Newspaper Page Text
HMtljcvn Enterprise
T* (isEM-WEEKLL >
L. C. BRYAN, : : : : fait#.
TJ I< ) MAS VILLE, ciA.:
TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1867*
MEETING ON SATURDAY.
We publish to day The Preamble
nud Resolutions of a meeting held in
Thomasville, on Saturday la£t, accord
ing to previous notice. It was ip
tended to be a County Convention, but
the time was so brief between the no
tice given and the holding of the
meeting, that we cannot, call it a fair
County Convention. Whatever it was
however, its action is before us, and
sets forth Thomas County as the first
in the State to bow to il Gesier's Cop.” I
This meeting may justly be regarded
as the offspring of Gov. Brown’s Let
ter, which we also publish to-day, that
all may read for themselves, what is j
now recommended by one .who for a
hnrg tl.r,w wrjvjyA lliv V uufl<Ki>*s u?'
the people of Georgia. It would seem
presumption in us to -offer an opinion
at variance with the mature judgment
of one who so Jong occupied the high
est position in the State, but as it is j
the right of every citizen in this coun
try to express lii's opinion freely, we
give ours for what it is Worth.
We did not participate in the meet- |
ing on Saturday, nor were we present
but a few minutes at its close. Wc '
were engaged on that day doing-what' :
we have, and do still advise all out
fellow’ citizens to do—that is* discard
polities and go to work on their farms. !
Let every one devote his best energies i
* to profitable labor, and be sura to make
an abundant supply of food. No peo
ple can be badly hurt who have plenty
to eat. The South can do no good in
polities, and her efforts, even at argu
ment and lawq.but irritate the domi
nant faction ard add to our Arid rfirf
political burden. The Radicals are 1
fully resolved tjjatthe South shull not .
interfere to prevent them from elect
ing the next President, and if we
should swallow greedily every measure
thej r propose, they would still find
means to A«?pWfoul of Congress' until
tlieiruhjee't-fs accomplished. NbtlurtLf
they would approve ouf alacrity, ami
looking down upon our deeper degre.
•fatten, say, well done thou gotd and
faithful servant; but we should be in
structed to wait yet a little while until
the yoke was better adjusted to out
jaded necks.
Wo have eudeavored to persuade
ourself that the South might do some*
tfrrng toward the reconstruction of the
Inion, but after searching diligently
all our resources, we are forced back
upon the gloomy conclusion that the
Radicals will have ndhe of her Coun
sel, and desire no action on her part.
Governments onoe overturned are
never fully restored ; and whatever
may be our opinions in reference to
this, it is now’ undergoing a change
that will never he permanently re
stored. If another party should arise
and overthrow-the Radicals, that party
wotlld itself become radical, and in
either ease the country must suffer.
Let them alone therefore, and let the
disease produce its own remetjy. The
South cannot prevent them from any
act they may now contemplate, and af
tfr all our, position at present, is ofily
submission. Armed resistance, all ad'
mit, is utterly out of the question—-
no other resistance can avail us one
iota. Why then should wo be dis
turbed ? Let us be careful that we do
no act wliieu would bring upon us the
seprouch of the brave and free, in
other lands, and above- all, Unit we
bring not shame upon ourselves ard
our posterity. Degredatioj} will con.
bist not in what our enemies force up
on us, but in our own voluntary acts
of debasement. Let cur position then,
as a people, be this ; Corne Weal or
come woe, wc will never be guilty of
sabetioning any act Whatever that
tends in the slightest dogri*>, to .de
prive the future generations of thvs
country of tho smallest of the rights
guaranteed to them by the tiftie hon.
ored Constitution of their f; there.
NEW STOVES.
Messrs. A. & R. Smith, the genjlo- 1
manly proprietors of that elegant os- j
tablishment on the other side ol Bread \
Street, always filled to ororflowing with i
the latest stylos of House FnrmsJftng
Goods, of all kinds, have just received
•a lanre lot of elegant stoves which
they -sell at prjeea as cheap ps they i
can be bought in Savannah Or any !
where else outside of the Foundry.-- -
Their Copking Stoves are Rupcjb uuff j
every household shot Id’ tneludfi ofiFoT!
these convenient wood and labor savin-.*
cooking utensils, esneciafly, ii tliegm-d j
wife bus- to do or 'snpenntend the
cooking. , I
- 1
VETO MESSAGE.
The Ffrs’ulent sent in bis uiess.V’o
vetoing Iho bill .on ih y 2ml j
inst, and in the House it w: s uniftedi
ately passed oyer tW veto by a'Bmjori- \
ty of 1:5 yean t->-!7 nay,- . The Sena?-' j
has not yet voted.uphn ft, but i”o doiihl .
is entertained that .the bill will alsnl
pass the Senate over the veto. Tlu^ 1
President’s message sh< A’s the ,brll’.tn
be tho most despotic aud guossly un
just and oppressive measure over-pro- i
posed to the American pedjjle, ahd 1
.reducing the people of the South to !
a condition of s-iqvery and oppression
which tho d-cccndnnts of the English
have not submitted.to In n any cen
turies.
