Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-28

those principles which they cherished 81
dearly buried in their bosoms2 He die
not believe that all was yet lost if they
acted with discretion. Let them avoid al
that would provoke the enemy, and by SC
doing he hoped that bill might be passed
| removing all Disqualification to hold of.
fee. He believed that if they decided to
submit this to separate consideration OF
the people, vote would never be taken
upon it. The action of this Convention
was eagerly watched at Washington.
What would the proposition be to them 2
Why here are 40, 900 negro voters against
$50, 600. Would there not be some
ground for argument against them? He
| claimed that the Fourteenth Amendment
gave to the negro the right of citizen,
and now that the negro could vote, they
could not deprive him of this privilege
without violating the provisions of that
amendment. But what great principles
were at stake in giving to the negro the
right to vote2 Had theynot acknowledged
that he was free in the bill of rightsl
Would it be just to tax the colored
people and not allow them the ballot
Had they not been told time and again
that taxation without representation
was tyranny. He denied that this was
white mans government in the sense that
gentlemen claimed, and read authorities to
show that the negro had voted in the
adoption of the Constitution. Washing
ton never declared that free negro should
not be allowed to vote. Did the old
patriots believe that they were violating a
natural law when they allowed the negro
to votei He believed that they should
voluntarily take the step of incorporating
negro suffrage in the Constitution.
By so doing, they would win the
confidence of the negro, while at the
same time, negro suffrage, in a brief
period, would be forced upon us by the
Fifteenth Amendment. He was willing
to do the negro full justice, and was will
ing to be generous to him. He thought
that the greatest national crime which
had ever been perpetrated was the eman-
cipation of this people in the manner in
which it had been done, sending them
forth houseless and homeless. He could |
never forget the obligations which he |
owed to portion of the race, and he |
could never vote to withhold from the
cOlOred man the little boon of suffrage. |
Comforting the right of suffrage did not |
entail right to hold office or to sit on
juries. As to the fear of social equality. |
that was the lowest position taken. Such
fears were simply ridiculous.
Mr.. NichOlson's speech was listened to |
with the deepest attention throughout.
At its close, he renewed the call for the
previous question. This was withdrawn,
however, and direct vote taken upon
he minority report. The yeas and nays
we're called for, and ordered, resulting in
7eas, 90; nays, 52-as follows:
Ayes-Messrs. Arledge, Bate, Brown,
If Henry, Carroll, Gibson and Madison,
Campbell, Garter, Cummings, Davenport,
4entress, Fielder, Heiskell, Jones, of
lincoln, Porter, of Haywood, Porter, of
Henry, Shepard, Shelton, Stephens, Tay-
or, Warner, Williamson and Wright-20.
NOes-Messrs. Allen, Baxter, Blizzard,
3ranson, Brandon, Britton, Brooks,
Brown, of Davidson, Burkett, Burton,
3yrne, Chowning, Coffin, Cypert, Deade-
lex, Dibrell, DOherty, Drom goole, Finley,
Fulkerson, Gardner, Garner, Gaut, Gibbs,
IibsOn, Gordon, Henderson, Hill, of
Warren, Hill, of Gibson, House. Of
williamson, House, of Davidson, Rob
rtson and Montgomery, Ivie, Jones, of
Illes, Kennedy, Kew, Kirkpatrick, KYLE,
Iabry, McDOugal, McNabb, Martin, Nor
is, Meeks, Netherland, Nicholson, Par
Ter, Sample, Seay, Staley, Thompson, of
Davidson, Thompson, of Maury, and
Absent President Brown, Messrs.
Blackburn and Waters-3.
Mr. House. of Montgomery, said the
John G. Brown, was absent
nd quite i'll, but that he desired leave of
be Convention to record his vote when
e should be able again to resume his
uties.
During the calling of the roll several
entemen explained their position.
Mr. Arledge should vote to refer back
D the people, because he thought they
ad right to settle the question.
Mr.. Fielder knew it was the wish of his
that it should be referred to
hem.
Mr.. Fulkerson Endorsed every word of
he speech of the gentleman from Maury,
Ir. Nicholson.
Mr.. Kennedy was not pledged on the
uestion. He was opposed to negro suf-
rage in the abstract, but should vote for
now because he thought the peace of
be country demanded it.
Mr.. Taylor believed in white mans
Overnment, and that giving the vote to
ne negro would do him no good.
Mr.. Fentress offered an amendment in |
Gu of the majority proposition, similar
} the minority proposition, but providing
nat poll tax should be required of all
oters before exercising the franchise.
On motion of Mr.. Nicholson, it was
i'd on the table by vote of 81 to 81.
The Convention then adjourned.