Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-03

had, in courteous and mild language, eX-
pressed opposition to the enforced co. edu
cation of I. 'as, Mr.. Bartlett in SUBJ
stance re.eu' 5.l this charge. | reply to it
by quoting the language of the most large
ly circulated and influential Republican
journal in the United states. The New
York Times, of the date rom which have
quoted above, says:
at has been urged that this BILLS requir-
ed to complete the policy of reconstruction
upon which the Republican party entered
at the close of the rebellion. But that
policy contemplated nothing more than
the political acknowledgements of the blacks,
and this was secured by the constitutional
amendments. 1t was no part Of the Re-
publican purpose to force mixed schools
upon the people, or to confer upon any
class the privileges specially accorded to
the negroes by this bill"
Recurring again to this convention, Mr..
Bartlett knows that it publicly resolved
that they (the colored people) "would
treat all white men as their private, per
sonal enemies who were opposed to mixed
schools This and much more of even a
more insolent description characterized
the proceedings of that convention.
In replying to the attacks of the conven-
ton upon myself was but exercising the
right of self-defense. Mr.. Bartlett says it
was unchristian y in me to do this.
Here Mr.. Bartlett and myself differ. I
never supposed that because the colored
race were made free and enfranchised 1t
deprived a white man of the right to de-
iend himself, when publicly denounced or
knocked down on the street by negro.
Again Mr.. Bartlett aud myself differ in
our opinions Of the rights of the "poor
white trashn of Fast Tennessee of whom
he speaks
This designation embraces nearly all the
white people of East Tennessee, because
| they are nearly all poor. | believe these
poor white people have some rights which
| eUen the Congress of the United States Is
| bound to respect.
| I am opposed to this Civil Rights Bill be-
cause it is usurpation of the rights and
an oppression upon all classes of white peo-
! pie in my State and section. But no fea'
! ture of it is, to me, more odiOus than that ii
is especially burdensome to the poor white
| people, and in utter contempt of theil
! rights and interests. / am the
friend Of the poor white people
as have always been. Because
l want their children educated in the
public schools at the expense of those NOR,
fortunate than they who are able te sent
their children to private schools, that
oppose this oppressive and abominabl'
usurpation. The passage of this Civil
Rights Bill will destroy the free schools 0
LutOldlttdS u OuBhO W w, lOl ~ 10 bSb1CA w
have no schools at all than such as are al
bitrarily dictated under this bill. The mer'
threat to pass it is the greatest insult an'
outrage which has ever been attempte'
upon the honest, hard working people Q
small property, or no property at all.
The negro WOr8hippcrs, who believe tina
a poor white man in the South should no
have equal rights with the negro, and Lh
: politicians who urgent in Ignorance of tn
needs or in disregard of the interests {
the people of the South, say to the poo
white men: ave know you do not wan
! to send your children to mixed schools
; we know if Congress forces this measur
= it will destroy the schools, but you shd
= have mixed schools or none at all.
, The "poor white trash - of Massachusetts
! whence Mr.. Bartlett emgrated, may cove
: and yield to the insolent demands of pol
= | ticians, but the poor people OF East Tel
: nessee will never be driven like sheep
| the slaughter pen by any class of polit
: clans or by any political party. They kno
e their rights, and dare maintain them. The
- have always been freemen, and they wi
= always be such. The whole Southern Coz
= federacy could not subjugate them, and o
~ the small politicians and demagogu
g of their own political faith ca
= not do it. The invigorating a
and pure water of their mouI
= tains and valleys are incompatible with
" state of slavery. East Tennessee 10 as II
- vulnerable to this assault upon her libe
- berries as her own eternal hills.
n THE Hills, the everlasting hills,
u How peerle-sly they rise,
u Lake Earth's gigantic sentinels
s. Discussing through the skies.
Of Hail Natures storm proof fortresses,
lr BY Freedoms children trod
IA Hall We inYulnerable walls,
is The masonry Of God"
ia Yes, Mr.. Bartlett, you can rally
n. miscegenation brigade and the whit dod
q. ing politicians whu agree with you that
is poor white people have no rights, anc
he will meet you with the hone
ot labOrer5 and poor men who
&c rights are outraged and trampl
upon by this abOmination.
j, On the general subject of the sO-call
- Civil Rights Bill, and what itA advooat
a, call Protecting the Negro" have f.
III words to say.
:, The negro now has the equal protect
h., Of the laws. In other words, he has eql
~ political rights with the whites. b u
40 this, in ali the Southern States, he
4 equal facilities for education at public {
pense, though he does not pay one-ter
of one per cent. Oh the dollar Of the Ia,
a. which are collected 10 support the schoc
ne No invidious distinctions are made agai
N him. Education in these States y out
u; the sphere OF politics. the negro Is am
=: protected, aud the National Leiis as
III should q, ase lrgislattng on the educatEI
"a question, and creating turmoil and
lte blnod where progress aud g'hId feel nI'
-. s..g. LN,NR RaN