<£j“The Augusta UV- nstitntitmalist
learns, that the lion. Robert Tyomb#
has returned to his lupn’e in Washing,
ton, ilkeo County.
PUBLIC MEETING.
At a meeting, of the citizens of
Thoimas County, called to consider thej
political situation, the following Pre-J
amble and Resolutions were offered by
('liL.-iT. liiAlcxander, and adopted by|
die meeting:
The people of Thomas County, as
j sembied in primary meeting, to eon'
I sider the political condition of the
| country, and the relation they sustain
to the Government of tlic U. States,
| desire to give expression to tile fob i
j lowing view’s.
We bclteve now, tliSf. the amend'
ment proposed by the 39th Congress, 1
to be made to the Constitution of the
i United States, ought to have been rati- j
fied, and that the action of the several j
Legislatures in the South rejecting it,
was unfortunate, aud likely to prove a
j positive injury to us as a people. It
is possible Congress would have rei
garded supli action cn our part, as sat
isfactory evidence of loyalty, and ac
-1 quiesced in it as a. final settlement of
the vexed question of Reconstruction, i
It is certain, they coustrued its rejec- j
tiofi as evidence of disloyalty, and have
imposed upon us terms much more
humiliating.
i'Uerman’s bill nut uuly makes tl.o i
same requirements of us the proposed !
amendment did, but in effect destroys j
our Stato Governments and all their j
machinery, and substitutes therefor a 1
military government for the time boi j
ing, and deprives the States of juris' j
diction over the suffrage question.—
(kiri any state ol things be worse than I
this 1 Is there in it any tiling invit
ing or desirable 'To fold our arms
in inaction and say, we cannot help j
ourselves, that we must acquiesce in !
whatever Congress »ays or does, and \
in sullen silengc grrevo over our trou.
hies and misfortunes, is not a niaidy j
way dp meet the question. Let us be
up and doing.- Let us stud}*the tem->
per iaitdspirit • f Coihgress, and see if
we cannot do something to soften their
resentment, to modify their views; and
give things a pleasant direction. Let
us review' qur own action in the’ past,
ami see if fte have done arfy thing wo 1
ought nut to have dome, or omitted
the perfiirmpncc of any duty on our
part. Have woe acted well and wisely? j
'The experience aid observation of j
the Just few-' mOtuhs has'thrown some I
light upgn Our path. We sec now, I
that the of the proposed com i
“stitutronh! anieft-dment has aggravated i
the of ouf condition. It is t»kq*i j
as evidence “of" Opposition to the guv- |
ernment, and the temper of the peo
ple North, towards us, is growing worse I
and worse every day. 'Congress ts
growing more and more radical. Tho
President is powerless to save us, aud
| our friends in Congress are dishcart
: ened. Wc, as a people are tired of
: the suspense.and anxie'y in which wo
: are placed. We desire a stable goy.
j eminent; a government of laws, to be
; administered by civil magistrates. Let i
us then retrace Our steps, ratify the
j Constitutional Amendment, and ask
; Congress to accept k as a final settle.
ment of the troubles, and appeal to
! their sense of justice and magnanim
} ify, to relieve our whole people from
I disfranchisement.
I , We may be asked. What assur.
; anco have you that Congress will at
j cede to the proposition ? Wc answer
that wo have none, but that whicli’is*
! tube found in an innate sense pf right
j and justice. Let us do all we nan and
! ought to do, under the circumstances
by which wc are,surrounded, and leave
i the consequences to Con. “He will
make the wroth of man to praise Him
' and the reinaiiuke'r of wrath 110 will
j restrain.-’’ . » •
J\i (deed, That liis Excellency Got.
Jenkins, be requested to convene tho
Legislature of Georgia, in ex {fa se§.
j -ion, at an early day, to (lie end tha(
I they may review flu ir previous action
in r.juotiiig tho amendment to tho
Constitution proposed by tiro 39th
Congvcss ; and thfft, they may consider
J the propriety of adopting t-lio same,
I and proposing jt to Congress fts a final
pdftt lenient*, of tho vexed question of
i Reconstruction.
Hi so/red, That in the event of fid,
lure to'ftceotuplish tlio jyn] tirimo*ed
■n tlic'first resolution, the Legislature
in with tlifc Governor, be
Vefjucstei to take such steps and adopt
such.measures as may be necessary to
form a Slate Government, at the ear'
lies! practicable day, and thcfebytiljort. !
ign military ru*e, and estuldtsh a gov !
ernmeitt of lows to be adminisUired by j
civil niagiidrutes
lh solved, '.l'hat a copy of this I’re.
nmblo and Scsolttttnirs ho lorwardej i
to Gov. Aenkius, and that he bo rw> 1
quested to confer with the Governor*
of til e several Southern States in ro.fi
ere nee thereto.
And, UmfitreJ' farther, That Copies j
of the Mime l» forwarded to file Thom, j
Seville hi id Swannah papers for nub*
licatibn. '
AOLT H. HARRIS* j
hum. IM M.K, >' e'y.
