The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-28
Disfranchisement of Tennessee.


NEzR will be found q full account of very
remarkable interview held between JOHN
LRLLYRTT, a citizen of Tennessee well
known for his loyalty and devotion to the
best interests of the Union, and ABRAHAM
LINCOLN. Mr.. LELLYRrT had been depu-
tized to act in behalf of large portion of
the people OF the State of Tennessee, whom
Mr.. ANDREW JOHNSON, Military Governor
of that State, and Republican candidate
for the Vice Presidency, had virtually and
practically DISTINGUISHED by prescribing an
oath which obliged every man to vote
against the principles enunciated in the
Chicago platform, and to support the Ad-
ministration Sin achatecer measures may
be adopted for the attainment Of its ends. !"
What legality or justice there is in hold
ing Presidential election in a State de-
clared by the President to be in state Of
instruction, and to have such an election
prescribed, dictated and supervised by
military governor who is himself candi-
date for the suffrages of the people, is
question so humiliating to our national
pride that We can do no more than bitterly
regret that an occasion should ever have
arisen in which such an inquiry should be
forced upon public attention.
Did we.not have the evidence that the
attempt to hold this election is part of
a design first inaugurated by Mr.. LINCOLN
himself, and publicly denounced in the
celebrated WADE-DAvls manifesto as
scheme which the people of this country
cannot be expected to submit to, we should
feel inclined to deal lenientiy with the
offenders. As it is, we must deal with a
connected series Of facts, so clearly point
ing to determination upon the part of
the President to elect himself by an un-
constitutional suffrage, that public duty
renders it absolutely necessary for Us to
brand the outrage in we'll merited and de-
serving terms.
The interview between Mr.. LELLYETT
and the President, in regard to the protest
presented by the former in behalf of loyal
Tennesseeans, against the injustice and in
iquity of the oath demanded by ANDREW
JOHNSON, will fill every patriotic bosom
with mingled emotions of shame and in
dignation. After he had finished the read
ing of the protest, the President replied to
Mr.. LELLYET, MAY I inquire hon long
it took you and the New York politicians
to concoct that paper?"
This inquiry shows how completely inn
possible it is for Mr.. LINCOLN to compre-
bend the loyal demands of free people,
and how, by an involuntary action of the
mind, he promptly traces every indication
of opposition to his schemes to the plans
and designs Of politicians. Welded to
his own fatal and delusive policy,
be cannot comprehend such thing as
loyal and constitutional opposition to it.
He regards all opposition as the work Of
politicians, and when told by Mr.. LELLYErT
that politicians from New York or else
where had no hand in celebrating the pro-
test of loyal Tennesseeans, he assumes an
infallible knowledge of the whole affair,
With all it's details, and contemptuously
igblies, "I expect to let the friends of
GKoReE B. MCCLELLAN manage their side
of this contest in their own way, and
,ciN manage my side Of it in my acay! "
The friends of General MCCLELLAN have
been open and above-board in their man
agement of this campaign, and General
MCCLELLAN, abstaining from any personal
efforts, has left the management entirely
in the hands of his supporters. This COM
ports with his well-known modesty and dig
nifty of character. But Mr.. LINCOLN tells
US in insulting and scornful language that
he does not leave it to his friends to man.
age his side of the canvass; he processes
to manage it in "my scay." We all know,
in military matters, what was the result of
L1NooLN's "my plan," as opposed TO Nc