Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1865-10-20
Tennessee Legislature.
SENATE.



MosDAy, Oct ls.-The Senate met at loo'clocls,
M. Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Gee.
ss-,s NEW bills. as-vess,ys,sr..a-rsr
Senate bill, No 15I, by Mr. Trimble: Prescribing
tfe qualifications of voters and the limitations of
the Elective Franchise, under Article enc, Section
nine of the Constitution OF the State of Tennessee
ms amen4cd by-evot Of the people of the State,
on the 22d day of February, 1865. -,,g
SIC. l.-Be Il enacted By tie General ASsepsb ~
of the State of Tennessee, That each freeman of
the age Of twenty-one years and upwards, citizen
Of the United States and citizen of the State Of
Tenn able to read and write, residing in the coun-
ty wherein be may offer TO vote, six months next
preceding the day of election, and each alien male
of the age Of twenty-one years and upwards, able
to read and write, who has filed his intention to be
naturalzed and become citizen of the United
States and who has actually resided in the Stale
of Tennessee one year, and IN the county in which
he offers TO vote six months next preceding the day
Of election shah be entitled to the elective fran
chise and may vote in all public elections and
tonal State and county, but subject to the follow
ing limitations and restrictions viz Freemen OF
African or Indian decent of the age of twenty -one
years and upwards, citizens Of the United States
and of the State Of Tennessee, able 10 read and
write, residing in the county wherein they may
offer to vote, six months next preceding the cleo
TONS rho were free prevoos to the 22d day of Feb
ruary 1865, and colored soldiers who were enlisted
in the United States army from the State of Ten
nessee of good character or honorably discharged
also qualified as above stated, shall be entitled to
vote in all the public elections, from and after the
passage of this act. Freeneno OF African or Indian
descent freed by the amendment of the Constitution
Of the State of Tennessee, OF date 22d February,
1865, and free from said date, citizens of the Uni
ted States and State of Tennessee able TO read and
write and residing in the counties wherein they
! = At
election shall be entitled to vote only from and
after the 22d day of February 1875.
SEC. 2-That so long as any free men of the
State of Tennessee who by this act are entitled tc
vote, shall be in the Army of the United States,
with the military force of this State in actual ser.
vice, tie Governor shall issue wrts of election tC
the commanding officers of such brigadcs, reg
ments or companies, or detachments of Tennessee
soldiers wherever located who shall open and hole
the elections and receive the votes of said com
mands, and return the same to the Secretary o.
State, and which shall be counted in the same way
land manner rs if said votes had been cast in any
of the counties Of the State to which the soldier
belonged. Fs. - .A tsal. 5nf-s-
On introducing the above bill, Mr.. Trimble made
the following explanatory remarks; r.it
This bill proposes to admit to suffrage the entir,
body and population Of Tennessee, although tn,
word white is not mentioned 10 it. 1t is intended
of Tennessee to the elective franchise and to estab
ish broad democratic and truly republican spiri
l. obliterating the past, and, trusting 10 the gene
rosity and the athfulness of the people of Tennes
see to take their places and perform their duty a
citizens of the United States, This is the principle
of the bill. .r5. t-I s..-G
Il 1t proposes secondly to admit naturalized immi
grants, males Of the age OF twenty-one, who hav
filed their declaration to become citizens of thu
Ill o,,o 81 ",
months ingood faith. .rff.l
Thirdly, it proposes to offer suffrage to eer:ail
class of colored persons now recognized everywher
as citizens of the United States. 1t proposes t,
admit a very limited number of colored person
who were free previous to the 22d of February
1865. The free persons of this class, by the cen
sus of the United States is only 1900. They arr
required to read and write. BY the first provision
of this act, what number out of that 300 will b.
admitted to suffrage in the State of Tennessee p
They will not number more than five hundred
The bill fourthly proposes to give the right O
suffrage to colored men who have been enlisted
citizens of the State, not those who may come int
Tennessee, but the soldiers of the State who cal
read and write. How many will that admit to thu
elective franchise? Probably not more than fv
hundred more.
Then this bill proposes to admit but one thous
and voters Of the colored race in the State of Ten
nessee. -
The last provision proposes that the freedmen o
Tennessee, who were rendered free by the Constitu
ton Of Tennessee shall not be admitted to the poll
before l775, or ten long years of probation anC
education, during which they may learn to reaC
and write, and otherwise qualify themselves for thu
election franchise. n
\ desired to state the facts connected with thi
BILL and hope it will be printed for the use of tn
Senate. f' 81 -.
The bill then passed on first reading, was refer
red to the Committee on Franchise and one hu ,
dred copies ordered to be printed for the use of the
Senate. n'''
II REsoLuTIoSs.