Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-11-09
EAElIrlNL MANslnN.
Wo.LInglon. d. Z on. gO, lsGl.

Washington D. c. oct, 20, 1864, I
MDs0s. H. h. campbell, T. H. Il. Nelson, H. Il. i
cdrtcr JUhH lliAiaHN 4. H.urd, HcWy Cooper
Baltic PCytJn JOHN ). PrrTVDluH John Ldiyet
Ud Emerson EWcTGgc.
GENTS. On the fifteenth Of this month, as | re-
member, printed paper with few manuscript in
terllncotons called protest, with your names ap'
pended thereto, and accompanied by another printed
paper purporiug to be proclamation by Andrew
johnson, Military Governor Tennessee and also Il
manuscript paper purporting To be extracts from tn,
Code Of Tennessee were laid before me. The proc
mmninu oul ovtroai- ara raarcrtivalN f,ioNs
The protest is here rccitod, and also the procla
nation of johnson dated September 30, to which il
rclcr, together with list of counties in East Mid
die aud West Tennessee also extracts from the code
of Tennessee in relation TO elections Of President
and Vice President qualifications of voters lormcm.
Der, Of the General Assembly, and places of hold
ing elections and officers of popular elections,
The President then says, that ut the time these
papers were presented | had never seen either OF
Them, nor heard of tho subject to which they relate
except in general way only one day previously,
Up TO the present moment nothing whatever upon
the subject has passed between Governor johnson
or any one else connected with the proclamation
and myself Since receiving the papers us stated
| have given the subject such brief consideration as
have been able to do in the midst Of SO many pres
sing public duties
My conviction is that | can have nothing to de-
with the matter either to sustain the plan ms the
convention and Governor johnson have initiated IT,
or to revoke or modify as You demand hv the con
,titulon and laws. The President is charged with
no duty In the conduct of presidential electors in
any State. Nor do l. in this case perceive any real
reason for his interference in this matter. The
movement set ON foot by the convention and Gov
emor johnson does not, as seems to be assured by
YOU, cmuuutc from the National Executive, In no
proper sense can it bc considered other than in
dependent movement of at least a portion Of the
loyal people of Tennessee. ! do not perceive in the
plan amy MENACE of violence or coercion toward any
one, Governor johnson, like any other loyal cit
zen has the right To favor any political plan he
chooses And rs Military Governor it i, his dty
to keep peace among and for the loyal people of hc
State.
cannot discern that by this plan he purpose, any
more. But you object 10 the plan. Leaving It
alone Will be your perfect security against it, 1t
NOT proposed to force You into it, Do Us you pleas
on Your own account peacefully and legally ami
GOV. johnson will not modest you bat will protoi
you against violence, So far as il is in his power
| presume that conducting Presidential elections
in Tennessee in accordance with the old code is no
now possible. II j. scarcely necessary TO add, that
if any election shall bc held and any vote shall be
cast IN the State Of Tennessee for President or Vice
President of the United States it will belong not to
military agents, nor yet the Executive Department,
but exclusively TO another department Of the Gov
rrirncut TO determine ,,hotho thoy ortitlal g.
be accounted in conformity with the constitution and
laws Of the United States.
Except it be to give protection against violence, !
decline to interfere in any way with any election.
1Signcd A. LINCOLN.