Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-05-20
BROWNLOW'S ANSWER
To the Nashville Colored Conven-
ton.
what He has bone for the CoIoresI peo.
pie.
MAY -, 1874.
KNOXVILLE, T1Nx., May Il, 1874.

pie.
KNOXVILLE, TI.NN., May l., 1874.
EDITORS CHRONICLE: The late Con-
vention composed of colored men, held at
Nashville, has attracted considerable at
tention, and perhaps no feature Of it has
contributed more to this result than the
savage and childish assaults by several
members of the convention upon my
self.
That such proceedings should charac-
terize convention of colored men in Ten
nessee would naturally occasion surprise
among Republicans in Tennessee and
throughout the Union. When the mis-
guided men composing this convention
and the unprincipled demagogues melting
them to action denounce me as the enemy
of the colored race, they forget that this
rigmarole will only excite sympathy in the
minds of those who are really DESTROYS of
lettering the condition of the African race.
and derision among those who think him
incapable ofimprovementb beyond the point
that produces such document as the reso-
Iutions and printed proceedings of the
convention.
The accusation that l had betrayed the
rights and interests of the colored race is
too extravagant to be believed by really in
telligent men of any race or party. And
yet few words as 10 the past may be per-
tinent for the Information of the talinteli-
gent memb ers of this convention and as
rebuke to the intelligent, but ungrateful,
members of it who voted for the resolu-
ton of censure upon me. When the Sc
cessionists of the South went to war for an
dbstrdction-the rightn to take slaves
into territories where the laws of God
and nature made slavery unprotit table,
as the Colored CDventiOn propose to wage
war upon the white race for an abstraction,
in compelling the co education of the
races, | predicted the destruction OF slav-
cry. Among the first to favor making
soldiers of the colored man, by which 10
assert his emancipation, [ gave whatever
influence / had to maintain the National
sentiment of the North aud TO arouse the
dormant patriotism of the South. Passing
over the events that resulted in my Danish
ment from my home and State, J Will say
that with the Federal occupation of the
state, l began the agitation Of the freedom
of the cOlUr-d people, and ceased only
when the shackles had fallen from every
slave in the land. y declaration of free.
tom TO the former slaves Of the State ne
oessitated other incidental rights Of prac-
,cal character, such as the right TO sue
aud Ue sued " and to testify IS witnesses
n the courts of the State.
WHAT WHITE EEPUBLIcANs DID FOR
THEM.
Next the right Of the colored man to sit
On iuries, vote and hold Office was urged
10 a successful conclusion. These measures
brought down upon my administration as
Governor Of Tennessee, the earnest Oppo.
sition Of large majority Of the white
people OF the state. The opposition not
only of a large majority Of those who had
participated IN the rebellion, but the Oppo-
~itiOn, equally earnest OF thousands of
East Tennessee Union soldiers who had
always been my friends. Unawed by
personal threat, and the frowus OF life
long friends aad supporters, ! went for
ward until my administration placed the
.olored man where he had an "eoual
chance and fair start . in the race of life,
with "nOue 90 modest Ornake hiuafraid"
at the peril OF visit by Jhg hated mill
tia.n
For the Information of .ls ignorant
member, OF the convention and a. "a re-
minder TO the cJn>cieuCes OF the more in
celligent ones / will say, that my admin.
istration entTanchised them i'm Tennessee
GcfOre their Northern friends had given
them the ballot in the other Southern
States which were reconstructed by Con-
greSsional enactment. Standing upon
such a record / feel that 1 can speak
as one with authority; that have a right
TO be heard, and that / will be heard and
my admopitions respected as well by intel.
ligent and honest colored men as by men,
will here remark that / have evidence
that the arguments | have heretofore,
through the press, presented on this subject
have created a decided impression upon
various members Of Congress.
1 would remind the cuiored people, that
the acts above referred 10 were done by me
and the Legislature of white men associ-
ated with me, because we believed them
necessary TO their protection and the secu-
rity of their freedom, 1t was not done be-
cause when elected Governor, in 1865, I
was pledged TO that policy, or because [
owed my election 10 the colored people, or
because / ever expected in the future To
look TO them for office. When elected
Governor in 1855, the colored people were
not voters, and upon the Legislature Of
chite men, under my administration, rat
lying the l4th Amendment. Congress adj
United the Congressman elect from the
state without requiring that Tenme,s ee
should have negro suffrage. II was several
years after that before me suffrage was
guaranteed them by the lith Amendment
% the Constitution.
At the GuberD8tOris and Legislative
election In 1857, preceding my election Ar
Senator, my popular majority was fifty
two thOusaHd, while the colored vote did
not exceed twenty-five thousand, thur
shoWing that the result depended IN no
way whatever on the cOlOrea population.
except as my white supporters we're made
"onsi dersbly smaller by reason of the oppo.
-ition to the suffrage Of the oolored man.
IL rs well known fact that several thou
sand white men and eX-Union q ,Idiers I'm
East Tennessee voted for my competitor.
because Of my friendship for the colored
rare and Advocacy of their political mot