Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-20
easllseaslsa Or Felers.sLeiler Frem
Aiisrnsy teaeral Magaf.e.
ATf0RNkY GKNkaALG 0FFtck, I
Nashville. Feb. 8, 1854. I

ies, % give yoe n writing my views Is 10
the Qualification Of voters e the coming
March election, beg 10 snbmia = copy Of 3
lestcf addressed By me, on the sth or De
eember last, 20 Mr. John i. Snarlock, Of
Warren county, md 10 call your zttension
% the concluding paragraph. Il i - iol-
lowe:
sfhs ecnsitasiee q The STATE Il pseseribine tia
qualifications Of the voter requires that be e n
citzsh u the uHltAa States The fair interpfetns
tea nanfsstly b tia. he BE- one who recognizes and
ayevs hia allegiance the government Of The United
States; In oshef vUrds IeysL and nos disioyal
citizen. II win clearly be the duty of the oicsra
persons holding the eieesionA TO Observe this
stitatonsl proyision and permit 10 vote whose
loyalty In MOI sstablshad Whan thtrs h any doubt
tho oath Of allegiance 20 the Uuitcd States taken
and subscribed before the bldges aoald BE- coave-
nient test, and when taken IN good faith with an
honest intenticn 70 Observe 1t ought TO be coaelu-
sivr; not otherwise"
The Governor, in conformity with THE
opinion, issued a proclamation on the 26th
OF January, which you of course have seen,
prescribing the oath of allegiance to be Ia
ken. The form and spirit OF the oath, are
excellent, better think than any other of
the various forms which have on different
occasions, been prescribed. But were Il
otherwise. 1t is d matter within the Gov
ernor's province to decide, and his decision
must stand Observe, however, the taking
OF this oath Is not conclusive evidence of
loyalty, unless taken in good faith Nifh an
honest intention 10 oeseFre t. II the conduct
and declaration of party are such a. 70
show that he would take the oath with no
intention Of observing Il, with . feeling Of
hostility towards the United States, and
merely 10 gain admission 10 the ballot box.
he ought not 10 be allowed 20 take il. or IL
inadvertently administered, il shoald not
give the perjured traitor passport TO the
polls.
Since writing the letter TO Mr.. Sparlock
the Presidents amnesty proclamation has
been received, and new questions are raised;
shall one who has taken the amnesty cath
be required, also, TO take the oath Of aliegi-
ance? The effect of the amnesty oath, as
declared by the President, is that - fall
pardon is hereby granted 10 them, and each
OF them (pcrsons who have directly or In
directly participated In the existing rebel.
lion) with the restoration Of all rights Of
except rs 10 Slaves, and in prop
crty cases where rights Of third parties shall
have intsryened' This and nothing more.
Ii confers no immunity from obligations
that rest upon mon always loyal and in no
need Of an amnesty, who have never direct
", nor by implication, participated in the
present rebellion. BY taking il, the disloyal
man Ii made no better, surely, than one who
has always been true to his Government
And u to keep treason from the ballot box
il Is found convenient 20 prescribe the oath
Of allegiance, even 10 the soldiers fighting
and bleeding under the stars ana stripes in
defence Of the country, before be shall be
permitted TO vote, shall not ~ much be re-
anired Of one who il may be, has been
lighting under the Rebel flag for the destrue-
ton of his country, although by taking the
oath Of amnesty be has obtained full par
don for his crimes. and has secured his prop
srty from confseation. Should the paFdoned
Rebel be more favored at the polls than the
loyal man who needs no pardon2 This IL
the question, and Il requires no answer.
Another question may seem 60 present
more difficulty BY the Constitution Of
Tennessee the voter must have been, for six
months preceding the election, - citizen Of
the county where he may offer his vote. "-
The Supreme Court has decided* in respect
10 this requirement that an alien h not en-
titled 10 vote until six months after he has
been made citizen Of the United States By
even though hc may have
resided in the country for years Previous
How docs the pardoned Rebel differ IN this
respect from the nIien2 Tough originally
q citizen Of tho United States, be has by
every oct Of which he was capable. denaded
himself Of his citizenship. By his vote for
separation" his oath Of allegiance b the
''ssouiheFn Confederacy," BY taAling up arms
against the United States himself. or urging
others 70 do 90 privately or in public speech
O., and through the press, and furnishing
them with money and Subsistence While en-
gagged In armed hostility 20 the United
States, by deHouncing loyal citizens Of the
United States ~ alien enemies, impgisoaiag
their persons and conascating their property
~ such, by scizing the property, and debts
Of Northern men, In defiance OF the eghstl-
tutional provisions that '.the citisens Of eaeh
State shall DO entitled 70 all privileges aad
of citizens In the several States
BY voluntary expatriatioH, fleeing at the
approach Of the hag. and taking refuge with
its enemies. the Rebel has renowned his I'll.
legiancc and rcpadiated the character Of al
American citizen And while he has noe
rcttcNcG uttSHHH fFOtt tioDsttty 70 Fhhsehs
ment for these acts, whenever the Govern
meat may have the disposition and the
power, he has absolved the Government
81 It's obligation b protect him, and has
thrown away all his other rights ~ a citi-!
zen. The Government assuming al its dis
cretion tho character Of sovereign or Of bel
ligersat, May treat him a. criminal or a.
an enemy, Thy IN act Of amnesty accept
sd BIZ him, he returns and reassnmes his
with the consent OF the GoyeFn-
ment, doea not his present character date
only from that time, assuming his own po-
sition which as against him 1t Is proper TO
DOT Prior TO his taking the oath OF anlnes,
~, be denied that be was . citizen Of the
United States, and claimed 70 be aeitisen Of
Goyefnmeat Now he asews him
self eitisoh of the United Stahea When
did his present eisissnship begin Accord
ny Il a. =