East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-11-02
Tho Usurpation in Tennessee.

test which on Saturday last was SUBJ
mitted TO the President Of the United
States by JouS LELLyErr, Esq, of
Nashville, Tennessee, (one of its sign
ers, in behalf of the loyal citizens of
Tennessee, whom the Hon. Andrew
Johnson, the Military Governor of that
State and the Republican candidate
for the Vice Presidency, has sought to
disfranchise by a proclamation issued
on the Both of September last:
TO his Ercelle,,cy AJraham Lincoln, Pres
ident Of the Unitsd States:
Sir: The undersigned, loyal citi-
zcns of the United States and of the
State of Tennessee, on our own behalf
and on behalf the loyal people of our
State, ask leave to submit this protest
against the proclamation Of his Excel
lency, Andrew Johnson, Military Gov
for rcsfaaaHi safsaaaGaHqaGn qan On slasti4p ia Rs held 9
der certain regulations and restrictions
therein set forth. A printed copy of
said proclamation is herewith en-
closed.
The Constitution of the United
States provides that each State shall
appoint, IN suoh manner as the Legislature
thereof may direct, number of elec-
tors" &c. Under this provision Of
the Federal Constitution, the I.egisla-
ture of Tennessee, years before the
present rebellion, prescribed the mode
Of election to be Observed, which will
be found to differ essentially from the
mode prescribed by the Military Gov
ernor. We herewith enclose copy
of the law Of Tennessee governing the
holding Of said election.
The Military Governor expressly rs
sumes by virtue of authority derived
from the President, so to alter and
amend tho election law Of Tennessee
(onaoted nnder authority of the Con-
stitution of tho United States, as above
set forth) as to make the samc con-
form to his own edict as set forth in
the proclamation aforesaid. He as
sumes SO to modify our law as to adj
NIT persons to vote at the said election
who are not entitled to vote under the
law and the Constitution Of Tennes-
see. Instance this: our Constitution
and law require that each voter shall
be ga citizen of the county wherein he
may offer his vote for six months next
preceding the day of election" while
the Governors order only requires
that he shall with other qualifications
named) be a citizen of Tennessee for
six months, &c. This provision would
admit to vote many persons not enti-
tied by law
We will, for the sake of brevity,
pass over some less important points
of conflict between tho proclamation
and the law, but will instance in this
place another. by our law it is pro-
vided that the polls shall be opened IN
every civil district in each county III
the State; but the proclamation pro-
vides only for their being opened al
one place in each county. This pro-
vision would put it out of tho power
Of many legal voters to exercise the
elective franchise.
We solemnly protest against these
infringements of our law, conflicting
as they do with the very letter of the
Federal Constitution, because they are
without authority, and becauce they
will prevent free, fair, and true ex-
preston Of the will of the loyal peo-
pie of Tennessee.
But wo protest still more emphati.
cally against the most unusual and
impracticable test oath which it is pro.
posed to require of all citizens voters
in Tennessee.
GThe oath is as follows: "I sol
omnly swear that i will hcncefortl
support the Constitution of the United
States, and defend it against the as
saults of all enemies; that am ar
active friend of the Government o.
the United States, and the enemy o,
the so-called Confederate States; tina
ardently desire the suppression O.
the present rebellion against the Gov
crnment of the United States; that
sincerely roioice in the triumph of thu
armies and navies of the United States
and in tho defeat and overthrow o
the armies, navies, and Of all armed
combinations in the interest Of the so
called Confederate States; that 1 wil
cordially oppose all ym'stices or ncqotid
tons for peace mih rebels IN arms, mt
the Constitution Of the United States, an
all l1,rs and procldmdtioHs made IN pm'su
ancc thereof, shall be cstdJlishcd orer al
the people IF erery State and 7erritorl
embraced w,thm the national Union, ant
that / will heartily aid and assist th'
loyal people in whatercr measures may b
adopted for the attainment of thes'
ends; and further, that take this oatl
freely and voluntarily and withou
mental reservation. So help mi
God."l
A citizen, qualified to vote, an,
whose loyalty cannot ho disprove'
by other testimony" is to be required
to swear, first, that he twill hence
forth support the Constitution of th'
United States, and defend it agains
all enemies" This obligation we ar
willing to renew daily. But this j
not yet deemed sufficient test of 10y
atty. lie is required to mako oatl
and subscribe to mass of vain ropc
titions concerning his activity as
friend Of the Union and the enemy o
its enemies concerning his desires
his hopes, and fcars--and that b
finds it in his heart to rejoice over tn
scenes of blood, and of wounds, o
anguish and death, wherein his friends
his kindred, his loved ones arc slain
or manned, or made prisoners of wa
whereby the land of his birth o
adoption is made desolate, and lamen
tation and mourning are spread owe
tho whole nation. While all the civ
ilized world stands nghast in contem