TENNESSEE. 



665 



tire" available revenues and resources of the State 

 should be faithfully applied, as they in honor are 

 pledged. 



Resolutions were also passed requesting 

 Congress to remove from the citizens of the 

 State the political disabilities imposed by the 

 fourteenth amendment to the Federal Consti- 

 tution. When the fifteenth amendment to the 

 Constitution came up for consideration in the 

 House, the proposition to ratify it was rejected 

 by a vote of 57 to 12. 



Among the reasons advanced in the majority 

 report of the Committee on Federal Relations 

 for its rejection were the following: 



"It is class legislation of the most odious 

 character. It singles out the colored race as 

 its special wards and favorites, and upon them 

 it confers its immunity, bestows its bounty, 

 confers its affection, and seals its love. 



"It is inexpedient, because it will become a 

 bone of contention in all future time, and the 

 subject of ceaseless agitation in the halls of 

 Congress and before the people. One Congress 

 will think our mode of legislation * appropriate,' 

 and another Congress will think a different 

 mode 'appropriate' to enforce said fifteenth 

 amendment. It leads inevitably to a concession 

 of all sovereign power to the legislative branch 

 of the Federal Government, and consequently 

 is destructive of the rights of States, and tends 

 to consolidation and despotism." 



Considerable attention was attracted by the 

 contest which occurred at this session for the 

 election of United States Senator for the term 

 of six years from the 4th of March, 1871, for 

 which position ex-President Johnson was a 

 candidate. His successful rival was Henry 

 Cooper, a member of the State Senate, who, 

 though a young man, had for many years held 

 a prominent position in the public affairs of the 

 State as an old-line "Whig, a stanch supporter 

 of the Union during the war, and subsequently 

 a conservative in politics. Mr. Cooper had 

 been appointed to the judiciary of the State 

 by Andrew Johnson when Governor of Ten- 

 nessee, and was the first to present the name 

 of the ex-President for the senatorial honors 

 which were subsequently conferred upon him- 

 self. The claims of Mr. Johnson were at first 

 contested by the friends of Emerson Etheridge, 

 who, after the withdrawal of the name of that 

 gentleman, supported Mr. Cooper. The bal- 

 lotings continued during four days, when on 

 the last ballot 55 votes having been cast for 

 Henry Cooper, and 51 for Andrew Johnson, 

 the former was declared elected. 



The most prominent question considered by 

 the General Assembly at this session had ref- 

 erence to the calling of a constitutional con- 

 vention, for the purpose of changing the or- 

 ganic law of the State. Various bills were 

 introduced early in the session, having for 

 their object certain changes in the constitu- 

 tion, by " striking out the present franchise 

 law," by repealing the law requiring the test 

 oath, passed May 3, 1866, and all other laws 



requiring test oaths in order to procure cer- 

 tificates to constitute persons electors, and to 

 enable them to become candidates for office, 

 and by "making such amendments to the con- 

 stitution of the State as will secure equal tax- 

 ation to all the people the last provision hav- 

 ing reference to levying a poll-tax upon colored 

 citizens." In lieu of all other bills and resolu- 

 tions a bill was reported by the Judiciary 

 Committee of the House, the leading features 

 of which were the following : 



A Bill to authorize the people to call a Convention, and 

 for other purposes. 



Whereas, According to section one, article one, of 

 the Declaration of Eights, all power is inherent in 

 the people, and all free governments are founded on 

 their authority and instituted for their peace, safety, 

 and happiness ; and 



Whereas, It is declared that, for the advancement 

 of these ends, the people have at all times an in- 

 'alienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform, or 

 abolish the government in such manner as they may 

 think proper ; and 



Whereas, In the opinion of this General Assembly, 

 the public exigencies do now demand the exercise ot 

 these inherent and reserved powers on the part of 

 the people of the State : therefore 



Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of 

 Tennessee, That the citizens of the State, entitled to 

 vote for members of the General Assembly, are here- 

 by athorized to assemble on the day of , 



1869, at the several places of holding elections in 

 their several counties, and vote for or against calling 

 a convention to amend, revise, or form and make a 

 new constitution for the State. 



SECTION 2. Be it further enacted, That, in submit- 

 ting the question of a convention to the people, they 

 shall have written or printed on their ballots the 

 words " Convention]" 1 or " No Convention]' 1 and if the 

 number of votes cast for a convention be greater than 

 the vote cast against a convention, then there shall 

 be a convention. 



SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That an election for 

 delegates to a convention of the people of the State 

 shall be held in the several counties thereof, at the 

 same time and places, and that said election shall be 

 held at all the precincts and voting-places established 

 by law, and shall be managed and conducted by the 

 Commissioners of Registration and other proper 

 officers of the counties respectively, in the same 

 manner and under the same rules, regulations, and 

 restrictions, that members of the General Assembly 

 are now elected. And it is herebv declared to be 

 the duty of the Governor to issue his proclamation 

 to the several Commissioners of [Registration of the 

 State, at least thirty days before the time appointed 

 for holding said election, requiring them to hold and 

 conduct the same as herein provided. The said 

 Commissioners of Eegistration shall advertise the 

 time and places as in cases of members of the Gen- 

 eral Assembly. 



SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That the whole 

 number of delegates elected to said convention shall 

 be one hundred, and that each one of the twenty-five 

 senatorial districts shall each compose a district and 

 elect each one delegate to said convention. 



SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That each one of the 

 representative districts, as established by the appor- 

 tionment act of 19th February, 1852, shall constitute 

 a district, and elect and send to said convention ex- 

 actly the same number of delegates that they have 

 representatives in the General Assembly by said act 

 of apportionment. 



SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, That each one of the 

 electoral districts, as established by said act of ap- 

 portionment, shall constitute a district, and elect and 

 send to said convention each one delegate. 