I hiving djejqt urged by an ik Got*
ernor, fresh from pf empire,
to become active coadjutors in the es
tablishment of “ nnicn'snl tytfutge*
by which is meant the admission of
all our late slaves, its, once, without ,
any previous preparation or quafifica
-tiou> to the ex or (rise of tljo elective
. iranch iwr—To seuction, on the other
hand, by our own direct and positive
notion, the ignominious exclusion from
the Axercise of this &nire>'f<th' 1 fd'lvi
jege, many ol our most in
telligent and ,worthy citirens, for the
crime (if having co-optrai and w ith tts
in"an unjoteoes.sful effort, to establish a
Southern Conledorncy : —■
V. o-, a portion of the people of th”
County of Thomas, in primary meet
ing assembled, having duly coe-.jd,. led
i what it becomes ifs to do in tlui pre
niiaei; and« hereby j*ub!ish and declare,
I tharwc aic unalterably oppo..< 1 to lln
adoption of the course recommended
j to us, for the following reasons ;
First : —Because we are firmly per
suaded that no concession on our part, 1
liowcvcrr xtrotne, will assuage the fury .
of the Radicals, or soften the hearts
of the fanatical party which rules the
| country. Those who regard every in
dependent expression of opinion, ad- 1
: verse to their Own, as an act of rebel
lion, are nut to be propitiated by any
tardy net of rel-uepint submission. — j
They may accept the act, while ’they
understand and despise the motive
which prompted it. *
Secotiil —Because, being a subju
' gated people, devoid of ail power, any j
action on our part must be entirely
vain and nugatory ; except in so far us
it may tend to forfeit the respect of
friends, and bring upon us the Coil*
tempt of the rest of mankind.
Third ßecause in onr hearts
and consciences, we believe it to be
unwise in policy, of dangerous ten
dency, and utterly wrong in morals.
Having thus expressed our disap-
probation of the courso recommended j
to us, and assigned our reasons for it,
wc deem it proper to our sentiments
to'give still further expression upon
some points whereon we believe we
may lie misuudcrsioud.
We accept oup condition of a con
quered people. We are in the hands
of the conquerors, and expect to sub
mit to the.terms they may dictate,
whatever may be our opinion of their
consistency, their moderation* their
wisdom or their justice. It may be
our fate to witness thy di-fiuneliise
ment of our countrymen, our friends
and our kindred, but while submitting
to the' iuiticiion, wo must be spared
the humiliation of an active eff-opeia
- troß. Justice alone will command our
respect, and recure a hearty and will
ing obedience, A 'is tin rrhd pi incip/f
\of all meal Atiiirn. Open, ns Vv'e trust,
we are, to alt the impressions which
revolt naturally 'from a j ust; generous
and magnanimous treatment, we stand
prepared to meet with becoming forti
tude, every irtflicntin by'which power
Muny seek to foroe our a licet ions, atra
alarm us into loyalty.
ORGANIZATION OP A TEM
PERANCE SOCIETY.
According Iq *previfiivi announce.
Hi nt, a Lecture ou Temperance was
delivered in the Court llpneq by the’
RcY.T). W. Mills, iu wbfch was por
trayed all the borrow of intemperance,
from the moderate drinker td the
drunkard in the gutter. , ,
At tb e cunchufiou of the* Lecture,
tlic Rev. .V. B Ousiey introduced the
Pledge, jirnl eallt''l s .upoif.tiic uungrega.
tion to assist him in pulling duwn the
stronghoWs of intemperance, where
upon the following persons signed the
Tledge, viz:
J. R. 8. Davis, N. B. Ousiey, Jr.,
8. M. IVseoek, W. T. 'Taylor,
G. A. Jeffers, G. S. Faison,
jM. A. Jeffcoat, Miss J. E. Evans,
I MibsH. ('HgnilViat, Miss ,T. Th< tnas,
j Mrs. Elix’th Lee, Mrs. Lawr’oe Hall,
Miss Mag. Hall, Miss Emma Allen,
Mis.sA.McCleflen, Miss J.O Wortddy,
VfissL. Young, Louis B. Hadley,
E. J. Douglass, 8. S. Ousiey,
G. L. Hurley, J. Hopkins,
N. B. On-Joy.
On motion, the signcis organized
I themselves into a Tempewinoe Assot
cigtiou, after which they went Into an
i election of officers, whit'll rasuited in
the chnic- of
8 8. IJTTLK. IF blent.
\V T. TAYLOR, tV.y TW*Y.
.1. R. 8. DA \ 18, Secrctirry.
G. A . JEFFERS, Trcudr.
Rev. N. B OtIS LEV, Chafe.
| On motion, the I'resident appointed
i a Committee to draft Resolutions and
j Ry Laws, for the future government
i of the A s s ,H 'iu'-iou, consisting of J. R.
