, believed that it
vas for the interest of the cOlored people
o vote down tle Constitution, and If they
this poll tax provision they
would have an additional reason. He
bought they should make it for the inter-
st of the negroes to vote for the COnsti-
ution. He thought the right to vote
hould be as free as air and water. He
vas opposed to giving the ballot to the |
legrO, bat now let them act towards him |
n good faith
Mr.. Arledge opposed the poll tax quail |
ication on the ground that it would cor
upt the whole machinery of Govern |
nent. He thought were it adopted, |
money could be made to rule almost any |
Election.
Mr. Baxter said this was very impor-
ant question. The property owner paid |
axes to support the Government but
here was class of floating population |
which could not be reached by the tax
collector This class ought to pay some
hing, and he was stronglyin favor of the
,oll tax qualification. He thought they |
,ught to try and get up the very best
Constitution they could.
Mr.. Heiskell moved that the amend
nent of Mr.. Jones, of Lincoln, to the ma
ority report he laid on the table.
The yeas and nays were called for and |
'rdered, resulting-ycas, 40; nays, 81, as
ollows:
Yeas-Messrs. Allen, Baxter, Brandon, |
Brown of Davidson, Brown of Carroll, |
1ibson, and Madison, Burket, Burton,
Campbell, Coffin, Cypert Deaderick, Deav-
IMPORT, Dibrell, Doherty, DromgoOle, |
Eentress, Fielder, Gardner, Garner, Gibbs,
fOrdon, Heiskell, Henderson, Hill of Glib
on, House of Williamson, House Of |
Davidson, Ivic, Jones of Giles, Kenne-
", Key, Kirkpatrick, Mabry, McDougal, |
Ieeks, Nicholson, Porter of Haywood, |
Porter of Henry, Seay, Shepard, Shelton,
stephens, Thompson of Davidson,
Thompson Of Maury, Turner and Wright
AS.
Nays-Messrs. Arledge, Bate, Blizzard,
}ranson, BrittOn, Brooks, Carter, Chown-
ng, Cummings, Finley, Fulkerson, Gaut |
1ibson, Hill of Warren, Jones of Lin
oln, Kyle, McNabb, Martin, Morris, |
Parker, Sample, Staley,
Taylor, Walter, Warner and Williamson
81.
Mr. President Brown said that during |
lis absence Yesterday, on account or some |
the Convention had extend |
d to him the privilege of recording his |
rOte upon the question of amending the |
majority report by the addition of the mi |
lority report He thanked the COnven-
ion for the privilege, and would record
lis vote against the minority report. J.,
He felt sure that he would be wronging
hose who fought so calamity in the late
var if he refused this opportunity of
putting the ballot in their hands. Gentle
men claimed as one of the reasons why
he proposition should be submitted
separately to the people, that it had not
oeen sufficiently discussed; but yet, dur
ng the last three years, the doctrine of
universal suffrage was one that had been
over the whole State During
he Seymour and Blair campaign 1t had
been preached from the stump and heralded
BY the party organs, and during the last
campaign it had been en-
Draced by the great mass of the Conserva-
i've people of the State. He thought it
was the general desire that this question
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