Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1874-08-13

the wonderfully recuperatiye power
of the people when the revenues are
honestly administered. The..debt was
being steadily reduced, while expenses
/ in all departments..Of the Government
were cut down to the lowest possible
limit. The appropriations for the
fiscal year had been cut down S27 900,
600, which was d clear saving of that
large amount. Yet Notwithstanding
i the economical administration of af-
fairs public improvements We're still
going on with 10 diminution; navi-
CATION was fostered, our rivers cleared
of distractions and our ports and
harbors improved.
BAD LAWS REPEALED.
Abiding to various unpopular enact-
ments, the speaker stated that it was a
fact highly gratifying, that though tn e
Republican party was nOtrinfalllble,
and had passed bad and sometimes
unjust laws, yet at the demand of the
people, the most if not all of the I'M
popular measures had been either re-
pealed or amended. Such had been
the case with the Sanborn contracts,
the credit mOpilier, the bankrupt law,
and the salary grab. which latter act
was passed by the Congress preceding
that 10 which he was elected, but he
was proud to know that he had by his
influence aided in having the salary
reduced. He had drawn his salary as
a member of Congress and the increas>
ed compensation, he had not covered
into the Treasury, because he thought
he was entitled to the same pay
that others received and prescribed by
law, albeit one that he did not ap-
prove.
FINANCE AND CLAIMS.
The judicious financial policy of the
Government was apparent, and now
that the effects Of the late money pan
ic were over and no longer felt, entire
confidence was restored and large sums
of money were now in circulation,
which previous to that time had been
locked up. Want of time, however,
prevented his dwelling on this vital
subject.
The question OF claims was one that
interested a large number of the citi-
zens of East Tennessee, which amount
aggregated nearly three-quarters of a
million of dollars, for which they had
waited ten long years. The Govern
ment owed this debt and it should be
paid. He had worked diligently to
! bring about this cOnsummatiOn, how
much so he would let those say in
whose special interests he had labOred.
His correspondence on this subject
| had been enormous and he had given
every request made by any of his con-
stituents! his personal attention, and
appealed to the audience for proof of
this, many of whom present had his
letters in their pockets. He had work
ed for them while many of his hearers
were doubtless asleep, but that was what
he expected when he put on the har
ness, and he was willing to work on.
HIS POSITION.
His party feaIty few had affected to
doubt, but he would state his position
unequivocally. He was now as ever
before in full accord with the princi-
pies of the National Republican party.
In this connection it might be expect
ed that he should define his position
on what is known as the Civil Rights
Bill, or more properly understood in
Congress as Senate Bill No. l. It was
almost useless to consume the time to
say where he stood. In the true &C
ceptatiOn of the term civil rights y
meant those inalienable rights guaran-
teed to every citizen, {" life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness" The ter
minatiOn of the late civil struggle re
suited in the emancipation of over
100000 slaves to the rights of citizen
ship. Step by step additional powers
and rights had been conferred on the
cOlOred race, and he asked the question if
they did not have every privilege eX-
tended them now enjoyed by the white
man? Being suddenly transformed
from bondage to the estate of freemen,
it was necessary to protect them by APP
prOpriate legislation in the enjoyment
! - l., L, Al,
Amendments were passed, which car
ried out the objects sought to be OBJ
tanned:
ARTICLE XIII.
SEC. l. Neither slavery nor involuntary
whereof the party shall have been duly con-
victed, shall exist within the United States,
or any place ubject TO their jurisdiction
ARTICLE NV.
SEC. !. All persons born or naturalized
in the United States, and subject to the
| jurisdiction thereof, are citizens OF the
United States, and of the States wherein
they reside. n State shall make or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges
or immunities of citizens Of the. United
States nor shall any State deprive any
person of life, liberty, or property without
due process law, nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection
of the laws.
Yet, other Legislation was thought
necessary, and the 10th Amendment
to the Constitution of the United States
was passed:
ARTICLE XIV.
SEC l. The right of citizens of the
United States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States, or by any
State, on account of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude.
All these amendments had been en-
acted by Republican Congress for the
benefit of the colored man, and had
been endorsed and sanctioned by the
Republican party years ago, and he
ventured to say that his opponent,
Judge Houk, had endorsed them be-
fore he (the speaker had entered po-
litical life. The amendments and legis-
latiun protecting the colored man in
the enjoyment of the rights he now
possessed were right, just and proper,
but the
civil RIGHTS BILL"
as it was commonly known, and pre-
sented to the people with all the invid-
ious penalties attached, was enough. to
frighten even a murderer. Such legis-
latjOn as Disseminated in favor of one