8. Davis, G. A. Jewel's and ReV. N.
i R. Oosley.
j On uiotiyn, a Coinmittoe of six was
! appointod to elect a speaker for the
j next meeting. Committee appointed :
I X. R. Ousiey, 8. M. IN'acoi-k, W. T.
j Taylor, Males- —JJwses 8. Gignilliiit,
j Julia E. Evans and Maggie Hull, Fe-
males.
Tho Committee retired and in a
short time inado the following report,
vir, ; —That they had selected tho jtev.
•N. I>. Onshiy to address the Associa
tion on Wednesday night, tho lith of
March, at the t'ourl House.
The President was then requested
to see the members off the Inferior
Court, and aseevtyin it they have any
objection to i lie ’lVmplrnnea Associa
tion mci ting at tho Court He use, untib
Other arrangements could be made.
The Association then adjourned to
meet V\ ednesduy night, March fith.
S. S LITTLE, /Ves t.
J. R. S. Davis,
UKOBOETOWN ELECTION.
'.I he City ( lection of Georgetown I>. Cl.
came off oh tlib _ lth of hebroary, the
first eleetiou in t)ic South tu which
the Negroes jvirtiei pitted Tho Colored
voters registered were 07W-Whites
Hl.iO. The Negro Oarvdidyto" for
Mayor whs elected over the CotVserva
live. Os Cowiejlutcu a majority of
tho white or conservative candidates
were elected.
UNJ VTIKSALIST JIBRALD.
JJ ' r T VJ t
Tins journal, published at Kolhful
ga Ain , andiuspended war
has been resumed under the same pro
! priotovship. Rev. ,1 nhn 0. Rnrruss
| The first mimbjr is halqra us and we
comply wit,h the request of thu editor
; in giving this notice.
AGENCY ADVERTISER.
! •Is the lif 1 (*- of a now publication in
I Atlanta GT,, the Ith number of which
1 lvi3*roaobo(’l ons s:\petum. It is con
i mw-ted,with ami to be (lm organ of a
| business Agency catahlishcd in that
! c ty, which our readers will find very
convenient when they do Art an a gout
in \ll inf i tor"any purj* e.
LETTER OF EX-GOV. BROWN
Ati.anxa, Feb. 23, ISG7.
GiiNTi.EMiiN .—[ have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your kind
and flattering*con.munieation., While
I do not pretend that I possess the in
fluence you ’ure pleased to attribute to
me, I confess with profound gratitude
the obii-rations I am under to theqico
pk? of,Georgia, who have so often hon
ored me with their confidence; and
have never withheld from me any po
sition for which I have been a candi
date, from the lowest, tb the highest
within their gift.
You are pleased to address me as
the “ sentinel upon-the watch tower,” :
and you ask me, “What of the uight ?” j
Were I the sentinel, I should unhesi
tatingly reply; The ifiglit is daijc,
dreary, gloomy; no rainbow of hope
spans the black impenetrable cloud
that overshadows us. Scarcely a iliy
of light is seen upon the margin. But
[am not the sentinel. 1 hold no pub
lic position at present imposing that
responsibility, nor have I sought or
held any since the war, nor do I gver \
expect to hoU any in future.
I have uo power to control events, i
Were ft even the desire of the people j
of my bo ovaj Suite to invest me again ;
with official authority, and my own
wish to accept, there is a power higher j
than their will, which will deny my
‘-eligibility.
I, therefore-, write, as Indeed my
custom is, with perfect iVnnkuoe*, with
out regard to the effect which the com
munication of trnth may liave upon
my present or future popularity. I
am aware that tho facts* which I feel
it uiy duty to communicate, are hnac
ceptahle to fhogood people pf Geor
gia, but.they a’e none the less fnets on
that, aoeonnt. „
During my !a*c sojourn iu the Uity
of Washington, I Conversed freely
-with persons high in authority in ev
*ery department of the Goversipeut,
and with men of 'distinction of every
.shade of political sentiment which is
represented there. I was received, as
was Judge Walker, of the Supreme
•Court of this ijtatq. who ace-mipanied
me, with kindness and dburtifiy. My
• 01-j -ot was to h-jfinm the true state of
I allaire,and HeKcve’ 1 succeeded. Tho
result mny U- summed upas follows:
The pari v-usually the
j “ Radical party,”*) sustained by the
majerity ,of tie nr»] Ie of the’ Aoi th.
The Congressmen of that party are
generally representative men*
; The, Dttqpmtic party is not tens
; taiued by tlip people of ihe North, un-1
-is nCt gaining ground As is'idwuys
tdio case after a successful war, the
uparty in government which is set
down as opposed to the war is unpop
ular.
The reconstruction jwdicy of the
President is net sustained by the pop
ular sentiment ol the Northern people.
The Radical party is at igsue with
the President. The breach is wide
ami the contest an-jry. They have
over two-thirds iu each brtuieh of Con
gress, Mil have p>o\ver to pass any
measure they please over hie veto. By
this means they arc constantly hedg
ing him in more closely, and limiting
his power, lleptauds firmly by what
lie considers the right, and avows big
purpote -to j support, the CVmstitnfiou.
and ‘maintain tho just rights of the*
! Bt:»tes undur the (’-nmtitiilun*, He
still holds th# doctrine that jio State
could or did go out of the Union, and
that at? the end of tho war he had the
right to reconetrnot Ropnblieun (lov
orrimcuts iu the insurreetionary HtiUes.
