Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-08-26
THE CONGRESSIONAL CANVASS.
A Lively Discussion and Some
New Points.
what EOuk Thought of the CiVII
Rights Bill in May.

what HOuk thought of the CiNil
Rights Bill in May.
The Court House was comfortably
filed Saturday, to hear the discussion
between Col. Thornburgh and Judge
Houk. A large proportion of those
present were active Democratic poli-
ticians Of this city, Matt Swan, It a.,
who were evidently present to give
the weak side aid and comfort. aud
cheer Judge Houk whenever an excuse
could be found. It was well under
stood that Mr.. Rule, the CHRONICLE
and the Republican party were To be
pretty roughly handled by Houk in his
usual style, hence the Democratic
managers and the editor of their organ
were all present to enjoy it and report
those parts in full.
As the general course thediscussion
was the same as that heretofore report.
ed, we will give a mere outline of that,
but give the new points made by Col
Thornburgh in full.
He touched the
QUESTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS
How he stood on the question was
well known, but he would call ON his
competitor TO tell how he stands. He
was ready to answer on the question.
He had voted mo, "to taking i up,aud
| fought it two nights to keep il
down, and he would vote mo -
every time. He noticed col0red
men present. He would say to them
that he wouldv vote "No.nIf he was met
with "A petition as long rs Tennessee
River, he would vote "No.n \ man
can't stand one way in one session and
another in another session. He could
not stultify himself as his competitor
had done. Wanted the question fairly
looked upon. Although Republicans
had working two thirds majority in
the House, they did not pass a Civil
Rights Bill tall, and no bill with the
odious provision of Senate Bill No. !
will ever pass Civil Rights lately mean
mixed schools, mixed hotels and mix
ed railroads, but that was not the
meaning Of Civil Rights. He was in
favor Of Civil Rights, but not for the
bill called Civil Rights He said it
had been asserted by the Supreme
Court that no free negro
was n citizen. The war came up-the
Thirteenth Amendment to the Con-
stitutiOD was passed-nO more slavery
in this country-four millions of PEG.
pie were no longer slaves, but not
citizens. The Fourteenth Amendment
was then passed, and they were clothed
with citizenship. When you make
him Il citizen, you entitle him to all
the rights that any citizen is entitled
to, and no State dare abridge them
BY that single amendment, they were
clothed with every right for which
the AnglO-SaXo race had fought for
years to obtain.
He said he was almost afraid to say
anything about Civil Rights, as there
were Il number of dirty puppies going
through the country lying against
him.
4 Fifteenth Amendment was found
necessary, and it was passed. This
entitled the COlOred man to assist in
making the laws. 1t gave him his
vote. As for himself, while
he will never vote for
mixed schools, mixed railroads,
mixed grave yards and anything else
the people don't want. He will never
vote to let any State take any right
from any citizen, white or colored.
He knew that the great body of white
men do not want mixed schools and
he will never vote to mix them. There
was something wrong about the rail-
roads, and it is probable they will need
some legislation. AS 1t now stands, "A
colored member of Congress purchases
ticket to New Orleans, pays the same
a white man does, but when he gets to
Lynchburg he does not get the same
accommodation. He was not
in favor of them being put in
the same car with whites, but
thought the coIored man should have
equally as good accommodations. He
was not in favor Of mixed schools, but
wanted the colored man to have an
opportunity to get good education.
If the Civil Rights Bill was passed he
would not have this opportunity, as
the Democratic Legislature would put
a stop to the free school system of the
State.
He wanted to know how his com
petitor stood on the Civil Rights Bill.
He had been informed 10y several gem
tlemen, lChOSe names nc 1UuS prepared
to give, that while he was in Washing
ton voting against taking up this bill,
Judge HOuk was here telling the people
that if he was in Washington he lcOuId
haze to cote for IT, That is how he
stood Oh the question at that time, and
he wanted to know how he stood at
the present.
Col. Thornburgh then took up Judge
Houk's official record for the last two
years, and thought it unnecessary to
go back of the time when he was
sent to Nashville by the Republicans
to watch a Democratic Legislature.
They wanted an untlinching Republi
can TO watch Governor Brown and his
ring and other rings that might be
formed, and they sent Leonidas G.
Houk. Now, what does his record
show? He supported two of Governor
Browns most infamous bills-the
funding bill and the assessment law.
JUDGE HOUK's SPEECH.
1t was true personalities had been
avoided, but thought the gentleman
exceedingly sore. Before noticing the
speech his competitor had made, he
would ask him what he proposed to