Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-23

Mr.. Freeman moved to reconsider the
vote by which the House non-concurred
yesterday in the amendment reported by
the committee of six-taking Jefferson from
the I'd district and attaching it to the 1st;
also taking Union county from the 1st dis
triet and attaching it to the I'd.
On motion of Mr.. Carr the motion was
tabled.
Mr.. Scarborough moved to take McNairy
county from the seventh district and attach
it to the ninth district.
On motion of Mr.. Houston, the motion
was tabled.
Mr.. EnlOe said that he would vote for the
| bill, not because it was satisfactory to him
and those whom he represented, but be-
cause he had become convinced that the
result of its defeat would be the failure of
the most important object for which they
had been called together. In voting for the
| bill, he did not consider that he thereby en-
dorsed the means by which any district
might have been arranged in the interest
| of or to defeat any particular candidate.
His sole desire was to do the best he could
for his constituents and for his State.
Mr.. Colquett characterized the way in
which the second district had been put to-
gether as an outrage. Not single menu
Der in that district, as proposed, could vote
for it without disgracing himself.
Mr.. Freeman charged that members who
were in favor of this bill, the passage of
which would be an act of gross injustice to
the people Of East Tennessee, were trying
to shift the responsibility on to each others
shoulders. Why not come out and ac-
knowledge that their sole object was to beat
Horace Maynard?
Mr.. Linn, of Fayette, said that as for him
self, he had no hesitation in declaring his
belief that beating Horace Maynard was
doing God service. He would vote for any
bill that would defeat Horace Maynard and
| all who aided and abetted him.
Mr.. Dick protested against his county
(JefTerson) being used for the discreditable
| purpose of gerrymandering the First Dis
trict. He spurned the idea, as suggested
Yesterday, that his objections were made in
the interest of Butler or any other candi-
date. His political views were too well
known to justify such an insinuatiOn; but,
whatever his opinions, he could never be
brought to support a measure which was in-
tended to legislate one man into or another
out of Congress.
Mr.. Allison, of Williamson, said he did not
like his own district any more than mem
bers in the proposed Second district liked
theirs.
Mr.. Cliff expressed his opposition to the
bill, because he knew that the people of the
Third district would not approve of the way
that district was to be constituted, and be-
cause of other considerations, upon which
he'dwelt at considerable length, especially
as to the motives which had suggested the
formation of some of the districts. He
wanted to do right. When he went back
home every rock and tree in his district
would frown disapprOval if he gave his en-
dOrsement to the measure in its present
shape. He had long believed that the best
way to avoid such complications as had
arisen under this bill was to elect all the
| Congressman from the State at large, and
he therefore moved that the districts be
stricken out, and that tbe nine Representa-
! tives be elected on a general ticket.
Mr.. ROSson said that, Objectionable as the
bill might be, things had got into such a
| shape that unless it was passed they would
have to 90 home and confess their utter in
| capacity to redistrict the State. No men,
Der, much'as he might dislike the style in
which his own district had been shaped,
would like to do this. The bill was certainly
preferable to Mr.. Cliffs proposition.
Mr.. Nowlin moved to postpone the fur
ther consideration of the bill until tO-mOr-
TOW, and to refer it to a committee of two
member, each from the 1st, I'd and Sd Dis
| t-icts, for the adjustment of the differences
as to those districts.
Mr.. Allen (of Meigs) said he was sorry
to see that the gentleman from Warren (Mr.
| Cliff didn't want to be in the third district,
as the people up there thought of sending
| the "Mountain Boy" to Congress at the
next election, and they, therefore, wanted
Warren county counted in. On the other
| hand, the people of lower East Tennessee
in Meigs, Polk and McMinn-were Op-
! posed to being thrown into the third dis
! trict. Horace Maynard had been lugged
| into this House too often. If he (Mr. Al
LEM should be accused before his constit-
uents of having legislated Horace Maynard
out of office, he would not be afraid to face
the charge.
Mr.. Chambers thought that nothing
! could be accomplished by further delay, as
it seemed impossible to harmOnize all the
| differences.
Mr.. Tillmau said that the situation had
resolved Itself into this shape-if the bill
now pending were not passed, none would
| be passed. He therefore felt it to be his
! duty to cast his vote for it-and he would
do so, whether git defeated Mr.. VIII thorne,
| Mr.. Bright or any other candidate for Con-
gress.
Mr.. Padgett supported Mr.. NOwlin's
motion to refer the bill to a committee of
! two members each from the 1st, I'd and Sd
| Districts.
Mr.. Snipes believed that sufficient indi-
cations of the sentiment of the House had
| been given to show that the bill was the
only one that could have been devised,
| when the almost inuumerable differences
! of interest and views were considered. He
hoped that the House would vote down
every proposition that looked to killing the
| bill.
Mr.. Spears argued in favor Of adopting
| Nr. NoWlin's motion. 1t was unfair for
members to insist upon the alternative that
this bill must be passed, or none at all. He
| believed that a district could be laid off
shapely and conforming to the usual require
ments, in which Horace Maynard could be
! defeated for Congress, bnt it would be wrong
| to make up district for that purpose, as
seemed to be contemplated in the bill. If
the country condemned gerrymandering,
then the country would condemn such a
course, persisted in By the House.
Mr.. Richardson (of Dyer and Lauder
dale) charged that the gentleman from Hay
wood (Mr. Freeman) had used the gentle
man from Warren (Mr. Cliff as an element
| of discOrd TO stir up strife among the Demo
| crat members and defeat the bill. He
arraigned the Republican party in general,
and Horace Maynard in particular, de-
nouncing the latter as an enemy to the best
| interests of the State.
Mr.. Frierson spoke in vindication of Mr..
Maynard, and of the party with which he
| was identified.
The motion of Mr.. NOwlin was then lost;
ayes 81, noes 35.
The amendment offered by MIR. Gift was
then tabled.
In reply to remarks made by Mr.. Rich
ardson (of Dyer and Lauderdale,) to the
effect that Mr. Cliff (who was not in the
House at the time) was being used by Mr..