, 1865-07-21
FRIDAY. JULY 81 1865



The political situation In Tennessee affords
% practical aud Instructive commentary on
,he effect Of TIE modes Of Reconstruction here
toSore russued. Although Tennessee con-
Il. .ns more t1nly loyal men than all the other
1ccoHstructIng States combined, still the
Jebels arc, at least In Middle and West Ten.
neAsee, In = majority. The laws passed by
The Legislature have dlstranchlscd them for
fifteen year,, aud have required all candidates
for ofice 10 take a prescribed oath Of loyalty.
Many Of the candidates, denying the legality
Of the act Of Acknowledgement, refuse to take
the oath, and In many counties the rebels
have resolved to vote by force Therenpon
Gov. Drownlow has issued q proclamation
declaring that Ill elections held in defiance
of,he set will be set aside by military force,
end that 10 votes cast for candidates who
fall to take tho oath will be counted. II the
1.Icls were eafc1y IN minority. 1t would ba
tfl.ttle ct ctnEe4utuce to Gov. BnoRnloW Tor
whom They v.te, and the very U.s.
suapcc of bis proclamation prores thst
they are in majority. Gov bfoWn1oW
il therefore ergagtd in W1r In which he Is
out1umbeItd, and be must either call for re-
Inducements OF be whipped. Tho reinforce
mept he new calls for is the military power
of tue Uuion, but this cau only Kill, 1t can
net nake alive. H nseds not soldiers but
v.,,cls to give vitality to bis State Govcrn-
mt{,, and nuke II self-sus aiming. By hook
o1 by crook, By fighting Of by perjury, or By
legislative conecn . as In VI ginta, GOV. BroWn-
NV VIII Zee the rcbtls rush In, Ike food
tbn ugh crevaske, while he will be helpless
to s:ay the foundation. How clearly the
pacs.cs1 hi1use, for such It Is, of the attempt
to reconsti ucs Tennessee on white basis,
wheu minority OF The whites are rebels,
d,msns:,a.rs that loyAlty, whatever the color
6. It's sk Il, must vote
7hs colored population of Tennessee
In 1860, numbered ess, 400. and the white
at, SO. The bulk OF the blacks reside In
the central and western portions ofthe S.ate,
lust where their votts are most needed. The
uun:btr Of blacks Hho might vote, including
those In the army, eauuot be LESS than 4. 90,
alter uakiug allowance TOT remogals and
d,Hhs caused hy the war. Reinforce the
Cn,ou men OF Tennessee with d. 600 colored
voters aud they can csf:y The State, though
every r.bel votes. uow much better thfs
would te th.u to depcpd cn Legislative acts
ED test oaths 70 exclude + large majority OF
Ac Fhaes 1fea .ne l'snS 49,, ~ 20 oeepy ~
l" 8ee'''ssa eAAs .-n" 49, t,,t
nebste o.e not @Ae e.' o1'o
and mhoiuA efouna VI ua''eas.i eeuias'
wAen they were 5e''>lns Iuelt e-Ale eoasu.
tuition and S1atltee. Il would have placed
item cn sa:e and eolid grounds. and secured
TO them the political control OF their State
Tor the next ifs years. With all MS active
energy, Gov. BroKnaoF 1nds It dllneult Il
prevent rebel ase-ndensy IN Nashvle-tht
State Capital. How easy 1t Eould be to keel
the seccsh under, Il :he 5000 male adu1
col,rtd men Of Davidson county we:e per
m!tted to vote the Union ticIet. It Ii th'
want Of those 900 rotes which c1cses th
difficulty; and it sill never be rems7"d unit;
.hey ale allowed 10 cast 1h.!s eassoss tsr II
Cnon t!cket
Memphis, the chief city n the s.atc. IL
a,slo, ii stronghold. a. every election Il
.,a.:s,@r,sts c.,rv ,,-no 1u.tter what te
.o,ns 49, ~ srd ~ ,r,,t, ~ N.1s and otbeT renrs.s,
ms.snres -, .s are aaont-a A1trre maI,rlty
~. @s,.. r,o,,-,1. .ton are bi,1.rlv dis,ny,
a.s I l. ,,..",r t ~ ra,,s,n % :, ~ ror a 1onc t,m.