Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-15

WiseBer Annihilated and His
Rebel Record Shown up.


Reported specially Tor the KNOXVILLE Wing and
Register.
JoxEsBoRo', Oct IL, 1S7O.-A large
crowd assembled here to-day, to attend
the eubernatorial discussion between Gen.
John G. Brown and Hon. w. a. Wise
ner. Gen Brown opened the debate in Z
the following able and eloquent remarks,
which were received with the greatest
satisfaction by the immense audience,
and often interrupted by the most en-
thusiastic applause. He said: II.
FELLOW CITIZENS I am happy to greet
you as American citizens and freemen of
Tennessee. Until few months ago the
elective franchise, your great POLITICAL
birthright, was denied you. You weres
under q bondage, worse than slavery. !
But, thank Heaven, those manacles haveE
been stricken from your limbs, and youl
are once more free. Yes, free to speak,
to write and to vote. Our peopleE
no longer dread arrest, and trial.
by irresponsible military courts, in def
ance of the great writ of habeas corpus,
and in violation of the great constitu-
tional guarantee. The usurpstions of
power by our State officials, as manifested
IN the arming and equipping of militis, :
at period of profound peace, are at an
end
In the multitude before me, are msny,
who met as foemen on the battlefield, 1
where serried ranks fell upon stubborn
columns in the shock of battle. Victory
alternated to your standards. Your land
was drenched in blood-your fields wereI
devastated, and anarchy usurped the PLACED
of law. But the bugle has long sinceI
sounded its last charge, and its ominousI
notes have ceased to reverberste FRONT
your mountains, and to strike terror NlongI
your beautiful and smiling valleys The
flag of the South no longer waves aboveI
its brave and gallant hosts, who, thou
sand times, followed it to victory.
"'Tis furled, and thousands Of ths hands that
grasped it,
And of the hearts that fondly clssped it,
Cold and dead are lying low:
Touch IL not-unfurl IL never!
Let it droop there furled forever"
But the standards that bore it down.
were planted by IFS multiplied followers
VIGOROUSLY upon the capitol of the ma
ton, where it now floats in triumph as the
undisputed flag of America Every State|
in the Union acknowledges its authority,
and yields allegiance 10 it. 1t is claimed
to be the ''Flag of the Free" Shall it be
known on the page of history, in future
years, as the ensign of Liberty or
the ''Flag of Oppression z" viii youl
who fought for it permit it to become a
protection TO one State, and an instrument
of persecution to another Or, rather,
shall not all of us, without regard to an
tecedents, unite and at the ballot box
save this country from the usurpations of
power; and, while we preserve, intact,
the unity of the States under the Consti-
tuition, preserve, with scrupulous care,
TIE rights of the States as admitted by the
statesmen of all parties in the purer days
of the republic2 If we would preserve
republican institutions, we must do it. If
we are true to ourselves and pOsterity, we
will do it, And l confidently believe there
is yet conservative patriotism enough to-
save the remnant of our liberties.
The party in power have well nigh con-
verted this Government into centralized
despotism. The beautiful equilibrium in
the three coordinate departments that
distinguished this from ali other govern
ments has been destroyed The legisla
tive has usurped the prerogatives of the
executive aud manacled and overawed
the judicial until it is no longer an indie
pendent and coordinate department.
Shall these violations of the constitution
be quietly submitted to, or shall we nOtl
rather hurl from power the party that
abuses the confidence of an over con
fiding people, and get back to the princi-
pies of the constitution as it was interpre-
ted by Washington and Jefferson, Madi-
son, Webster, Clay, jackson, and the
patriots of that day.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
Gentlemen, the platform presented to-
the country by the Democratic Conven-
ton at Nashville, on the 18th OF Septem-
Der last, contains code of national prin-
ciples that will save the country, and give
to all the highest degree of prosperity and
happiness. As the candidate nominated
by that convention, l accept the platform,
and shall battle for il earnestly and cheer
fully; and with the cooperation of the
patriots in Tennessee, will bear it to vic
tory by the largest majority that ever
crowned a campaign in your State. There
is not one sentiment or principle in that
platform that will not meet with hearty
endorsement from all men opposed to
RadiCalism.
THK FIRST RRsOLUTTON--sTATE sovKR-
EIGHTY.
But our enemies, profess TO see seces-
sion in the first resolution, which reads as
follows:
"Resolved, That the Southern States
should be Immediately restored to their
rights under the Constitution of the United
States, as sovereign States of the Ameri-
can Union.
The doctrine of secession is not enunci'
ated by this resolution, and was not In
tended TO be implied by its author, nor by
the convention. The Democratic party
of Tennessee are not advocating thai
doctrine.
That party, in May, 1865, in conven-
ton held at Nashville took final action OF
that question, in the adoption of the fol
lowing resolution, which / had the hOnol
to report.
THE RESOLUTION OF 1868.
"'ResOlved, That in the course of EVENT.
the question whether State of the Amer
lean Union could, under the compact, Sc
cede, was submitted TO contest of arms
and decided in the negative; and as it il
wise that theories in government should
be abandoned when found impracticsble
therefore the American people, North anC
South, should accept such decisions a!
final and conclusive. Nevertheless, W,
expect and maintain that the Constitu
ton created the Federal Government SUI
preme, under well defined limitations anC
restrictions, leaving the States a large
mass of residuary rights and power owe
their domestic concerns and making thu
States co equal in respect of such rights
and that the result of the war has not AM
should not in any manner be construed Il
impair the rights or sggrandize the powe
of the General Government TO the en-
dangermout Of public liberty
This resolution has never been revoked
1t expires ses the sentiment of the part,
to-day.
But the charge of treason is bottome
upon the use of the words ''Sovereig
States in the first quoted resolution
And il does appear TO me that the conneC
ton in which it is used is of itself suft
cient refutation of the absurd charge. Tb
resolution asks that the Southern State
be restored under the Constitution" a
estates of the American Union, with a
their reserved powers.
The term sovereign States has bee
constantly used by ali :parties, and state
men of every shade of politics, to expres
the idea that the several States, or rattle
the people of the several States, retaine
all the sovereignty not delegated throug
the Federal Constitution to the Feder'
Government
The Supreme Court of the Unite
States, 18th Peters Reports, page $50
hold that the Estates of the America
Union" are sovereign States, an
throughout the opinion, speak of thel
as GSsovereirn States - and as 'tsoye