The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-06-10

| resolutions denouncing me by name
as "Judas" and s'traitor," be
cause I had, in courteous and milo
language, expressed opposition tc
the enforced co education of the
races. Mr.. Bartlett, in substance
re-echoed this charge. Ireply TO il
by quoting the language of the most
largely circulated and influential Re
publican journal in the United
States. The New York Times, oi
the date from which | have quoted
above, says:
s. "It has been urged that this bill
is required to complete the policy
reconstruction upon which the Re-
publican party entered at the close
of the rebellion. But that policy oil
contemplated nothing more than the
political ehfranchisement of the
blacks, and this was. secured by the
constitutional amendments. 1t was
no part of the Republican purpose
to force mixed schools upon the
people, or to confer upon any class
the privileges specially accorded to
/ LAAN bCSlOS5 DJ THO DltiF-
/ Recurring again 10 this conyen-
tion, Mr.. Bartlett knows that it pub
licly resolved that they (the colored
people, would treat all white men
as their private. personal enemies,
who were opposed to mixed schools. .
This and much more Of even a more
insolent description characterized
the proceedings Of that convention.
In reply to the attacks of the con-
vention upon myself was but ex-
ercising the right of self-defense.
Mr.. Bartlett says it was unchris-
tian'' in me to do this.
Here Mr.. Bartlett and myself diff
er [ never supposed that because the
colored race were made free and
enfranchised it deprived a white man
of the right to defend himself, when
publicly denounced or knocked down
on the street by negro.
Again, Mr. Bartlett and myself
differ in our opinions of the rights Of
the "poor white trash of East
Tennessee of whom he speaks.
This designation embraces nearly
all the white people Of East Ten
nessee, 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.
] am opposed to this Civil Rights
Bill because It is usurpation ofthe
rights and an oppression upon all
classes of white people in my State
and section. But no feature of it IS
to me more odious than that it is es-
pecially burdensome to the poor
white people. and in utter contempt
of their rights and interests. / am
the friend of the poor white people,
as have always been. Because |
want their children educated in the
public schools at the expense of
those more fortunate than they who
are able to send their children to
private schools, that / oppose this
oppressive and abominable usurpa-
tion. The passage of this Civil
Rights Bill will destroy the free
schools of the State, as it ought to
do, for it is better to have no schools
at all than such as are arbitrarily
dictated under this bill. The mere
threat to pass it is the greatest in
suit and outrage which has ever been
attempted upon the honest, hard
working people of small property, or
no property at all.
The negro -qcorshippers, who believe
that poor white man in the South
should not have equal rights with
the negro and the politicians who
urge it in ignorance of the needs or
in disregard of the interest of the
people Of the South, say to the poor
white men 1--WE know you do not
want to send your children to mixed
schools; We know. if Congress forces
this measure, it will destroy the
schools, but you shall have mixed
schools or none at all.'' The ''poor
white. trash of Massachusetts,
whence Mr.. Bartlett emigrated, may
cover and yield to the insolent de-
mands of politicians, but the poor
people of East Tennessee will never
be driven like sheep to the slaughter
pen by any class of politicians or by
any political party. They know their
rights, and dare maintain them.
They have always been freemen, and
they will always be such. The whole
Southern Confederacy could not sub
jugate them, and all the small poll
ticians and demagogues of their own
political faith, cannot do it. The in
MIGRATING air and pure water Of
their mountains and valleys are in
compatible with state of slavery.
East Tennssee is as invulnerable to
this assault upon her liberties as her
own eternal hills.
The hills, the everlasting hills,
How peerIessly they rise,
Like Earth's gigantic sentinels
Discoursing through the skies.
Hail Natures storm proof fortresses,
BY Freedoms children trod;
Hail ye invulnerable walls,
The masonry Of God"
Yes Mr.. Bartlett, you can rally
the Miscegenation Brigade and the
white dodging politicians who agree
with you that the poor white people
have no rights. and / will meet you
with the honest laborers and poor
men whose rights are outraged and
trampled upon by this abomination.
On the general subject of the So
called Civil Rights Bill, and what its
advocates call Protecting the Ne
gro" | have a few words to say.
The negro now has the equal pro-
lection Of the laws. In other words.
he has equal political rights with the
whites. Besides this, in all the.
Southern States. he has equal facili-
ties for education at public expense,
though he does not pay one-tenth of
one per cent on the dollar of the
taxes which are collected to support
tho cphnn1c NJ i.,1-s,Jf@tYcs 9f.tsy,.