Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-04-19
MEMPHIS, TENN: MONDAY. EVENING, APRIL 1s 1875

appropriate sphere, and one has no righ
toencroach upon the others. When thG
Legislature was convened, there came tc
be q difference OF opinion between tht
Governor Of the State and the Leeisla
ture, and that difference of opinion be
came almost factious; the Legislature
became refractory and the Governor
became refractory The Governor un,
dertook to control the Legislature. The
Legislature refused to keep a quorum.
Here was contest between two civil de-
partments OF the Government Of the State
of Tennessee The Governor wanted his
policy carried out, his measures acted on.
The Legislature was opposed TO them
and for the purpose of defeating the
Governor in carrying out bis plans they
reduced the number of members present
below quorum Here was struggle
between two civil departments of the
Government, the legislative and the ex.
ecutive. According TO the theory and
according to the Constitution itself they
were co ordinate branches of The Cover.
inent, and one had no right TO eneroacb
upon the other. We know the provisie n
that is made in nearly all the States, and
perhaps in all Of them, in the establish.
ment and in the government of the
Legislatures. There are certain rules
prescribed. The executive department
is laid down, the legislative is pres.
cribed also, and the Legislature has the
poweEto be the judge Of the quaIifca-
tons and elections Of its own members.
1t has a right to prescribe rules for its
own government it has the power to
compel the attendance of absent mem.
bers, thereby making inherent in the
body the power to preserve its organiza.
tion and its existence, and the response
biity is upon the Legislature aud not
upon the Governor. To defeat some
measure that was favored and advocated
and recommended by the executive dc.
partment, they, members OF the legisla-
tive department, reduced the Legislature
below a quorum. Then the struggle
came. The executive assumed the high
prerogative of taking charge of the Leg.
islature and having the members brought
in and compelled to act. Some of the
members rendered their designations,
which we're rejected by the Governor;
others absented themselves or refused to
vote, and thus reduced the House below
a quorum. Here was almost the precise
case that you have in Louisiana. Here
Though the struggle was not strictly be-
tween the Governor and the contendiup
members for seats in the Legislature, the
main issue was between the Legislature
and the Governor, That was the greal
struggle. We find in the case Of Louisi
ana, and it is so said and conceded BY
all who speak on the subject, that the
military was there obeying the behests
OF the Governor in organizing the Legs
lature and organizing a Legislature thai
favored him. 10 principle it is precisely
the same case.
From the foregoing it will be seen that
Senator johnson claims that the troubles
we had in Tennessee and those existing
in Louisiana we're Of similar import.
After making his statement OF the Ten.
nessee case, he says: Here was almost
the precise case that you have in Louisi
ana" When the Senator made this
statement he told what he knew to be
false. 1t is not only false, but is un
relieved by a particle Of truth. In all
the story Of the Arabian Nights or Don
QuixOte there is nothing more fictitious
tnAn Andrew Johnson's statement of the
Tennessee case, and that his policy had
been "non,interference' in the affairs OF
the State And there Is no more com
parison between the cases OF Louisiana
and Tennessee than there is between day
and night Such, ] feel confident, will
be the verdict of the hundreds OF thous.
ands of intelligent readers of the Tri.
bune who will peruse this letter. ]
shall state nothing as fact which will
not defy the most searching criticism oi
Mr. Johnson's friends and my enemies
What are the facts2 Ia Louisiana
there was controversy, resulting il
bloodshed as to who was the Executive
Of the State, and there was contest AZ
to who we're members Of the Legislature
many seats 10 the body being claimed
by two or more contestants. Ia
In Tennessee there was no eontro
versy as TO who was the Executive. NJ
person but myself was o candidate fol
or made claim to the election to tha
Office, which was held under the procla
nation Of this same Andrew johnson a,
Military Governor. Nor was there any
controversy as to single seat in th,
Legislature Both my election and tha
OF the Legislature were recognized by
johnson after he, unfortunately for tht
country, became President of the United
States.
The sole question in controversy il
Tennessee was whether, in palpable VIC
lation Of the Constitution Of the States
small minority Of the Legislature, act
ing under the advice Of Andrew johnson
as President Of the United States
should, by lawless revolutionary means
block legislation and break up the Legis
lature Of the State. This was the sol
question, as the record shows. Th
statements OF Senator Johnson TO tn
contrary are what you Northern peopl
term "misrepresenting the truth Of his
tory" but what we in Tennessee cal
"unmitigated lying"
As Governor Of the State and contrar
to the wishes of Andrew Johnson, con
vened the Legislature in extraordinar
session for the purpose of submitting t
it for ratification or rejection the Foul
tenth Article or amendment to the Cor
stitution, which had only recently bee
| proposed by Congress. Nobody wi
pretend that there was anything irregr