Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-07-11
DECLARATION OF GRIEVANCES.

DECLARATION OF GRIEVANCES
We the people of East Tennessee again
assembled in Convention of our delegates.
make the following declaration in addition
to that heretofore promulgated by us at
Knoxville, on 30th and 3lst days of May
last.
So far as we can learn, the election held
in this State on the Sth Of the present month
was free, with but few exceptions, in no part
OF the state, except East Tennessee, no
speeches or discussions in favor of the Union
were permitted. Union papers were not al
lowed to circulate. Measures were taken in
some parts of West Tennessee, in defiance
Of the Constitution and laws, which allowed
folded tickets, to have the ballots numbered
so as to mark and expose the Union voters.
A disunion paper, the Nashville Gazette, in
urging the people to vote an open ticket, de-
clared "a thief takes pocket-book or eff
fectss an entrance into forbidden places by
stealthy means--a tory, in voting usually
adopts pretty much the same mode of pro-
cedure. Disunionists, in many places had
charge of the polls aud Union men, when
voting, were denounced as Lincolnites and
Abolitionists. The unanimity of the votes,
where, but few weeks ago, the Union SEN
timent was SO strong, proves beyond doubt
that Union men were overawed by the
tyranny Of the military power and the still
greater tyranny of corrupt and subsidized
press. In the city of Memphis, where 5, 523
votes were cast, but five freeman had the
courage to vote for the Union; and these
were stigmatized in the public press as zig.
norant traitors who opposed the public
edict. Our earnest appeal to our brethren
in the other divisions OF the State was pub
lished then only to small extent, and the
members and names Of those who composed
our Convention, as well as counties they rep
resented, were suppressed, and the effort
made to impress the minds of the people
that East Tennessee was favorable to seces-
sion The Memphis Appeal, prominent
disunion paper, published a false account of
our proceedings under the head, TRAITORS
in Council" and styled us who represented
every county in East Tennessee but two,
''the little batch of dissatisfied traitors who
hover around the noxious atmosphere of
Andrew Johnson's home" Our meeting
was telegraphed to the New Orleans Delta,
and it was falsely said that we had passed q
resolution recommending submission if
| 20, 900 were not cast against secession. The
dispatch added that ''THESoUTHERN RIGHTS
MEN ARE DETERMINED TO HOLD POSSESS
ION OF THE STATE THOUGH THEY SHoULI
BE IN A MINORITY. Volunteers were allow
ed to vote in and out of the State in fragrant
violation of the Constitution. From the mo-
ment the election was over, and before an,
statement of the vote in the different coun
ties had been published, and before it wa
possible to ascertain the result, it was ex
ultingly proclaimed that separation had beer
carried by from $4,000 to 10000 votes
This was to prepare the public mind to en-
able 'the Secessionists to hold possession O
the State though they should be in minor
ity." The final result is to be announced
by Disunion Governor, whose existence
dependsupon the success OF secession. AM
no provisionis made by law for an examina
tion of the vote by disinterested persons, o
; even for contesting the election. For thes
and other causes, we do not regard the re
suit Of the election as expressive of the wi
of majority of the freemen of Tennessee
Had the election everywhere been conducte
as it was in East Tennessee, we would en-
tertain different opinion. Here, no 81
: fort was made to suppress secessio
! papers, or prevent secession speeche
, or votes, although an overwheln
ing majority of the people were against St