Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-15
From the Athens Post.
The E,ehth Senatorial nistrict.


The Eighth Senatorial District.
The Gard below from WIZ. III. TIBRs, Esq,
explains itself. But in sending it to the
public we must accompany 1t with re-
marks The county of Sequatchie was created
by the last Legislature by taking territory
from Hamilton, Bledsoe and Grundy. The
Constitution plainly and specifically pro-
vides, and every intelligent man is presum-
ed to know the fact, that where new counties
are created, until the next apportionment is
m de the citizens of such new counties shall
vote with the counties to which they re-
spectively belonged to before. That portion
of Sequatchie Icounty-the I'd and 9Th Dis
distriets--formerly belonged to Grundy
county, and is in the 10th Senatorial Dis
trich, and in the 4th Congressional District.
Therefore, the votes of those two districts
the I'd and the Sth-belong not to the eighth
Senatorial District and the Sd Congressional
District, where they had been counted, but
to the 4th Congressional District andi the
10th Senatorial District. No one ought to
know that fact better than Col. MINIS, and
nobody does know il better than the indi-
viduals under whose advisement the certii
cate of election was presumed to be given to
him. We have copy of the vote of Sequat-
chic county before Ms. Recollect the I'd and
9Th districts are territory that formerly be-
lOnged to Grundy. In the I'd district, Har-
ris received IA votes, Smith IA, MINIS 10,
Pope Is, Stringer the Democratic candidate
to represent Hamilton. 6, Netherland none,
Brabson none, Tibbs none, Gillespie none,
Trewhitt none. In the 9Th district, also
formerly Grundy territory, the vote stands,
Harris 20, MINIS 20, Pope 20, Stringer 10,
Netherland none, Smith none, Brabson l,
Tibbs none, Gillespie none, Trewhitt none.
Harris for Governor, gets the whole vote of
the Observation-Disclosures for Senator, gets the
whole vote of the district. Where is the vote
of that district for Congress? Did those 20
democratic voters decline to vote in the Con-
gressional election, or did they cast their
votes between Savage and Stokes, to whose
district the entire territory of what was
Grundy county, so far as voting is concerned,
properly belongs.
We are not at present sufficiently in pos
session of all the facts to charge any one with
attempting wilful and deliberate fraud in
this matter, but as the question stands
there is something rotten in the State of
Sequatchie." At least the subject demands
speedy explanation, and that in an unmis-
takeable manner, without bubble or equivo-
cation. The Legislature elect is Democratic
without reference to the eighth Senatorial
District, and in political point of view the
simple election or defeat of Tibbs, is a mat
ter of no consideration to us. But if he is
elected by majority of the legal voters of
the Senatorial District, he is entitled to the
seat, and there is no authority or power to
keep him from it.
Before concluding, it is proper to remark
that despatch was received here on Tues
day evening of this week, by prominent
Democrat of our town, which said: "Minnis
has the certificate of election" If the gen.
tlemen sending that despatch will allow us,
we will suggest that despatch reading thus,
.'Mnnis is elected" would have been much
more satisfactory to their Democratic friends
here. And the proper course, and the legal
course, when an election is in dispute is for
the officers comparing the vote to give each
candidate special certificate setting forth
the facts of the case. and then they go before
the proper tribunal upon equal and honest
footing.
CLEVELAND, Tenn, Aug. 1859.
Mr.. Editor Much inquiry exists in refer
ence to the election of Senator in this District.
I'll. e oto hrta U A
mis- aud myself were the candidates. The
District is composed of the counties of Brad
lev. Hamilton, Rhea, Bledsoe and Marion.
At the last Legislature the new county OF
Seuuatchie was created from portions OF
Hamilton, Bledsoe aud Grundy, and Sequat-
chic was added to this Senatorial District. BY
the Constitution of Tennessee, Art. 10, See. 5:
mage 49, of the Code 1.-The citizens who may
b. included in any new county shall vote
with the county or counties from which they
NAV have been stricken Off for members oil
Congress, for Governor and for members oil
the General Assembly, until the next appor-
tionment OF members TO the General Assembly
after the establishment OF such new county,
See also, sec. "a : page 80, OF the Code. The
new county OF Sequatchie was formed two
years ago, and the next apportionment oi
members to the General Assembly will take
place in 1861. Two districts in Sequatchit
county (the I'd and Sth) were taken from
Grundy, the remainder from Hamilton and
Bledsoe. The returns show that my majority
IN the Senatorial District is seventeen votes
This is the vote of the entire district, includ
ing the fractions of Hamilton and Bledsoe, as
they were originally in THE district. under
stand that the fraction from Grundy, which
was never in this Senatorial district, has also
been counted, which would elect Mr.. Minis
by eighteen votes The public will at once
perceive that this is contrary to the Consti
tuition and the law Of the land, aud il persis
ted in will of course result in Injustice TO me
and will be fraud upon the ballot box and
upon the people of this Senatorial District.
am informed my late competitor has beer
furnished with u special certificate, stating
that the districst from Grundy are counted
and that he has "a majority by including thai
vote. do not know what course Mr.. Minni
intends to pursue. He Is lawyer aud mus
at once perceive that by the legal votes OF tn,
district he is in a minority. and cannot take
his seat upon such certificate. That hEe 1
majority Of the legal votes of the District, Mr.
Minnis himself knows, aud no man in hi
senses will pretend &c deny, uuless he !
actuated by improper motives, and AS suci
Senator elect by the people OF this District
shall certainly assert my rights, and th,
rights of those who have elected me.
Very respectfully,
W. Ii. TBBs.