They.deny hiy power of reooustruc
Ron and contend, that ati the p»owcr to
make war is vested in Ugngress, the
p.ovfe/ to Junk’e peafie, and rc-est iblish
State governments in the States, lately
in rehelßon, rests also with Cqngress.
'l’lk'V arc a unit in donyjug Jhe valid
ity of tho Btat vgovei unieuts f-irmed
under theYlircetion of the prflvlsiowul,
. Governors appointed by the Ih-ffl-ident
‘ They ara also a unit in sustaining tho
i constitutional amendment, proposed at
the lust, mes, -ton, as a basis of recon•
struction. Anil silica this bos been
rejected by the Southern intakes, they
now unite in the determination, that
i.a State shall be read mi tied, nor shall
the State gqverumeids of the iyiStmvV
j ternary Stales he recognised or estab-
I ltshed till uaoh Stale him adopted- the
! conslitutionnl amendment, nud lire or
| porated into its Constitution a gnavan
i tee of universal suffrage. They arc,
in my opinion, also a unit in tlruirslo
i irrminatiou, so soon as. thice-fourlhs
of t h*3 States which they call loyal, by
which is meant, the Stales representing
1 in Congress, have ratified the eonsti.
' tut tonal amendment, to tk-o litre it adop
i teil, and to enforce their oomdrucUon.
! This they have tho power to do. It
j is, therefore, a li.vod fact, that file cou
i slitiitional amendment will lie adopted
j in a very short time, as it was .-aid
] when I left, Wash in aft on, they lacked
hut a single Stale, and it was expected
that more than one Would act very
SO"*. •
j Upon the nhov« points there exists
no division of ofhtihwi which is worth
j notice in the Kadreal patir. .fust
[lere, however, a division of opinion
commences. The moiw radical wing
j of the party, which is not a majority,
[ nor is it at present sustained by * mj.
: jority of the people of the N.iftlq is
4 for seittug aside the j nGent Fute .go*
venitTten's as afisolwtmy null and void.
( except sueh as CtMt+pcss chooses to
approve : as the repu liytion of imr
1 Stttfe war debts, the abolition cf Slave,
ry by the States, A <}■, which they,
would ratify. They *l*o deaira to plnou
us under military g»vi-niiuent till State
, Gove rumen fs ran tse organned tip*
their plan. In the itrrpfciraUoa they
, with to>\cl-tde, not "uly from dig?.
hiTTty to office, but Horn the lat Hut 1. >x
and tha jury box, all persons who vol,
niitawlv participated in the rt-belhow.
apd to pin.-* the government of tbc-e
f Mittev in the bonds of the fi-w wbont
they call b’yal nittfl ailt. us, and the
freedmen, who as they expect, would
form State Constitutions forever dis
franchising us, and depriving us of all
participation in the government, or in
the execution of the’ laws. The bilks
known as Hie military bill and live
Louisiana bilk which pijsedtbe llquse
embody substantially thesft noasuves.
du addition tc* this, ft is believed to
be their ultimate design th confiscate
tlje property of the South for the pay
ment of the war debt of the United
Stalegj so soon as the popular mind
( North can be educated or excited to
tire proper point; and to obviate con
stitutional difficulties, if any are admit
ted to exist, by amendment.-; conferring
tho’necessary power ratified by three
fourths ot the loyal State#. This class -
is- nol believed to be a large one at
present, but if we continue to reject
the terms proposed by Congress, it is
believed it will grow rapidly injiopu
lav favor in the Northern States,-and
that politicians . now djspose-1 to be
more incfderate, will be obliged to i
bend to the storm.
The other wing of the Republican
party, called the moderate wing, <lo
»o,t desire to destroy or drive us from
the country. They k n ®w that com
mercial and general prosperity cannot
long continue, if the present difficulties
remain uuadjusted, the labor and ener
gy of the South paralyzed, and that
finauciai panic and great depression
must be thff ultimate .result. They,
therefore, desire a settlement of the
question But they afe as determined
as the ultra wing in their opposition
to Hu: President’# policy, and will, at
alt hazards, maintain the power of
(Jongress over the whole question of
ndjustmert. They tell us that we
complied with every requirement
made by the President, whose juris
diction oven tho-questiqn they deny,
but, when Congrcs#!; possessing ns they
efaifti, all poWcr in the premises, ten
dered us the constitulsional amendment
as a settlement, which they claim was
liberal, when tendered by‘the conquer,
, ore to the conquered, we rejected it,
1 and, in their language, burled it back
in their teeth. This they’ say -greatly
irritated the people of the North, anil
| caused them t > (Icmami o£ usj not, only
| the constitutional amendment, which
I we have rejected, but to add to it uiif
' vctsql suffrage. AmJ they sow tell
us that, lid-thing lest? will ever be ac
cented by Coiigj’Qss*er the people of
th-* ’Noriii, and that the reje'etion of
-these by the Southern people will be
1 followed by increased rigor, and the
general exclusion of- rel ids from ail
political privileges, if pot by the ap
prop nation of their property to the j
! usas of the government.
