Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-27


preserve his own liberty. He wanted thu
franchise amendment placed with tn,
balance of their work and put before thu
people as one harmonious whole. HI
should vote with pleasure to give thu
negro the right of suffrage.
Mr.. Turner thought that an effort haC
been made to put this question on falla
cious grounds. BE did not come here tc
enfranchise the negro. The negro haC
been enfranchised while he was power.
less, and he did not come now, that he
was partially free, to tie the hands of the
negro, but to place the white man on his
feet. He would have been willing to
postpone this question till the blood of the
people of the State had somewhat cooled
down, but the question was now upon
thom and they must meet it. Was moi
negro suffrage recognized by the Gov.
eminent, by the courts, by both par
ties2 What could they do to reverse
the decision? But gentlemen thrust
it in the faces of members and ask, care
you in favor of negro suffrage ~ As an
original proposition he was opposed to ne
gro suffrage. He gave four years of his
life and fortune to prevent its accom-
plishment, but it had come, and now he
could but bow before fate. The negro
had been enfranchised, and now, in con-
sideration of the argument before the Su-
preme Court and the decision of that
court, how were they to deprive him of
that privileged But gentleman said that if
this question was Incorporated into the
body polite it would bring ruin. Negro
suffrage was no new doctrine. 1t was one
of the planks of the old ship of Tennes-
see, and it was only taken out in 1884.
He did not think that social equality or
degradation would follow negro suffrage.
He did not believe it would ruin the coun-
try to allow the negro to vote. Members
were giving the question dignity. En-
franchise the negro and he would at once
sink TO his proper level, and there would
henceforth be no excitement. The negro
was inferior and was so admitted, and yet
gentlemen expressed fears that the negro
would gain the ascendancy. For
himself he had no such fears.
lie knew that the negroes were
rapidly dying off and in five years he
thought the ratio would be as $4,000 to
100000. Was there any call to submit
this question to a separate vote of the
people? No; let them settle it at once
and forever in this Convention. As well
might they submit all propositions for
amendment separately. The submission
of the proposition of negro suffrage as a
distinct proposition would simply excite
discussion and do much harm. He be-
lieved the Fifteenth Amendment would
pass as certainly as that the sun
was in the heavens. When this
question was already settled he
was no longer willing to become the
prey of agitation. He claimed that negro
suffrage was one of the dead issues of the
past and beyond their power. He claimed
that the making of the negro a citizen
clothed him with political rights. After
all the pledges given on the part of the
Conservative people Of the State, it would
be bad faith not to give the negro the
right to vote.
Mr.. Jones, of Lincoln, here took the
floor, but after a few sentences was
called to order under the rule that no mem
Der shall speak twice on any proposition
until all other members who may desire
shall have spoken.
Mr.. Porter, of Henry, insisted upon the
rule, and it was enforced.
Mr.. House, of Montgomery, proposed
to state in a succinct manner his views
on this matter. He stood on the floor of
this Convention unpledged to any particu-
lar course of action on this question. He
thought the time had arrived when the
people should look upon questions in a
practical light. He asked the gentlemen
of the minority what there was practical
in this proposition. The Fifteenth
Amendment was certain to pass twenty
seven States had already adopted it one
more was only necessary to make it law.
Why did they propose to launch Tennes-
see upon a dangerous sea of strife? Why
did they propose to throw themselves be-
fore power which would crush theml
1t was a fOTegOne conclusion that this
question would be settled long before the
matter could be submitted to the people,
Let them look at the proposition in praC-
teal light. He should vote to support the
majority report
Mr.. Bate asked the gentleman if he did
not think that the passage of the majority
report would cause as much discussion as
the minority report.
Mr.. House replied that he did not, for
he believed that long before the people
could vote upon the amended Constitution
the Fifteenth Amendment would pass.
Mr.. Bate asked how could the speaker
take his position when the adoption of
the majority report placed the people of
the State in this dilemma, that they must
either adopt the amended Constitution or
dsiranChise themselves by rejecting it.
If they voted down the new Constitution
then the old Constitution, which disfran-
chised the white people, and disfranchiscd
the negro, would be in force.
Mr.. House said that the question which
he had looked to have answered through
all the stages of the debate had not been
answered. When the Fifteenth Amend
ment was sure to be adopted, what was
the use of agitating this proposition?
Mr.. Williamson desired to know if the
gentleman believed that the negro in Ten
nessee held legal right to vote.
Mr.. House replied that there had been
twenty things done since the war which
he considered illegal, but he wished to
look at the question in a practical light.
He came here in this spirit. Whatever
Constitution was adopted he expected to
sign and advocate it before the people.
He hoped they would send out their
work rs a whole and not in fragmentary
manner.
Mr.. Kennedy moved to lay the amend
mcnt to the majority report on the table,
by courtesy, however, allowing the chair
man Of the majority report to speak if he
would renew the motion to lay on the
table.
Mr.. Nicholson said that, as chairman of
the committee, he was willing to give the
reasons which had influenced him in bring
ing in the report; but as it was near The
hour of recess, he did not wish to com
mence his speech until after the Conven
ton should come back from dinner.
On motion of Mr.. Gordon, the Conyen-
ton took recess till 2:30 2. NJ.
Afternoon Session.
Mr.. Nicholson said that when the Con
vention took a recess it was understood
that he would take the floor for the dis
cussion of this question. He had since
learned that several other gentlemen
wished to speak, and the mover of
the question, to lay on the table
all amendments, had consented to with
draw his motion. The discussion there
fore proceeded.
Mr.. Porter, of Henry, said he arose
rather to make an explanation than to
make a speech. 1t had been argued that
they were bound to give the negro the