Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-05
yirginia's devoted Son,
JAS. B. THORNTON.
Mrnpu1s Mar 22l 1851.
MENfhiH, nay N-Ni AN'l'
SYNOPSIS OF TIE ELECTION LAWS.


SYNOPSIS oF Tax ELECTION LAWS
SECTION gIj of the Code OF Tennessee Any citizen
oua.d by law TO vote for members OF the General As
senblv NAV vote for the whole number of electors.
SIC s33 Every free white of the age of twenty
one years being citizen OF the led States, and
citizen Of the county where he may oier his vote, six
months precedI g the day o! election, shall be entitled
to vote for members Of the General Assembly, etc;
Pr0pjded that person shall be disqualified from voting
ia any election account OF color who Is now by the
laws Of this Safe competent witness in court oil jus
tee against a white man.
Syc 9s0S. A negro muatto, Indan or person OF
mixed blood descended from negro Indian ancestors
Of The third generation inclusive though ancestor OF
each NAV have been white person. whether bond or
free IS Incapable Of being witness in any cause, civil or
| criminal except for or against each other
| SIC 1909. No person OF mixed blood of any degree
whatever who has been liberated from slavery within
twelve months previous, shall be admitted US witness
| against any white person.
SIC S8i No person shall vote at any election in this
State who has been convicted of bribery the offer 10
bride; larceny or any other offence declared infamous
by the laws of this State unless he has been restored to
citizenship in the mode pointed out by law.
SIC $50 No rsou vote shall be received out OF the
county in which he sides But any person 90 out Of
his county for definite purpose, no! intending TO charge
his home and returns before the day OF election,
| he shall be entitled TO vote and when any person
ha fixed residence in county the same shall continue
70 be his residence until he changes the same 10 some
other county or State.
SEC $50 II any person Offer to vote and Of the
iudges know that he is a qualified voter or II his vote
s objected TO by any candidate other citizen CT this
State the Judges of the election OF them,
or the officer or person holding the election may, under
the direction of the judges majority OF them, ad-
minister an oath in the following FORM TO the follow
inr effect: "You do Solenny that you will true
answers make % such questions as may be asked you
touching your qualifications right to vote in tie pres
| ent election, so help you God"
S5. The Judges. OF them, shall then
ask the person o-ying the following questions
Are you a citizen OF the State Of Tennessee
Are you twenty-one years Of ageY
Do you reside in this county,
Has your home been ia this county six months next
before this day. The day of holding the eleciou)
Have you voted at any other time or place In this eec'
tiong
And any other questions the judges may think ma
terial ascertain the afcaon OF the person Offering
TO vote Aud if they or any of them, have reason
to suspect that the person Offering vote has sworn
falsely they the clcer some justice OF the peace,
under their direction may any bysander as TO the
right sni qualification OF such person TO vote
Sac. s5i The said questions having been asked and
answered and the testimony of bystaDdes taken de-
sired if the Judges majority OF them are satisfied,
That the person offering to vote s citizen OF this
State;
! That he is twenty-one years of age;
That he has had mis- home in the county 10 which he
! offers to vote six month"; neSt precsdng
That he has not voted before at the same election;
And he is otherwise qualified,
Tie judges shall thereupon receive his vote.
| SATURALIZED CITIZENS.
SIC $50. When any person not native-born citizen
of the United States offers to vote, and his vote is OBJ
jected to- be shall produce certified copy OF the record
of Naturalization if the same in his possession show
Jog that he has been declared, by competent court
citizen Of the United States.
SIC. $50. Ii such copy of his naturalization is not in
his possession he may be examined touching it; and
the Judges should be satisfied from his examination and
o,her oral testimony if any is offered that he is natu
rahzed they shall receive his vote.
SIC SIS. In like manner, the party offering to vote
may be examined as to bis naturalization when he pro
Gu es copy of the record Of his Naturalization and it i;
objected 10 on account of Authorization.
In the case of the State vs Patrick Cocksey, recor
ed IN 9Th Sneed 4 1872 the Supreme Court oil Tennes
see decide "a person Of foreign birth is not citizen
until he is naturalized and cannot, therefore, vote
any election in this State unless he has resided in the
county where be offers vote Tor sir months after BIZ
naturalization, next preceding such election"
At the request of the Shelby County Breckenridge anc
Lane Association have collected and their solcita
on offer to the Avalanche for publication the foregoing
provisions Of election laws containing all the df
rectons governing the right OF suffrage likely, as con
ceive practically TO be required in the approaching Pre-
sidentiL election. JAS. B. THORNTON, Pres't
Memphis, Nov. /, 1860.