! Whet* asked why they did not iti-
I t;,rm uti that the adoption of the con-
I stitutional amendment by us should be
received as a settlement, they teply
they so intended it, and that such
would have been the result. And as
an earnest, of their good faith, they
point to their action in the prompt ad*
I mission of Tennessee wWu she adop
! ted the aniendmout, aud Hie action of
I the Senate in reference to the modi-
Heat ion of the test oath to permit one j
of her Senators to take his scat who j
was very hostile to their party. When j
tlieir attention is called to the fact,;
t hat (lie people of the &iut li regarded
it vary to b s required to
record tha decree of exclusion of their
repreticTitativo men, win only ex ecu- ;
ted 'their will, from position vs of nllieial j
trust, thoy reply that the positina of j
the conquered is nbvny* huniiliating, •
t»ut that-this was no move humliiatißg i
than it was for General Lee to kurren. j
der his sword to Gctiimal Grant, when
lie h*d no furtircr means of s tecessful
rcsibUince; and uo more humiliating
ilia* it was for us, under the dueetion i
of the I’w.isuloiit, to moot in solomn
convention aud repeal the ordinaeq, ol
seeetisien, which wo had p-assed with
Ls many deinonstratinna of jnond deli
iamce ; no moi-e humiliating than it, Was !
for us, who boasted of our State ermlit, |
to be required to lepudmto our (Stated
war debt i aud no tuoie humiliating,
than it was, after we bad fconfrhuwcd
Mr. Lincoln’s emancipation proelntmi- i
lion, to ratdy it as part of the ('(insti
tution of tho Liiite.d States, and incon ;
porstc it into our (State Constitution.
When told that so large a port on of
o»r pi'Oidit have, at some time in.therr
live*, held office, and sworn to sun’port
fhc Constitution of the United States, '
that the adoption of, the uniemiincnt
will rendor it next to impossible for ns
to nrgtmiae onr eourt* witbont tlui im<
porution of judges, or to find suitable
men to fill our country offices, they s;«v
thoy were not aware that this class 1
Was so Urge a* it is mjW repregen Wff
to be, but that Pongress will still have
tho power, by a two-thuds note, to re
lief” them, and that they do.not doubt
that compliance with the term* on our
, part will so fnf jmlicn the. tVhngs of
the people of the North, tli*t our judg *
and other officer- wi'l very 8 -m be re
I tie veil, except our political leaders,
who may be icquircd to suhintl to ex
i elusion for a long, r pei od.
1 These arc ifce rftws of the ntoi*
moderate whig of the party in power.
It is no'longer a question whether the
freed men sliuil vote —tliat is elrcady
decreed in hi* fhviw f but the quest ion
' is whether the white man who aided
lu the War we*test tlie l nit. and Stain*
' *ba!l TdiU WiH m»: U * mt>m
, ted if we eontfpne ‘to fhiow ob<Ki lbs
- * the way of reenußt-uethm iqHin the
Iraolt of the »witHUr««i amendment
and niviv*re*l suffrage. ,
A* I hav* already s*eb;d, tha bill*
1 p a *sod in the Ifo *w embody the sub*
■Hanee of the m to radical prograhitu*,
* v xut*pt np>« ti»« peft* ml
* .-m.t'-Atu.e, for which the papular
* M'Otimem Et..itc& ywt ptvpifeil. The
MiUtary bill was amended m tha Sen
* ale. «n tlie motion ol Mr Sherman.-so
a* to allow each Wole M be relieved
and readmitted *po« »*’♦ adapt'on of
tb« c.mjUtWtiou.d amend®**! and um
j vernal suffrage, Hm G»ter tebe secured
bv ftojiVioo in ra h
State, and the Constitution to be ap
proved by Congress. The bill, as
amended, was scut J»ck .to the House,
where, if the telegrams are reliable* the
amendment was rejected, the majority
of the House L-eing uiuvilling to recog
nize the present State governments
and readmit us to Congress upon our
compliance with the terms contained
in the ’Sherman amendment. It
seems however, from the dis[ atehes
published, that this was afterwards
reconsidered, and wbat is known as
the Wilson amendment, which ex,
eludes all persons included in the ccrn- {
stitutional amendment from voting as
from office, was adopted as art addition
al provflion. Ana* also, an amend
ment fliat the present State govern- ;
ments are to be regarded as only pro
rational, to bo displaced at the will of
Congress.
