Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-11-05
ranu.ssas and the Presidential Eleetlon---LeI-
Ae-',.ss-- ter from the President. --


o, the sOth of September last Gov. Je5iN-
son. of Tennessee, issued prociamatlon
prescribing rules and regulations Tor holding
an election for holding an election for Presi'
Dental electors in that State. These provide
for registration of loyal voters, though reg
istration is not indispensable to voting II 'ne
person Offering to vote can establish his 10Y
alty to the constitution of the United states
and is of proper age and a citizen OF the
State. The proclamation also requires an
voters to take and prescribe to the ioiio"ils
oath: f.,
r .oramp,v swear that will henceforth support
the Constitutiou Of the United States, ana aeiend
il against the assaults OF all enemles INA , "a
al active friend OF the Government OF ths Snes s
states and the enemy Of the so-eailed ConIeaerats
states: that ardently desire the suPpresslon g, %
present rebellion against the 4; the tn
umph of the armies and navies OF the ohltee S'aee
and in the defeat and overthrow OF the atn,es
ties and of all arme combinations IN the interest
~ the so-caed Confederate States: that viii cor
daily oppose all armistiees or negotlauons Ior
peace with rebels in arms, until the OOnsutu.loh
Of the United States and all laws ana proela
made in pursuance thereof, shall be established
over all the people Of every state anu Ierrltory
embraced within the National Union, ana tnAt
will heartily aid ana ASSIST the AogaA ESefA1
,rhatever measures may be adopted forthe attain
ment Of these ends; and further, that take TINS
oath freely and voluntarily and without men al
reservation So help me God
The election is to be conducted according
to the laws of Tennessee, except as modified
by the proclamation in question.
The proclamation, and especially the oath
required, gives great offence to the support
ers of Gen MCCLELLAN, and protest has
besn prepared and was presented to the
the President Of the United States on the
18th inst, signed by WV. b. CAMPBELL, En-
ERsox ErHRIDGE and several others of Gen
McCLELLAN's supporters, who together con-
stitute the candidates for electors on the Cop
perhead ticket
The President responds in the following
letter:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct %, lS64i
To Messrs. VIM. b. Campbell, Thomas A. r.
Nelson, James J. p. Carter, John Wilson,
4. Blissard, Henry Cooper, Bailie PeytOn,
John L. Elliott, Emerson Etheridge, and
John ID. Pennyman:
GENTLEMEN: On the 18th day of this month,
as YOU remember, printed paper, with few
manuscript interlineatiOns, called protest,
With your names appended thereto, and ac-
companied by another printed paper purport-
ing to be proclamation by Andrew johnson,
Military Governor of Tennessee, and also a
manuscript paper, purpOrting to be the ex-
tracts from the code of Tennessee was laid
before me- The protest, proclamation and
extracts are respectively as follows: (The
= Ha.a racffod and alsn tho nPnaia-
nation ,,r Gov. johnson, dated September
sOth, to which it refers, together with list
Of counties in East, Middle and West Ten
nrssee. Also extracts from the code of Ten
r,ssee. in relation to electors of Presidents
aud Vice Presidents, qualifications and places
q holding elections, and officers of popular
elections. The President then says.)
At the time these papers were presented,
as before stated, had never seen either Of
them, nor heard of the subject to which they
relate, except in 4 general way, only one day
previously. Up to the present moment, moth
inc whatever upon the subject has passed
between Gov. johnson, or any one else con-
nected with the proclamation, and myself
Since receiving the papers, as stated, have
given the subject such brief consideration as
| have been able to do in the midst of so
many pressing public duties. My conviction
l.
matter, either to sustain the plan as the Con-
vention and Gov. johnson have initiated it,
or revoke or modify it you demand. BY
the Constitution and laws, Presidents are
charged with no duty in the conduct Of the
Presidential election in any State, nor do
in this case perceive any military reason for
his interference.
In this matter tile movement set on foot
bv the Convention and Gov. johnson does
not. as seems TO be assumed by you, emanate
from the National Executive. In no proper
sense can il be considered other than an in
dependent movement of at least portion of
the loyal people of Tennessee. do not
perceive in the plan any menace, or violence;
or coercion toward any one. Gov. johnson,
ike any other loyal citizen of Tennesse, has
a right to favor any political plan he chooses,
and as military Governor il is his duty TO
keep peace among and for the loyal people
Of the State.
/ cannot discern that by this plan he pur-
noses any more: but you object to the plan.
Leaving it alone will be your perfect security
against it. It is not proposed to force you
into il. Do as you please on your own ac-
count, peacefully and legally. Gov. johnson
will not modest you, but will protect you
against violence so far as in his power.
presume that the conducting of a Presiden-
tial election in Tennessee, in accordance with
the old code, is not now possible.
Ii is scarcely necessary to add that if any
election shall be held, and any votes east in
the State of Tennessee for President and
Vice President of the United States, it will
belong, not to military agents, nor yet to the
Executive Department, but exclusively to
another department of the Government, to
determine whether they are entitled to be
counted in conformance with the Constitution
and Laws of the United States. Except it be
to give protection against violence, / de-
cline to interfere in anything with any presi-
Dental election.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.