Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-04-11
THE SPIRIT OF TENNESSEE DEMOCRACY
Senntor Gibson,s Sneech.

From the last number of the Tennessee
Tribune We take the following extracts
from Senator Gibson's speech on the APP
portionment bill. The bill being before
the Senate he said
Are we here to legislate in the interest
of the Democratic partyiexclusively? Such
| was not our oath. Are we here for the
| sole purpose of so framing the Congression-
al Districts that no Republican can be
| elected to Congress from Tennessee? /, at
least, did not so swear; what then are we
| here for? We are here for the purpose of
dividing this State into Districts COM
| posed Of contiguous territory and contain
ing Gs nearly as practicable an equal num-
Der of inhabitants ! " SO reads the act of
Congress. Will we obey the law, or will
we violate its letter and spirit Look at
this map and tell me which we have done.
Here is the 1st District containing 5000
votes too feW and the I'd District contain
ing II 900 votes too ql1Q1ly. Why has this
been DONE Why is the 1st District made
so small and the I'd District made so large
The law requires each district to contain
as neCtrLy as OracticUbLe an EQUAL number
of inhabitants )" Why has this been
done? And what is the reason assigned
why this change was not made? Blush,
oh truth, and hide thy face, oh justice. The
reason openly assigned on this floor for re-
fusing to obey the law of Congress is that
the 1st and I'd District must be so cOnsti-
tuted that no Republican can be elected in
either of them. We are told again and
again that this bill is designed to crush
the Republican party.
In referring to the cry against recon-
struction, Mr.. Gibson said
Oh, have heard, until my ear was tired,
this Democratic TRADE against reconstruc-
ton! But what have we here? Here is
deliberate attempt Oh the part of Middle
and West Tennessee to reconstruct East
Tennessee. Now l understand it all, it is
not so much the Republican party that is
to be crushed as it is East Tennessee that
is to be crushed East Tennessee must
now suffer for her devotion to the Union in
those dark and dismal days of terror and
death between 1861 and 1865. Democracy
is triumphant and East Tennessee is subju-
gated.
This bill will increase the Republican
vote in East Tennessee at least five thou |
sand, and will enable us to carry the first |
three districts. Mark this prediction. You |
can't ensIave us We will burst the shack |
les; and the standard of independence |
and of victory will gleam from every
top; and when next November |
the magnetic wires bear the election news |
from East Tennessee to Nashville and |
Memphis, great will be your surprise, and |
great your modification, when you read |
q Three Republicans elected to Congress |
from East Tennessee ~
FREE ELECTION.
And while talking about elections, l |
want you Democrats to understand me. |
The day of intimidation has passed. The |
the halter, and the siX-shOoter |
must be thrown aside in Middle and West |
Tennessee. Political discussion must be |
free. The Kuklux must be driven into |
their dens, or bayonetted in their tracks
Political prescription must forever end.
The Republican party will be trified with
no longer; and we now give you fair warm
ing and full notice, that there shall be eth
er free election in Tennessee next No
vember or none. Mark that A Repub-
ican President and Republican Congress
means something. Every citizen must
have perfect protection. The way to the
OallOt-boX must be open, unobstructed,
and safe for every man. Without this,
freedom is mOckery and the ballot a
counterfeit.