Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-13
Communicated
Timidity or Folly by the State Convention,
It's Criminal BlundeTs.

Impelled by threats and dangers of
reinstituted reconstruction our
State Convention has acted with sin
gular want Of wisdom. Deeming the
policy wholly wrong and unwise in
fact, the Convention has made Judi
eial officers elective by the people. In
this there was an exhibition Of moral
weakness, or the absence of moral
courage. Politicians. in the COnven-
ton could not discard the unworthy
habit Of sacrificing right, wisdom,
justice, peace, order and good govern
ment 70 popular caprices and passions,
and, therefore, we are To be cursed
through all time with supple dema-
gOgues on the Bench. Our voting
population is worse by thirty per cent.
blacks than ever before, and
whites more depraved II thousand
iOid, and yet, fOrsOoth, judges must
be elective by the black and tan mob.
Pity the weakness Of lawgivers, who,
knowing their duty, dared not exc
cute it. Worse than this, infinitely
worse: In obedience to the dictates
OF Radicalism, the Convention has de-
clared for negro suffrage. And yet
we know that tWO-thirds Of the menu
bers of that Convention themselves,
and nine-tenths Of their white consti-
tuents are utterly opposed to savage
suffrage. The most Ignorant of the
mob were feared when the judiciary
question was before the Convention,
and now this same Convention shakes
in its boots when Congress frowns and
Kisses out the fearful threat of recon
struction." There was no absolute
necessity for any action what
ever affecting this suffrage ques-
ton. The Convention knew that
the Fifteenth Amendment dis
posed of the question, and there
was no need for this voluntary self
abasement which presents the repre-
sentatives of what was once supreme
local sovereignty in the shameful at
titude of trembling mendicants, bow
ing for mercy before the majesty of
the tyrant Congress. Other legisla-
tive bodies might very well degrade
themselves when the bayonet was
bathed in the life-blOOd of murdered
States; but Tennessee's degradation is
wholly voluntary. A falsehOOd is
fastened on the face of the State Con-
stitutiOn. The people of Tennessee
are needlessly made to approve, when
they do not approve, this system Of
suffrage, imposed upon US not because
il is right or best for the negro or
white man, but to make conquered
enemies in war conscious of degrada-
ton to a level with negro slaves. A
cOWardly victor would impose most
humiIiating, degrading terms upon
the helpless vanquished. Why did
not our Convention, swift to sue for
mercy, ignore the Whole question?
Why was it not lett to the disposal of
other States The time will surely
come when all this filthy cGnstitg-
tional patchwork VIII be ripped Of;
when all recent amendments will be
scattered to the winds; when there
win be convened all the wisdom and
virtue left in this broad land; when
the people, weary Of the crimes and
passions OF politicians, now injected
into every act OF legislation, will rise
GP, and. undoing all this selfish, par
tlsan ana 5ectiGual legislation, viii re-
store the Federal OrgauiC law gutten
by our fathers. Why should not
tennessee await the coming of
such a daye Why render another
state Couvgntt::cc;;:a, necessary 70 undo
this ghsatly unworthy WORK. a va '1H
must have negro Suffrage Tor time
the Convention might well have sup
posed it to be forced on Us by Congress
or by laws and SCHEDULES" for which
honest men who abhOr perjury would
not like 10 be responsible.
Not worse, but most indefeHsible, if
policy rather than right must be pur-
sued. is that action of the Convention
which vacates all judicial Offices.
Judge Wm. II. Stephens, in hisspeech
IN the Convention, pronounced these
Judges worthy, honest ana capable.
BroWnlow, in his defense of Senter
and himself, said that the people were
safe because the judiciary Of Tennes-
see were "SOund. - In the face of
threats OF reconstruction, which
viii bankrupt the fame and
credit OF Tennessee, of her
railways and cities, and drive Us back
ward fifty years toward sayagery and
demOnism, in the presence of dangers
greater a thousand fold than those in
cident to an armed host smashing
things to the sea" this Convention
perpetr8tes Il deed which viii beget
greater caiamitses anG excite greater
ire among our enemies than any act OF
omission could have accomplished.
here was such irrepressible impa-
tience among those hungry for judi
eiaI positions in and outside the Con-
vention. that in hOt haste R2dical
Judges are decapitated. No sooner
was the guillotine whetted-nO sooner
was its descent upon its victims threat
ened-than the Radical clans are con-
voked. rrimoie and Fletcher stand
up0nCapitOl Hill and the very heavens
are rent by their bellOwings. There is
commOtiOn in every Loyal League
and even now we can detect 10 the
/ tainted air we breathe Odors that rise
from the sWeltering mob on its march
to Nashville. Congress catches the
1 foul infection of hate and laWies5 lust
for Office and power, and a chord is
struck which vibrates strongly is 80
[ every Congressman bosom. That
/ the Radical Judges r1ay be saved,
/ Tennessee will be subjected to the
I terrible ordeal of reconstruction.
Thank the wisdom, or folly, or want
Of courage of the Convention which
( succgmbed before Congress and as
sented to negro suffragej which again
forgot Congress, and vent down be-
fore the mob of domestic Office
/ seekers when the tenure Of judicial pO-
sitions was involved. Pity Tennes-
see, and then pity the weakness of the
State (3OnVpnfiOu T. r. w