Year: 1869




The following brief and cogent speech
was delivered in the State Senate on the
10Th of February last by Hon. B. Lyle
who is now candidate for the House
from Montgomery county. 1t is as much
as need be said on the subject -


Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen of the Sem
ate: The resolution just read contains,
as You all know, no new project of mine,
but it contains living principle as old as
the government, although dead so far as
the last four years Legislation of Tennes-
see is concerned, and is cherished in the
honest PATRIOTS heart, and will burst forth,
sooner or later, to the disgrace of all its
opposers. What is this princirle? It's,
Mr.. Speaker, that taxation and repre-
sentation are inseparable, and should
through right and justice go hand ia
hand. Now, how stands the case?


Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen of the
Senate, we have been here now, Alto
gether nearly eleven months, and have
been subsisting mostly on the substance
OF men who had no'voice nor chose in our



to do to others as we would have others
do unto US, say that this is just and right?
II, Mr.. Speaker, it is because of their
participation in the rebellion that they
are made to pay tax without representa>
ton, why should they not all be treated
alike? know some. Mr.. Speaker, that
participated largely in the rebellion, that
are now prominent leaders in the Radical
party of the State. Are they any better
than those who have CONSCIENTIOUS
scruples in regard to taking an oath
such an oath as would entitle a
man under our laws to vote? l
think not, sir. Has not the government of
the United States pardOned them for their
participation IN the rebellion against the
same? | contend that no man has right
to govern another man without his con-
sent. Now how stands the matter with
us? We are not only governing some
men without their consent, but we are
actually applying their own substance
to do it. How long this state Of affairs
will exist, l do not know, but certainly
not long, although from certain indica-
tions relief for the many grievances
of the people is not looked for from
the present General Assembly. am in
hopes, Mr.. Speaker, that this resolu>
ton will pass, and that Senators will
60 to work in earnest for the good OF
the whole people of the SAFE by per-
| fecting some proposition, either as an
amendment TO the constitution of the State
or by the passage of some act which will
equalize taxation and representation and
thereby give peace and prosperity to our
| distracted but beloved State. You are now
upon the eve of adjournment without
touching this question, and you are fur
| ther from it to-day than the first month
after you are arrived here. claim to be
as good Republican as any man on the
| floor, but want principles to do my fight
ing instead of bayOnets Let US come
out and let US do justice to every man in
the State. We have a class Of men voting
who do not pay any taxes whatever, and
we are sitting here feeding upon the sub
stance of men who are debarred the privr
ilege of voting, and who pay taxes to sup>
port us. | hope the resolution will be
adopted and that this Senate will devise
s me plau by which justice will be mettd
out to every man in the State. know,
Mr. Speaker, that there has been some
depredations committed in different local,
tiles in the State, but there are bad men in
all parts of the world, and it is wonder
to me that more crimes have not been
committed than there really have 1t is
time that we should look after the in-
terests Of these people; they are the
taxpayers, to a great extent, and should
they not be represented on this foor2 |
hope the Constitutional Committee will
90 to work and report some plan by
which taxation may be made uniform.
move the adoption of the resolution.