Year: 1870

vote upon it. aud what better are We than
the Radical Legislature that illegally declaF-
ed the negro voter, if We refuse to allow
the people to decide Il ? What wrong can
there be, when your agents differ as TO what
your will Is, to refer it 20 YOU to deeias
DOes not our Bill of Rights declare that all
power is inherent Ia the people and all gov
ernments founded on their a-th0rity2 Why
should We force this Radical idea upO= them
before the time Why not follow the ex-
ample Of every State which has herst0forsT
voted on it-submit it as separate propc.
sition 2 Surely our Radical friends cannot
complain If wa follow the example of Min
Resota, Michigan, Connecticut, Colorado,
Kansas, Ohio Wisconsin, Miss 1uri and New
York But there are epecial reasons why
ne should submit It to the people, and viii
give them briefly; for, sir, | am physically
unable to elaborate. First, the time between
the calling of the Convention and the election
of delegates was 50 short that no time was
had to discuss it properly. Second, because
no discussion at all was had, or the will Of
people consulted upon it in large majority
of the districts represented by delegates on
this floor. Third, because by submitting il
as a separate question TO be voted on some
time hence, we will have the benefit OF
events which may happen before that time
I'VE will know whether the Fifteenth
Amendment is adopted-Ee viii pass the
present panic; and tell yon that when the
people have deliberated on it they will do
right. don't care whether you are for
negro suffrage or against, let the people
decide it, and L will submit to their decision
What is this majority report7 Why, sir,
the majority report is so fixed that if the
psOpie Tatify the Constitution, we enfraa-
chise the negeo and if they vote it down IL
leaves the white man disfranchised and the
negro still an actual voter. So that if eEery
in the State was opposed to negro suf-
frage-still willing or unwilling-vote it up
or dOWn-the negrS is voter. Was ever
such proposition made to q free peopIsf
Oh, slrs, do not let US attempt to force the
people who sent Us here to do anything, aRd
especially so horrible thing as this What
have the people of Tennessee been CRYING
out against these four years2 Is it not ths8
their pretended representatives have violated
their will and forced upon them thinRs
which they despised How then, shall.Ws
escape their just indignation if, when We
are sent here to do their will, we knowingly
violate their will, and, by the way we sab.
E1it she question to thSm, force them into


false posItion7 1t is tyranny, sir The
minority proposition leaves it to the psople
| to say whether the negro shall be their
political equal, aud whether they vote the
negro up or down, it enfranehises the dis
| franchised white man. But, they say, this
minority report will create discussion before
| the people. Suppose it does. Have not the
people right to discuss a proposition
which you ask them to endorse? The truth


has nothing to fear from discussion The
gentleman from Davidson (Mr. BroWn) in
1 speaking of submission asks US why We did
not resist the Acknowledgement of the white
men 2 We did, sir, until there was such .
Fground-swell of indignation, that even


Radical candidate for Governor. trembling


with fear, pledged himself, in case of elect
ion, to recommend the calling of Conven-
| tiOn TO enfranchise them


Mr.. President, l assert that in the lass


great analysis it will be found that it was


never even expedient to do wrong. The
gentleman says he has erected an altar to p
peace. and all the incense he proposes to
burn is upon shat altar. But, sir, the good
book says, Thou shalt not make to thyself


any craven image-thou shalt not bow
down to them nor serve them" Let.us


rather burn iucense on the altar ag
| truth, for


Bss .ssF ssE1s .15ssd ysssi :; @,i.. !: Ss


| And dies amid her WOrshlpsrs."


What would you think of father who
should call his children about him, and, in


stead of telling them that honesty was the


best policy, should tell them that In many
cases is was expedient to do wrong-and


when in doubt or trouble it was right to act


less upon which is true than what is seem.


ingly polite. l tell you sir. it is horrible.


How then will posterity regard us if We q
1


birthright Of constitutional liberty for this


miserable mess of Radical pottage-if we,


when all seems lost but honor, shall Sacrifices
that TO obtain deeeitful smile efpeace from


the assassins as they murder the real peace


of our people-if we ungratefnlly Tenounce


the fundamental truths we learned in child
hood, and at the bidding of these modern


Balaks who hold temporary power, curse


the very principles which underlis eur
greatness As for me and my people,


though the Radical party sends us yet again
t Princes IN power to threaten as, or seeks to
t win Us by their gifts, get like Balaam, stand
: ing on this eminence of time and looking
3 down the glorious valley of the pat, where
{ rest our great and good, and looking upward
r to the God of Truth, we cannot curse whom
{ He has blessed; but joining hands with the
{ great Conservative people Of the North, we
look and long for the blessed day when the
e dark cloud of Radical corruption shall have
? been swept away forever.