Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-19

Mr.. Jones. of Giles, was laid on the table:
CLERKS of Circuit and County Courts
shall be cleo ted by the qualified voters
thereof for the term of four years. They
shall be reno we'd from Office for malfeas-
ance, incomp etency, or neglect of duty,
in such man ner as may be prescribed by
| law"
THE 90 INSTITUTION FOR THE PEOPLE.
! Mr.. VIII hanson offered the following,
which lie over under the rules:
Resolv ed, That for the information of
the poop lie the proposed amended Consti-
tuition adopted by this Convention be pub
lished in the two papers of largest circu-
lation in the cities of Nashville, Knox
vile, and Memphis, and in one newspaper
of largest circulation in each other county
in which a newspaper is published, and
that - copies of the said amended
| Constitution be printed by the Public
| Printer for general distribution; and that
these publications shall be paid for at the
usual advertising rates of the paper in
which they shall be published.
| QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE.
| Mr.. Brown, of Davidson, rose to a
| question of privilege, and called the at
| tention of the Convention TO an article in
| the New York Times, from its cores
pondent at Knoxville, and copied in the
UNION AND AMERICAN of this morning
Mr.. Bro wn stated that the charges of the
corresp Ondent as to the state of things in
! Middle and West Tennessee, on the objects
| and aims of this Convention and the
| Legisla ture are utterly false. This Con-
vention has done all in its power to con-
| solidate peace on the broad basis of
equality and justice. 1t has also done
much towards diminishing the public ex-
penditures, and prOpping and sustaining
the credit of the State. The Legislature
| has co-operated with the Governor in
prompt and efficient measures for the en-
| forcement of the law and the punish
ment of offenders. Mr. B. admitted
| that there was crime enough committed,
| but he utterly denied that it had increased,
| or that it was in any degree the result OF
the policy of those now in charge of the
| State Government. The whole tissue of
| allegations is without foundation. Mr..
| Brown characterized the above statement
as part and parcel of wicked scheme for
| some time on foot, to overthrow the
present order of things in Tennessee, and
to bring back upon the people of the State
| all the woes and miseries from which they
are trying to escape. Tennessee never
was more peaceful, and if let alone will
soon regain her ancient status in the
| Union, and general happiness and pros
| perity for her people.
| Mr.. Netherland-Mr President, l rise
| to question of privilege, growing out of
an article in the morning papers, portion
of which l will read to the Convention, as
it purports to give the past political his
tory of the delegates, my own being part
of it. In order to be understood, must
read what is said of the distinguished dele
gate from Lewis, Maury and Williamson
(Mr. Nicholson), which is as follows:
"a. 0. p. Nicholson, ex-United States
| Senator, deserted his seat in the Senate to
go into the rebellion; was arrested by
Mai. Gen. Negley, and imprisoned for
treason July %, 1862.
81. Netherland, another of the same
stripe as the above"
Mr.. President, | do not know that my
political antecedents are matters of much
interest to the Convention, or the State.
They are to me; and in justice to myself,
and TO others, who are threatened with q
military despotism, l deem it proper to
point out the errors and misstatements in
the extract. | was never a Senator of the
United States, and, of course, never ''de-
serted my seat, " to 60 into the rebellion.
was never in rebellion, being a Union
man all the time. never was arrested by
Federal authority, or by any Federal Off
Ger, or by his orders, but, on the contrary,
was arrested by the Confederates and
got away from them, and was compelled
to leave my home and State, and re-
main absent for eighteen months.
never was imprisoned at any time for
treason, nor was l ever charged with 1t.
These false statements are made for the
purpose of invoking Congressional inter
ference in the affairs of Tennessee-in
other words, to enslave her people. This
is shown by the conclusion of the article
published in a leading paper in the City
, of Washington, which reads: "Of the
above named gcntlemen-seven are Re
publicans-the balance (sixty- eight arc
Rebels, and are DISTINGUISHED under the
laws of the State of Tennessee. Aftel
reading the above, let Congress say to the
country whether this Constitutional Con-
vention is Constitutional body or not
and as for as the Legislature is concerned
there can be little difference, and if tn,
members numbered the same, it would b'
: a difficult task for person to discern an!
4 material difference
i Mr. President, VIC cannot from IN
+ signature to the article, say who is tn
T writer. We find in place of slgnatur
# the letters "'T. L. W." and as the write
II does not say who is designated by them
p he gives permission to the readers, o
# which l avail myself, and take the ct.
# for tOol-the o." for liar-and tn
d "W." for worse still
,e Mr.. Gardner rose to a question of priv
ilege. He said his moral sentiment an
n culture had taught him to consider ma
it who receives stolen property, knowing
>. to be stolen, as mean as the original thlel
He said q stolen compliment had bee
:. paid him, in an article published IN tn
Washington Chronicle, a few days since
ne | to which he is, in one sense, entitled. ii
.e said his mOdesty and sense of justice tol
/, bid him, by his silence, to appropriate III
|, distinguished honor so Unjustly conterre
upon him. The Article referred TO state
" that Mr.. G. was Brigadier General in ii
le rebel army. Mr.. G. said that in all h
life he had never held a nal
n, tar,y office Of any grade, IN peace
" an aUur-that he was never soldier
re that he remained at home with bis tamll
l.. during the war He said he was a natl1
of the State of Tennessee-that he WI
be reared and educated within her borders
at that he has never resided day IN his Il
be beyond her limits, and that he expect
to be buried in her soil. Being identifi
ot in feeling and interest with the South, NJ
id &. said he gave her the honest aud since
re- svmpathies of his heart and nature in h
M struggle for independence. He said tn
W. he was unwilling that a misrepresentati
in reference to himself, to the prejudi
10 of his native State, should pass uncOntl
Ike dicted, and hence he made this correcuc
Mr.. Gardner said he most fully &C
ote CURED in the remarks of the senior de
gate from Davidson (Mr. Brown in re
ton to the statements of. the KnoXvi
no correspondent of the New York Tim
n | Neither the condition of things in w
so. | Tennessee nor the cause of the occasion
der Outrages committed there, are truthful
GRO riyen bv said writer. Nor is it true,
the alleged, that no efforts are being made
repress these outrages. The COnventi'
by charging the powers OF the Legs
red tnre in regulating the wearing of arr
and the General Assembly, by stat
the passed at its present session, have SOU