Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-06

Grant. nor have they put Gernlan on the
countv or city ticket at theensaing election,
~oS Monday the people Of Rhode Island
are 10 vote upon proposition to amend the
Constitution Of that State abOlishing the
property qualification required from natural
lied citizens who desire to vote, and sub
shutting a reading qualification for both
foreign and native-5orn citizens. The
amendment, if carried, will admit about
1900 naturalized citizens to the privilege
Of the franchise, and will exclude not few
of the present electors, who cannot read.
A TEXAS APPEAL FOR JUSTICE AND
LIBERTY.
The St. Louis Reppblicon prints long
letter addressed to the Hon. Carl Sohurz,
and through him to the people OF the West
and North, by thlrty-two eminent citizens
of Texas, in which they direct attention to
the sad condition to which Radical oppres-
sion has reduced that once prosperous State
Ii is plain, candid, temperate statement OF
the condition of affairs in Texas, and pos
sesses all the power and effectiveness that a
simple rehearsal OF sn unhappy truthalwayS
commands from fair-nihded men. 1t Is
dispassionate review of the outrages to
which Che people Of Texas have been sub
jected since our late civil war. After nearly
five years of military rule, an election to
form Constitution and to choose State Off
GERS was ordered, and the authors Of the
letter charge that in the face Of notorious
frauds the present Governor, Edmund
J. Davis, was declared elected,
and each House of the Legislature
was manipulated by similar means to allow
the admission Of sufficient Radical MEM
bers 10 insure two-thirds majority. AT
that time the State was free from disorder
ofsny kind, and with only nominal debt.
The date of the Inauguration of this "re-
constructed State Government was, how
ever, the beginning of anarchy. Since then
partisan State police, guards aud militia,
have been used to overawe the citizens.
The laws governing elections and the reg
isiration of voters have been set aside for
party purposes, and hut recently an order
was issued by the Governor, requiring the
presence and supervision of militia at the
elections, so infamous in lis provisions that
it was published and denounced by almost
country. The people of the State
have been unlawfully disaImed and rendered
p0weTle5S. Oppressive taxes are levied
and the proceeds squandered in sustaining
a venal press and an army Of corrupt officials
altered throughout the State. The ap-
pointment of judges, district attorneys,
school supervisors, militia and police off
Gees has been vested solely in the Governor,
and used unscrupulously for the basest party
ends. The Governor is also empowered a
any time to declare martial law, and in the
past six months has exercised that high
handed power. If the people of the North
would learn how much cause their country
men of Texas have for their complaints
against the pitiless power that Cypress them,
Yet them read in this letter how partisan
body usups the powers OF a legislature
a wear after the constitutional limit Of
its term has been passed; how il
expends s4i6,720 per anIium for State
police to intimidate and harass the people
how il makes besotted partisan teachers TN
der compulsory schoollaw; how it make:
4 fad In
him a final board of review of elections
with power to report results as they may
choose to; and how the Governor issue:
election orders forbidding eight hundred
thousand people to shout or jeer" n
ele,tion day, and commanding them Il
90 to their homes as soon as they hayt
voted. The end of this oppression is seeI
in disorder and settled discomfort in tn,
State. The result Of financial mismsnage
ment and population is seen in coatinsca
debt of S40,00O,OOJ contracted in less thai
two wears, and the worth Of an unknown
sum granted TO spectators in railroad sub
sides by veual Legislature. The writers
in addition to these charges, say:
s.Gov. Davis has recently made pdrtia
canvass of the State, addressing himsc
almost exclusively to the eolored men, seek
ing TO intimidatc the whites, tnreatenin,
item with his police, State guard, and IL
serve militia. and declaring that if lis mill
tsry order about the election was not Obeye
he would give them a taste Of Federal bay
oaets. He boldly ayowS thai the l'resdC
of the United States viii sustain him unde
recent acts of Congress, based upon th
false impressions constantly sent North b
such men and such suburned presses d
those who are growing rich in this Stale IN
der this organized system Of SANDER all
outrage upon our uuiOItunate, unreprC
sented. vilificd and down-trodden people.
gYou have bean a soldier, sir. You hay
the head and heart to understand how
brave. and honorable and liberty-lovin
people NAV go into a national or scctions
wan, esteemed wrong by the world, and ye
after defeat, maintain untarnished thei
sense of honor and love Of justice. Sue
we claim TO be the exact position Of tn
people Of Texas to-day.
with fully forty Thousand clear maiorit
ia the State, notwithstanding the 1855 Z
appointees, and thirty-hye pensiOned new,
naDerS of Gov. Davis, we have no voice i
making OF bii Jaw LILY ii
Lawmakers, interpreters and executor
They are the intOrIneTs, prosecutors, judge
and Jurors. They take our money to eg
rich newspapers, the duration of who's
feast depends upon their skill and success i
moloncis the mistaken views of larg
isnftion Of co,mtrymen ia the North an
West in regard to our real opinions, desire
and feelings.
"When we add TO what we have said I'll
pajnful fact that the President OF the Unite
states has been clothed by Congress wit
similar powers over the dearest rights
freemen, and seems disposed upon testim,
nv manufactured by equally corrupt meal
10 execute the same in other States, OF
minds are filed with forcbodings Of evil
ihe future Even should tile popular vote
md successful expression i'm our State cle
lions. the Presidential sword is still Su
pended over US. We can only hope for pc
nanent relief AMI restoration Of equal right
as American citizens 10y change in bot
the Federal and State administrations. Tn
can only be accomplished through sense
Justice mongliberal-minded men heretofol
acting with the Republican party in ii
North, manifested through the ballot-box