As thus amended, wc are informed,
the bill has passed both Houses, aud
will no doubt become a law, without ,
the President’s sanction. This simply
gives us a Tew more days of prace, !
which is the best that even moderate 1
Republicans will sanction. If our peo- ,
pie improve the time, and act promptly, 1
we may ‘save something ; if we do not
all is lost. Our prompt adoption of
the constitutional amendment and uni,
versul suffrage would; iu my o[Hiiion, 1
settle the‘question,’ Nothing less ever
wifi. It might have the further effect
of adjusting the unhappy difficulties,
which exist between the [’resident and
Congress., Ife has contonded all the
while that the question of suffrage be
longs to the States’ If they move and
extend it, he has no raison to bo dis
pldaued, .O" the otfier Band, Congiftss
refuse# to rca.ognlzo tins State govern
ments established Under his direction,
without*their adoption of the constitu
tional amendment, and universal sufi
frige. By * compliance on the part
of-the. States, Congress maintains its
poiut of honor. The democratic mem
bers of Cortgress have agreed with the
President that the suffrage question is
one fur the Stgte to decide. Tl’epride
of each party lias been staked upon
the maintenance of it# position. Uif
! fortunately for us. while this fight is
i progressing we .ard between the uppdr
! and the Bother nfifffitcme, being ground
I ttf atoms. Tlfe longer it lasts, the
worse we tire.ruined-.
Hyre, then, the iniquity ftatdlrajjy
praseuto,itself, what is best for us to
ido ?’ I anriwer, " fkirfc ,td
I versitry quickly.” We arc prc.-Uafc
avid powerless. We can offer no far
! tfirr resistance. The cunqueiars dictate
! tlieir own terms, vyhich are heightened
| i:t severity by the delay of the con
quered t<r accdjit them. Because ve
1 hatd lust imineusely, is it wise stub
bornly to saerifiee the little that is left
;to us ? 'The decree has gone forth
i that some of us, my-elf among others,
- who were called to' lead our people
j and direct public affairs during the
j late unhappy struggle, shall be dis
! franchised, and at least politically sac.
reffccd. If the sympathies of those i
whom we represented were not with j
us, they woulJ be less than human.— |
But is it best that they cling to us till
they have made beggars of their wives |
aud Children, aud plunge tbems, hss t
i: to irietrievable ruin, when their fi
■deffty can do us so good? I’thiuk
not. Justice to their wives unf chil
dren require that we do not cue- Urage
them in this course. Aud abovo all,
If poace 4 quiet, an l returning prosper
ity can he rerftoi'pd to our utdiappy :
oouutry by the Sueeitiv#, we should
m ike it without further hesitation or '
dcUyv
J.et ns accept The position, as we
have already prolessed to do, in frond
luitji. J,et ps see tu*it that the taws
aiu faithfully aud impartially cxeiintmi
tliqfi the most pry#*riytivj loyalist,
aud the m dpt deg rad and freedmail, haye ,
the fcifmb measure’ of and jus
tiCe which 1s meted out to but* own
people. A# nil are obliged to admit. ,
that there can be no further seperatiun
and as wc have chosen to remain un
der the Government of the United
States mtner than Seek home# else
where, wc should now do all in our
power, while wo claim i<# protection,
to faitulully id! uur duties j
as citizens. As wo live under it we
should look to it at* the Government !
of our own clioie#. Its ffug is b-'W
our its credit bur gr«dit,
mi J we should come what I
wav, to forget the past. and detend j
an j #g*>tuin both with all our abd'fy j
in future. Wo have in the South a
country of Vast fertility and great
miiurul nsooico*. The/need dcvel
ojwment. W e have entered upon a
ir<-w era Wc need oapital and lalit-r. ,
Neithor will ft-nw till our difficulties
nre settled, and our political tfotrts
defined.
Every Norther man or foreigner who -
bring* physical strength or capital into
tieorgiu, adds to her w ahh, and shortld
be regarded as a friend and treated as
such. Iu our dopre.s.->txl cooduion, if
Ujen who are devoid of the better fuel
ing# of* ->ur niitur# some amnog us to
insult n# by imsfienoe. Jet us tefu*a t<>
bandy w-ui- with them f’omjwrrti
. with the great urns# of the Northern
people, the** Character* are few. and
n. ÜBt. sjn-u }'hi A e to hutter
A ituu-narmooui. »#u never rejoice#
mgr the suffering* of a fallen adver
(.ary. Time wilt ho*l most of vur
wan tide, and W«* who so war were
I Ui: 'X'-Wirr re»>a fc.* in pta«e Itiendsi-
I The saunw this if the ease, the better
i for the who'e country, lo view of
lk-wa* enure ler:i?“n»a, T thluk ii he»t
that we, e# tbs eonqtx u-i yqjid the
* poults ?U uonirovrrsy at CW(4.
