The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-03-30


there was no necessity for such Cor 1ion-
They scarcely pretend that there NJ The 4
'pretext for convention was the d lion
Of the franchise law. Every one 4 that 4
the decisions Of the Supreme Court the
registration of last summer had ren< the
francise law dead letter. TIN 40
part Of the object Of calling aeon enticn
It was to turn all the loyal men IN ths state Z
out of Office, and to fll the offices with the
friends of the lost cause. s. s'ref..s.
j Does any one believe that If Judge Hawk
ms Of the Supreme Court, had lost - arm
in the service of the slost cause that If
McClain had lost leg If Andrews had his
honorable scars, and if the Circuit Judges
and Chancellors all had honorable dischAr-
ges from the Confederate service, that sny
convention would have been called, Of that
their offices would have been vacated
Those who are posted understand exactly
this whole subject Never, since delibora-
tive bodies met, hos there been q greater
sham than this so-calIed constitutional Lon
ventioD. It isa pretence. It met osfepn-
bly, to amend the constitution, but the con-
stitutlon needed no amendment every.
body was satisfied with it as it was. ntlh
they had to go through with tile mouon.
They met and took up every part o. Inc
constitution, one after another. Their com
mittees pretended to recommend many faai-
cal changes, but they never sintendcd 70
make any material change except to vscate
the offices of the State. They rccominen-
ded, they altered. they amended, but took
care in the end to leave the constitutlon
about as they found it, but they never lost
sight of the Offices especially the Judiciary.
That is what they came for and arc de-
termined to have Whatever title may be
bestowed by the historian ON the National
| Convention of 1776, or our State Conven-
tions of 1896 and 1884, this convention sit
| ting in the good year of 1870, must, if truth
| fully named, be called the Office HHs$05
| Convention. -rg "
Is there no oppression in this 2 The aelf-
| yer has closed his office to accept aisez "a
| the bench, the farmer or mechanic has been
elected to county Office, and has changed
his business ana made his arrangements for
a term of years in Office. This convention
turns him out remorselessly, and. in some
cases ruins him, and all for political pur.
| poses And what precedent is here estab-
| lished Ii the Republicans triumph next
| wear they may call a convention and yacate
| the offices A voice: "Will the Republi-
cans carry the State2"l lam asked from
| the crowd if this is possible answer not
s" long as the Democratic party can send
out men in mask to intimidate voters on the
eve of elections by threats Of death, and
keep them from the polls or compel them to
vote as they desire The Republicans can.
not use kuklux and Pale Faces in politics
1t is contrary to their principles. And if it
were otherwise, it is not likely they could
command the services of this latest type of
Southern chivalry.
If the loss of offices were oil, it would be
trihe-nothing. But far more serious
troubles await us. have information from
various sources to the effect that thousands
of suits arc already cut and dried for Union
officers and soldiers for acts during the war
in the discharge of their duty to the govern
ment For their obedience to orders in the
impressment OF supplies and tip occupation
of lands, these gallent men are TO be impov-
erished as soon as a congenial judiciary can
be had for the purpose And this is an ute
rior object Of this convention.
The Legislature also found another law
ON the statute book It was entitled san
act to secure to loyal citizens If Tennessee
recompense from the United States for loss
ess incurred during the REBELLION" The
great object of this law was to ike and per-
petuate testimony to establishes losses sus-
tanned during the war The Epers were to
be forwarded to the general gdernment by
the Governor. The Legislature went for
it" and the law was repealed. lNnt because
it was any longer any considerable expense
to the State. That had been already incur
red and paid. But it was q lsjw for the ben
eft and relief of Union men land that was
enough to insure its repeal tg the I.egisla-
ture. Nop, the Governor has mo authority
to present these claims. AndIit was with
some hesitancy they allowed these claimants
to call for their papers and get them into
their own possession. Then there was the
law ito encourage immigration to this
State" 1t appropriated the pittance OF
$1,000 per annum, the object of whichkwas
to advertise the resources and advantages o.
this State to immigrants. II was repealed
I presume, upon the ground, stated by
II some, that we wanted no did Yanka in
4 Tennessee. q
AND nrEa. mott ~
tprovii -
out Ct tSs[ Doksf to paw t!sll Is
State debt. Had the people coSlp d O
high taxes3 Not the loyal people, an
sure Nor had Others complained nort
than was usual when taxation was srelJ
nominal But, sirs, the argument was pen
ly made that our bonds were held by FIRTH
crn men-that Northern men had ses oul
negroes free to the value of four billions, sn6
had Devastated our country to the amount
of four billions more in damages during thu
war, and that we should make set off O
the forty millions we owed them. This ide,
! appears to he the basis of our financial pro
J gramme. Many of the propositions or
, financial matters look Enthusiastically to re
pudiation. / have not time here to review
! these financial measures. On different oc
! casion may do 81. But will state nov
that regard the State as having repudia
, ted, so far as this Legislature has the powe
to repudiate.
The general government donated 800, OO
: acres of land to establish an agriculture
: college in this State. After long debat
and the most careful consideration, this col
lege was located at Knoxville, high an,
: healthy location. The act locating
was in the nature of contract
: The University was to purchase
farm, provide professors and ente
: into bond in the sum of $S00,OO
, for the faithful preservation of the fund
with all of which they have strictly com
| piled and had actually received the create
: part of the fund; the contract was, in fact
5 executed. Yet, sirs, when the present Leg
, islaturc met they had no thought of lettIn,
I the college remain at such hot bed Q
t Unionism as Knoxville. A committee wa
7 appointed to investigate, etc. The fact
! were so patent they were compelled a
8 first to report truthfully. But this. did no
satisfy .he political animus of this angus
f body. They reconsidered and met agar
: and understand are determined to tax
| IL e college away from East Tennessee tina
} hated section-whose great crime is tina
10000 of her sons went to the field an
E stood by the flag of their country durin
t the war.
E And here long series of oppressiv
: laws occur to me, but they are not Of ger
eral character like those have named: sti
= it is more tyrannical for Legislature t
e direct its blows at individuals than apains
!. class, or rather 1 should say such legis
latlOn is an eluence Vi WORST spirit
!, Why was the Metropolitan Police la,
repealed 7 All admit it to have been a
0 excellent system. Most of the principe
q cities of America have tried and approve
y it. It has restored order and kept dow
crime in the Capital of the State. But vi
: fortunately the Commissioners and office
b were Union men, This was enough, and j
v haste the law was repealed. Why was th
q first Criminal Circuit Court abolished B,
cause the Judge was an outspoken Unio
d man.
Why was the seventeenth Circuit abo
ished? Because the Judge of that Circu
G had been Federal Colonel and was know
e to be bold, outspoken Union man.