Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-11

) willing to Cypress them by any conceivabl
measure that they dare to adopt. Tn
Legislature have already passed laws tn
OBJECT OF which is the oppression of bot
the white and colored Unionists. The Con
ventiOn have determined to strike dow
the loyal Judiciary, and fill their place
with ex-Rebels, by appointment. To hav,
been Unlonlst during the war has become
brand of disgrace and cause for denuncia
ton, public and private. We have NJ
newspaper Of general circulation to speal
a word in our behalf It has become com
mon for newspapers, with unblIshine
audacity, to lay the crimes of their Ku.
Klux friends to the charge of innocent Re
publicans, and there are none to refute the
SANDER
At an informal meeting Of Republicans
at the Capitol, on the 9th inst, it was de-
termined that the undersigned should adj
dress letter to the leading Republicans
in different parts of the State, inviting
them 20 come to Nashville on the 10th day
of February, proximo, for Che purpose Of
consulting upon measures of protection
and defense, among which thorough re-
organization of the Republican party will
be proposed. We sincerely hope you will
respond TO this invitation, and that in view
Of the common danger all dissension will
be forgotten, and that all the Union men
in Tennessee will be consolidated into one
compact Republican party. e.--.
A j. Fletcher, Geo. w. Blackburn, John
Trimble, j. II. Agee, (Rep,) VIM. III.
Eckel, Rep.,) M. L. Mcconnell, (Rep.,
John Hundley, Rep.,) r. SnOdderley,
(Rep.,) Henry Brown, Rep.,) James o.
Shackleford, W. 7. Elliott, D. W. Pea
body, ]. W. Baker, Rep., W. r. McBath,
(Rep., } r. G. Yokum, Rep., } Frod. Slimp,
| (Rep.,) F. S. Singletary, (Rep.)
| Mr.. James remarked that in view of the
| fact that this document, unjustly rejecting
on the General Assembly, was signed by
State officers and number of members of
the House, he moved that it be referred to
a special committee of five for investiga-
| ton.
Mr.. Mcconnell asked how it was known
that this was signed by members of the
| House, as such.
MIR. James said that attached. to such
pames was the word (Rep.) He wanted to
Know what that meant.
Mr. Mcconnell intimated that it meant
Republican.
Mr.. James was at loss TO know why
this was not attached to the names of the
other Republicans signing the document.
| No response.
Mr.. Fleming hoped the matter would be
| referred. He considered this manifesto a
| gross SANDER on the Legislature, which
| should receive proper investigation. He
was Union man through the war, and he
repealed the statements contained in this
document.
Mr.. Saunders endorsed every word said
| by Mr. Fleming
Mr.. Everett said he had served in the
| Federal army aslOng asany man on the floor,
| and he denounced the statements of this
manifesto rs slanderOus and false.
Mr.. Boyd Republican, said he was the
first man in his county to join the Federal
army, but he wished it understood that he
was opposed to this manifesto.
Mr.. Enloeintroduced a resolution:
That we repel with utter contempt the
| base misrepresentation of the General As
sembly contained in the letter presented
by various State officials to the Repubh-
cans of Tennessee.
Mr.. Singletary spoke briefly in defense
of the document which had made such
| stir. 1t was purely political matter, and
was not supposed to reflect personally
| upon any member of the House.
Mr. Saunders asked him if this General
Assembly had legislated against any par
ticular class
Mr. Singletary responded that the act
| requiring voters to vote in their own pre-
| cincts was aimed against certain class of
| voters.
Mr. Caldwell asked Mr. SingIetary if he
could point to a single act passed 10y tho
| Legislature calculated to Cypress the Union
men of the State.
Mr.. Singletary replied that the act he
Just referred to had that effect.
Mr.. Russell, of Rutherford and Bedford,
said he had been in the Federal army dur
ing the war, "a fact he was proud OF, but
he never had suffered in consequence from
his ex-Confederate neighbors. He had no
occasion to use firearms to protect himself
from these men.
Mr.. Tucker said he introduced and advo-
| Gated the passage of the bill referred to by
Mr. Singletary, in reference to voters voting
| In their own districts. He did it solely as
| peace measure, as it was a notorious fact
that riot and bloodshed had been the conse-
quence of allowing negroes to collect in the
| towns to vote
EIr. Enloe remarked that he wished to de-
| fine his position. He said
have frequently been denounced as a
rebel, and sometimes as a Radical, and I'M
| like many of the gentlemen who have pre-
| coded me, l have never belonged to either
army; and it has been circulated to my in
| Jury. sometimes that I belonged to one
| party and sometimes to the other, Just to
suit the politics of the nearer and to &C
| complish the end desired; and | here, in
the presence of this General Assembly,
| proclaim to the people of Tennessee, and
| appeal to my constituents to sustain me,
| that such misrepresentation of my politi-
| cal character are baseless lies, and the
| authors of such statements are not worthy
| to be digniied by the name Of liars. hold
| myself personally responsible for what
say-and renew my pledge to oppose the
Radical party as long as it is able to orig
| mate a lie, which will probably be the case
for some time.
Mr.. Warren was of opinion that the
| document before the House, was gotten up
by those who have signed it, in furtherance
| of their schemes to subvert the civil gov
| eminent of Tennessee. He wanted the
committee to have the power to send
for these gentlemen and give them the
| opportunity, under oath, to verify their
! declarations He wanted the people of the
State and of The United States to know who
it is that, under their official signature, will
publish TO the world libel and Islander up
on the people of Tennessee for no other
purpose than to secure military interfer-
ence, that they, per chance, may be able to
retain power and place which they so I'M
worry fill.
| Mr.. Caldwell offered an amendment
which was adopted, empowering the COM
mittee to send for persons and papers, and
particularly the persons who are State Off
GERS, whose names are subscribed to the adj
dress in question, to ascertain when and
where the acts of violence had been, and
are committed on the persons and property
of Union men, as charged, and what laws,
if any, as charged, have been passed by this
Legislature with the intent TO Cypress
colored and white Unionists, and generally
as to the statements made by the parties
| whose names are subscribed thereto, to the
end that said said violence may be repressed
and punished, and such laws repealed.
Mr. Caldwell said that two high State Of
ficials, Mr. Fletcher, Secretary of State,
and Mr.. Blackburn, Comptroller, as also,
twelve members of this House, had signed
the paper. If the statements as to the
oppression of Union men throughout the
State are true, and if acts of violence are
being committed upon them by day and by
night as asserted, we ought to know it, and
adopt measures to repress and punish
them.
Those men have gravcly asserted it. Lei
them attest it under oath-Or stand con-
victed of a wilful misrepresentation Of
facts, designed to accomplish a well under
stood purpose.
III - IT., - ,oF,y e. n sy,oo;.l cc,,,,,,i ~.