It otdjf reuiaiuf for tue Jo pd-J, shut
I coo-idcr il flii duty hi the n-iv-wn -r
! orght to c;-Ji the Legk-Istnre te -
j iielkae without delay. au-f to rceoos
uiew-i the |>ns«!ij;e t* as act esjhng,*
neuvcuti.Ml of tin* pnoj-Ui ot this
?p So ehnnge our State t'onstitwtion as
to provide for universal tuffrage in
conformity to the nii fretire which pusa
id Congress. known a- the Shuman
• ' -*-w
amendment; anil to provide for tho
early election of a. i*q#d-ilaturc which
Will adopt the con.-titutiujial, amend
ment. We now have the ktsuranee of
Congress jr. the-passage of this bill,
that this shall sfcttlc*tlie quesrion of
our We shall never get
better Terms. Let us comply with
them, anl be ready to be represented
in the next Gongressau soon as po«sir
ble.
I respuct I’ujly suggest that the peo
pled the scvoialcouuties of this State,
whu favor the proposed actioiq hold
public meetings, with a* littl# delay
as possible, aud urge upon the Gover
nor to convene the Legislature and re
commend tlienreto take prompt action.
The Governor aud Legislature were
elected before the constitutional
amendment was proposed, and I re
spectfully .submit that it is their iiu
peritire duty, in the present condition
of the country, tp take the necessary
Mcps to refer this question to the peo
file at the ballot box. The most ap
propriate mode of doing'this, is to or
der and eleutioa for delegates to a
coHvenlion, to act upon the proposi
tion now submitted by Uongresi. This
they cannot with propriety refuse, if
the people demand it Let the people
speak.
If the State will adopt this lino of
I policy, and the Convention will ine
inoriiifjze Congress, asking that tho
i judges, county officers, and others nec
essary to the efficient working of tho
State Government, be relieved frou*
the provisions of the constitutional
amendment, 1 believe the petition, if
prUseiUed in a proper spirit, will be
granted! and we shall soonTre relieved
j of much of the gloom which is ndvr
widespread ove* the whole South. If
we reject the terms; proposed in tIW
Sherman bill, 1 cortTess I sec no hope
i for the futut#. Should we accept
, them, f trust the example of Georgia
may be followed by other States, and
that this vexed question may soon bn
! permanently settled upon Hie besf
terms which we will, ever be able to
gait
I am ft ware of the rnpidify of the
changes which we are required to
make, and t>f the natural prrjudidhs
Xvhieli outypeoplc entertain agaibal nc-'
gro suffrage. But it a should not for
get, iu yioLliirg to an inevitable neces
sity, that these people were raised
aurertg us, and naturally svinpathiso
with us Tlieir com!net during the
war_pruve<i this. IU then, wc tru;>4,
them kindly, pay tliem their Wage)
promptly, and in all ren;peot.,| leal justly
bytlumo,, we. shall-seldom have cause to
complain of tlffelv reiulsat to respect
our wishes, or consult -our interest at
the ballot box. *
As the questions which I have din
cussed are of vital importance to the
whole country; and as I do not .wish
to be misunderstood or mi-representedf
1 respectfully request the editor of
each newspaper who eoimncnts upon
my letter, to give it entire to his rea
ders. This is due alike to tne and to
the public.
Praying that the God who rules tlie
universe may speedily bring order out
of confusion, and send bis richest
blessings upon our whole country, l
am, very rispecifully, your ohedienff
servant, .1 osfci'U E. Bitow.v.
Messrs. Foster, Alexander, (jollier,
and 'Others.
of CoiiirclU
Thoniiisvifle, Tb 6. -Ith, ISG7.
ComtCil eonreoed this dav in regu
bu’ meefinK. Fresent R. H. Harris,
Mayor j Aldermen Reid, DeVVitt and*
I*"V, er. Jjf a dL
'Thu busbtesy ofqbcmng and extend
ing lJioa-1 sticet was called up, nn<C
alter ei-nfc’ilerafirn the whole nntter
was again roeotiimiUcd to the Street
'Committee, with power iso open the
st-re-'t as e:uly as practicable, and die
pose of the dirt takgn from the cut at
H.y Railroad as in their judgment they
may d-’cm. best
AM. DeWitt, from the Committee
on Cemeteries, made a report on fen*
ciog l.aurcl llill Cemetery. Report
received and laid over for considera
tion till next regular meeting.
The consideration of an alledged
mi«tnfco by the arbitrators in the Me*
Bain purchase, and the Taylor claim
f--r iujury from small pox patients.
\y ere both continued (or want ol a full
Lftntetef-w# nr -IwrteteMNKWl -
By u«iv«wMd consent the rules wero
suspended. and amendments to the
Lfoense Ordinance proposed and lead
the first tine.
Aid. Bower presented the project of
the Masonic Orphan Home at Atlanta
for the consideration of Council.
Moved and carried, that as the pro*
jeCt appear* *> be one of pure benevo
lence, the A.-cnt in Tbofnasvillo is per.
i n.itt<>-1 to sell Lottery Tickets for the
same without taking out License-
Council then adjourned.
WM. DUNE, Clerk.
- - - —-g-r*."! 11-.-JB in
OUR HOUSE.
-
PHILADELPHIA
ALE!
.* « -At, W«*H- • W .»**» •* a
Three for to C@ta
Olt.
TWELVE TICO'n F9i OK3IUAI
Mar 3 tm