Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-18
RAxDOM BUTAER's HosrKLETY 10

not De very likely 10 NOUe IOr a man tDaL
would disfranchise them if he could, par
ticularly for Congress, where If there were
enough of bis stripe it would bedone."
Letus see then what sort of record
Mr.. Random Butler presents to the colored
voters. We propose to chow that in the
reorganization Of the State government he
advocated the disfranehisement forever of
negroes in this State, to deprive them of
the right to hold Office, and to rsn.er them
incompetent to serve on juries or give
evidence against a white man. He made
this bold move after it had become fixed
fact that slavery had persisted forever in
this country, and that the negroes were to
become freemen amongst US. Mr.. Butler
was a member Of the convention, or prima-
ry meeting, as he called it, which met in
this city in January, 1865, at which was
proposed the amendment to our Constitu-
ton, which was subsequently declared
adoUted, aSolishing slavery in this State.
On Friday, the 18th of January, Mr.. Bing-
ham proposed to take up the report of the
BnsiBess Committee (being the proposed
amendment and sehedule) by sections. The
report of the proceedings of the convention
then proceeds:
"Mr. Butler asked leave to make q few
remarks and to offer an amendment. They
had made a hard fight and been fairly
heated, and he now propoted that men,
beers should harmonize. The amendment
he had to offer was for the purpose of for
ever deprivIng negroes, Indians, and those
of mixed blood, from The right of voting,
holding Office, or being competent wit
nesses in court of Justice against white
man"
Butler was opposed to this meeting re-
solving itself into Constitutional Conven-
ton, contending that the members had no
right to assume such power, but he was de-
feAted, and that is the fight TO which he re-
fers. Subsequently the report of the Bust
ness Committee was taken up and acted
upon by sections. The ninth section of the
schedule is as follows:
'sSec o. The qualifications of voters and
| the limitation of the elective franchise, may
be determined by the Legislature which
shall first assemble under the amended
constitution.
When this section was read, Mr. Butier
offered the following amendment:
"That we, part Of the people, in pri-
mary meeting assembled, have ordained
and established the following amendments
to the Constitution of the State, which we
recommend to the people for their ratifca-
ton: That no negro, muiatto, Indian or
person of mixed blood, descended from ne
gro or Indian ancestors TO The third gener-
ton, inclusive, though one ancestor of each
generation may have been white person,
shall exercise The elective franchise, or hold
any Office of honor or profit, nor shall they
be competent jurors in any court of justice
in this State, or give evidence against q
white person."
After considerable discussion this amend
ment was laid upon the table. Afterwards
Butler was elected to the State Senate, and
there he maintained the position he had
assumed in the convention Of hostility TO
the negro. In the Senate on the Sth of
April, 1865, bill introduced by Mr.. Peart
to repeal the sections of the Code of Ten
nessee which declares negroes 'incapabls
of being a witness in any case, civil or
criminal, except for or against each Other"
which was taken up on its third reading.
We quote as follows from the debate which
ensued:
Senator Butler, o johnson, opposed it
| premature su1k, TOW az ds regulating tho
status Of the negro. Coming from dis
trict with fewer saves than any in the State
"A district that has sent more soldiers TO
the Union army than any other in the State
| "a district which has never been question
ed for its loyalty and devotion to the Uni
teu States government, he felt il his duty,
knowing as he did, the sentiment Of his
constituency, TO oppose its passage
| The bill proposes To make WitneSse Of ne
| groes against white men, and that is not
the most Objectionable feature: it makes
| them qualified voters, ana the repeal of
| those sections in the Code will be so con-
strued by the jurists and courts Of tie
Stale. We have done enough for
the negro at present. Let Us see whether
it is curse or blessing we have bestowed
| upon him. Tennessee is not prepared for
| this great stride in elevaing the negro. She
does not expect it of this Legislature. The
men of the mountain districts who have
| lett their families and periled tn If lives for
the Union will be shocked by this hasty
| legislation, l1hiCh sets up the liUeS of tchite
| men TO BE SWORN AWAY BY NEGROES.
| They will not approve Of it, and knowing
their hOhest sentiments regarding the sub
ject, l feel it my duty, in justice to my con-
stituency, to record my vote against the
passage OF the bill"
In the Senate, on the 18th of May, 1868.
Mr.. Trimble introduced bill "to render
persons of African or Indian descent CON-
petent as witnesses in the courts Of this
S ate." 1t is customary to allow all new
bills to pass their first reading without OBJ
lection or debate, but Butler could not per-
NIT this movement ''to do justice" to the
negro pass, and Immediately upon the in
PRODUCTION of the bill, he is reported to
have denounced it as follows:
"Mr. Butler protested against the intro
duction of such infammatory bills at this
late hour. The negro question came be-
fore US at an early day, and we laid it over
during this session by a very decided vote.
1t has been the distinct understanding that
this subject should not agitate this body al
this session. Ii is understood TO be apend-
ing question, and we have already had fair
expression of option on it. We desire to
adjourn early, and the most important bills
are now perfected and will be passed in
few days, when it is expected that we
shall adjourn. Open this CUES ion, it sill
inUOire a long ana angry debate, and pro
tract the session 10 very late day."
Thus we see that whenever the subject
OF comforting upon the negro the right to
ties ify In our courts was brought to the at
tention of the Legislature, this Rebel Radi-
cal candidate lost no time in denouncing
the measure, and # will be seen he d =
clared the sentiments he entertained were
those of the citizens of the counties he rep
resented. He declared that his constituents
would 'be shocked by the hasty legislation
which sets up the lives of white men to be
sworn away by negroes" Here was d.
rect charge that negroes would swear false
ly, and that if they wee permitted to testi-
fy, the lives of white men would be in dan
ger. The negroes in the first district are