Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-21

county lines; then for the reason above
named the citizens of the fraction Of the
-Grnndy territory most clearly, had a right TO
vote with the citizens of the balance of the
territory Of Sequafchie, and could vote no
where else; they were entitled TO the rights
aud privileges and subject 10 all the restric-
tions and limitations that pertained to the
county within whose jurisdiction they were
placed.
Your committe have examined all the evil
dence laid before them hy the contcstiug par
ties. They fined that the I'd and 9Th civil
districts taken from Grundy county and at
tached to Sequai chic, poll d tbirty-five votes;
nineteen being given by the citizens of this
portion of Sequatchie county, and the re-
naming number (sixteen) by the resident
citizens OF the Hamilton portion. They also
find that the Sheriff of SrquatcAie county,
either by himself or deputies. held the cleo ion
in all the civil districts Of that county: that
the judges were regularly appointed in those
districts by the preceding county cnurt of
Seqnatcbie. This your committee submit,
was 10 conformity TO the law giving to Sc
quatchie a distinct existence. and Requiring
it to vote in the eighth Senatorial district.
There is some evidence presented going to
show that the Sheriff of Hamilton county
considered himself a. giving rarole dcputa-
ton 10 the Sheriff of SeqnaIchie to hold the
| election. This fact, however, is controversial
by the Sheriff of S. quatchie. as will be seen
| from his deposition. filed with this r port as
| are also the other dispositions taken in the
| case.
Your committee. believing that the Sheriff
| of Sequatchie county was fully authorized
| by law to hold the election in his county, do
not deem it necessary to look infinitely into u
! question of evidence as 10 whether the Sher-
! iii of Hamilton county did or did not confer
upon him special deputation. II, however,
this question were Important and the depu-
| tation had been necessary, under the circum-
stances, it would not be difficult 10 show tina,
the proof falls short OF establishing the fact
that deputation was either given or accept
| ed.
Your committee are of opinion that the
| citizens of the seventh and eighth civil dis
tric.s of Sequache had no right 10 vote
with the county of Grundy, to which they
originally Belonged that they were either
| compelled to vote with Sequatcbie, or not
vote at all. We have no knowledge of any
power in the Legislature of Tennessee, by an
act of legislation, to deprive the people or
any portion OF them, of the privilege of the
ballot box, when that privilege is exercised
| in accordance with the Constitution of the
State. The Constitution provides hat "Every
free white man of the age of twenty-one
years. being a citizen of the United States,
| and a citizen of the county wherein he may
|
day If election. shall he entitled to vote for
members OF the General Assembly and other
civil officers for the county district in which
be resides" &c. To this fundamental law
there is no exception, unless it may be the
limited one of citizens residing in the por-
tiOns of old counties which have been stricken
off to form new ones. The Grundy county
territory does not fall within this exception
Your committee find in the certificate al
the Sheriff of the counties comprising the
Eighth Senatorial District, that they met at
the time and place designated by law: that
after comparing the polls John A. MINIS re-
ceived ma jority of eighteen votes over his
competitor, VIM. II. Tibb1; whereupon. your
committee are of opinion that John A
MINIS is entitled 10 his seat in this House
They therefore, report the following resolu,
| ton:
RESOLVED, That John A. MINIS was duly
and constitutionaliy elected Senator of the
Eghth Senatorial district of Tennessee, on
the first Thursday in August, 1859, and that
be is entitled to his seat in this body as suci
| Senator.
b. L. SToyALL, Chairman,
| Il. G.. PAYNE.
JAS. l.. THOMPSON.