Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-05-27
For the Chronicle.
A Card.
CLAnKsylLLE. Mao "a. lsh


Mr. Error: Il is known to many of the people
of this Judicial District that the late election for
Attorney General, which resulted in my defeat by
small majority, contested; but there are few
only who know the grounds upon which this con-
test predcated II was for reasons very differ
ent from the modification and chagrin felt over de-
feat that has prompted my course in this matter
for as painful and unexpected as was the result Of
this election, reasons more potent must influence
my action in a course which, under any circumstan-
ces will call down censure from some quarter-and
feel II is now due to me that | should be allowed
concise statement of the reasons and grounds upon
which sought to vacate this election. 1t upon
information received from persons living in Stew
art county, that was lad TO believe that the result
OF this election emanated from fraud practiccd at
the Dover precinct; for was informed that on the
day of holding the election for Attorney General
there was also an election for Mayor and Aldermen,
held at Dover--that printed tickets for myself and
competitor convenient the polls for all voters
who desired to make choice for Attorney General
that the election for Attorney General had been
holden during the morning until about noon, when
the Mayor anu Aldermen ticket introduced,
with my competitors name listed among the Al
dermen, marked "For Attorney General and
that the voters about the town were again called up
to vote for Mayor and Aldemen--and one gentle
man stated that he was about to vote this Mayor
and Aldermen ticket after he had voted for W. +.
Lowe once, and by accident discovered his name
upon the Aldermen written ticket and erased it with
PEN Both the tickets for Attorney General and
for Mayor and Aldermen were cast into the same
ballot box and after the closing of the polls it was
discovered that my competitor twhose name was on
both tickets had received 100 votes, while | had
received only 4. These facts, based upon informa-
ton, determined me at once to contest the election
before the twenty days allowed 10y law for filing
such petition had expired; and the twenty days
were nearly elapsed before received this informa-
ton, had no time to inquire into the truth of it.
felt that it was due TO myself my supporters, and
the purity of the ballot box, that fraud should be
practiced upon the electoral franchise, and filed my
petition before the Chancellor (Frierson) to have
investigation Of these matters made. After the
election contested examined into the alledged
fraud at Dover, and find that although the tickets
for Attorney General and Mayor ond Aldermen
were cast into the same ballot-box, and my compet-
itor wus on both tickets for Attorney General
do not believe there was any fraud intended to
be pracced, that this proceeding resultedin any
injury to my rights or advantage to my competitor
have therefore determined to prosecute the case
no further although am still under the impress
sion that there has been no free expression of the
peoples wishes made by the result-yet | am not
inclined to take advantage of mere legal right,
and set the election aside upon the grounds that the
polls were not opened in eight nine precincts in
the district, where voters present, desiring TO
vote in sufficient numbers to have changed the re-
suit and where ! am assured, | would have Teceiv-
ed a sufficient majority This is clearly sufficient to
yacate the election; but since it was not an advan-
tage sought 10y my competitor, nor fault nor fraud
in the officers but was the result of accident can
not justify myself in urging this however well as
sured may be that it caused my defeat.
K. w. JOHNSON.