Year: 1874

But. Mr.. Speaker, it has been said


that if I vote against the civil-rights


bill that [ will not be returned TO


Congress that my colored friends
will not sustain me. Sir, that has no
| terrors for me. l will do what I be-


lieye to be my duty, not only to the


blacks but to the whites. I am not
the representative of one race. /


was chosen to represent the whole
people Of my district, regardless Of
race. color, or party affiliations. That
duty | have and will perform. may


not perform it with satisfaction to-


all, but it shall be with fairness and
independence. If my coloved friends


desert me, they desert q man who


has stood by them in many hardfought.
contests for the rights and privileges
theynow enjoy, and to-day am plead
ing for them. and asking Congress not
to inflict this great wrong upon them
andupon the poor white people of any
State. l am their best friend; if
they desert me, where and to whom
will they go? l do not believe they
will do any such thing. They are as
a class true and grateful, and while
one here and there may be found to
do so that wants to be a leader in
the cOlOred ranks, or some hypocrit-
lcal preacher, the great mass of them
will do as they have done, stand by
me and show their gratitude toward
one that desires their prosperity and
the educatinn Of their little children.
But if in this am mistaken, and the
colored man prefers a further aglta-
ton Of the question of his rights, and
prefers excitement, bad blood, and
feeling, and is not satisfied with my
vote on this question, then l will ap-
peal to my own race to vindicate the
rectitude of my course, trusting to-
time to convince all that what may
have done in the premises was not
out of malice or hatred to any, but
in the firm belief before God and nv
country that the happiness, peace,
prosperity, and education Of both
races will be promoted and guaran-
teed by the course | have chosen. II
in tins l am mistaken, it is an error
Of judgment and not of intention.


Mr.. Speaker, since l have been IS
member Of this House, on all occas-
ions / have endeavored to do nv
duty to the people who sent me here.
L have done what l believed would
rebound to the best interests of my
people. My political status never
was doubted. l have always been
true and firm to my principles and
party. / never occupied aquestion-
able position. My party always
knew where l was politically. My
opponents never had the least doubt
of my opinions as expressed freely
upon all occasions. / have never
deserted friend or pandcred to an
enemy. What I am is known by all.
l am no dissembler or hypocrite,
either in politics or religion; but
let me say right here that no one of
any political faith from my district
or State ever called on me or sent
me any business to attend to before
Congress or the Departments that [
did not give it immediate attention
and for its accomplishment bring TO
bear whatever ability l possessed.
Sir, fatter myself, and invite the
strictcst scrutiny of the records of
Congress, that no district in the
South since the war has received
from the Government more aid than
the first district of Tennessee. L
may have committed errors and have
not succeeded in all thaS | desire
for my district, but did all / could.
What | lacked in ability 1 endeavOr-
ed to supply by fidelity and industry.


But, sir, my place is wanted, and
in order to obtain it l must be got
ten out of the way and the way
opened to some who have no claims
either upon the party or the people,
nor can have, and to others who now
enjoy place through my aid and In
t1uence, and the question is often
asked, can It be so and, if so, O,
what base ingratitude! But, Mr..
Speaker, / have confidence i'm the
people of my district. have never
betrayed. never deserted them some
of them have known me from boy
hood and in every relation Of life,
and it is those who always sustain
me as a unit. In conclusion I will
say, if I may not be regarded as
egotistical, that if have not accom-
plished much for my district, in the
name of all that is sacred and dear,
what could those who are now clam
orous for my place accomplish in
Congress for any people?.