Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-03-07
The Franchise Law.

| the House below a quorum. They are before the
country in Address, in which they complain that
the Bill was sprung upon them rudely, and hurried
70 its third reading under the force of the previous
question. The facts are, Franchise Bill had been
| before the Committee for months-this one was
offered in lieu of the Committees Bill Before the
previous question was moved by Mr.. Raulston, the
! opponents of the measure had spoken against it
thirteen hours, and its friends for it, rco hours
Still they were not satisfied The spirit of the Re-
bellion is never satisfied with what looks to the
preservation of the Union, and the retaining of
power in loyal hands.
We publish the bill that loyal men may see it,
and pass upon its merits 1t has not yet passed the
Senate but it ought to- and unless it does the power
of the State will pass into rebel hands.
A Bill in lieu of Bill to alter and amend an act
entitled An act to limit the elective franchise,
passed June 9Th, 1888"
| SEC. l. Be II enacted By the General Assembly of
| the State Of Tennessee That every white male in
habitant of this State, of the age of twenty one
years 8 citizen of the United States and resident
of the county wherein he may offer his vote, six
months next preceding the day of election, shall be
entitled to the privilege of the elective franchise,
| subject to the following exceptions, to wit:
First Said voter shall have never borne arms
against the Government of the United States for
the purpose Of aiding the late rebellion, nor have
| voluntarily given aid comfort countenance coun-
/ sci, or encouragement to any rebellion against the
| authority of the United States Government nor
have aided countenanced or encouraged acts of hos
| tty thereto.
Second That said voter shall have never sought
voluntarily accepted any Office civil military
attempted TO exercise the functions of any Office
civil military, under the authority or pretended
authority of the so-called Confederate States of
America, or of any insurrectionary State whatever
hostile or opposed to the authority of the United
States Government, with the intent and desire TO
aid said rebellion or insurrectionary authority
Third, That said voter shall have never volun-
tarily supported any pretended government. power
or authority hostile nmical to the authority of
the United States, by contributions in money or
property, by persuasion or influence or in anv
other way Whatever. Prorided, That the foregoing
restrictions and disquaifcations shall not apply to
any white citizen who may have served in and been
honorably discharged from the army or navy of the
United States since the lst day of January, 1862
nor to those who voted in the Presidential election
in November, 1864 voted in the election for
Qualification Rejection" in February 1865 or
voted in the election held on 4th of March of the
same year fer Governor and members of the Legis-
lature to those who have been appointed to any
civil or military Office by Andrew johnson Mill /
tary Governor, VIM. g. Brownlow, Governor of /
Tennessee, all of whom are hereby declared to be
qualified voters upon their complying with the re-
quirements of this act. Pyorided, That this latter
clause shall not apply to any commission issued 4
upon any election which may have been held
SEC 2 Be ii further enacted, That the Governor /
of the State shall within sixty days after the pas
sage Of this act, appoint Commissioner of Regis
tratiOn for each and every county in the State who
shall without delay enter upon the discharge of his /
duties, and who shall have full power to administer
the necessary oaths provided by this act The said
commissioner before entering upon the duties Of his
office shall take and subscribe oath support the
Constitution Of the United States and the Constitu-
ton Of the State of Tennessee and to faithfully dis
charge the duties of his Office, and also the oath
prescribed in section of this act which oaths shall
be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State The
said commissioner shall keep his office at the county
seat Of the county, and it shall be his duty to take
the proof required by this act, and to register the
names Of each and every qualified voter and to
issue certificate that such voter is entitled TO the
privilege of the elective franchise and he shall pre-
serve and keep the necessary records of his office
and shall receive from the treasury of the State the
sum of one hundred dollars to be paid upon the
warrant Of the Comptroller of the State, and said
shall make report to the County
Court, at each quarterly session thereof, showing
he number of votes registered previous to said
quarterly session provided that all sums of money
paid by said commissioner for United States reve-
Tue stamps in the discharge of his duty, shall be
udited and paid out of the County Treasury.
SEC 3 Be II further enacted That said Commits
Toner shall issue certificates of registration to every
White soldier who may have served in, and been !
Onoraby discharged from, the army or navy of
be United States since the said lst day of January
S62 upon the production of the proper certificate
f such service and discharge legal evidence of
lie loss of such discharge Said Commissioner shall
sue certificates of registration to all those who a
oted in the said November, February and March
ecLious upon production of the poll books of the .
lection at which said voter voted or certified
opy, under OATH of such poll book in case the voter
lav-s r-,A -
fdavit of two enfranchsed citizens known to the E
Commissioner to have been unconditional Union
len. throughout the rebellion, in case said poll
ooLs may be lost And he shall issue certificates
registration to those citizens of Tennessee who l.
been appointed to Office by the said military or
vil Governors, upon the production of the com
nission showing such appointment, or the proper
arhcate Of the Secretary of State that such COM
lisson was issued in of loss. But every other
erson claiming to be entitled to the privileges of r
he elective franchise provided in this act Shall
etore BE- obtains a certificate thereof prove by the
violence of two competent witnesses, known TO the
to have been themselves at all times I
unconditional Union men, that they are personally n
'quainted with the person so claiming, and that
ley verify believe that he has not been guilty of
ny Of the disqualfcatons herein before specially
which proof shall be taken upon aft
lvit, subscribed by said witnesses and fled in said
ice of said commissioner and such applicant shall
$50 take and subscribe the following oath before the
DmmiSsiOner of registration: 81
/ do solemnly swear that have never voluntarily \
orne arms against the Government of the { nited II
ates for the purpose with the intention of aid Ct
e the late rebellion nor have | with any such in "
ntion al any time given aid comfort. counsel or &
Encouragement TO said or TO any act of hostility to n
e Government of the United States. l further q
wear that L have never sought or accepted any
Ice either civil or military, under the authority il
pretended authority of the so-caed Confederate eI
ates OF America, or of any insurrectionary State,
stlle or opposed to the authority of the United b.
ates Government with the intent and desire to OF
said rebellion: and that l have never given bt
untary support TO any such Government or all- n,
ority, So help me God. Ii
Froridsd That citizens known to said commits W
ner to have always been unconditional Union te
n never having sympathzed with the late rebel m
n, or who may be proven TO have been such un- th
adiuonal Union men by the oath of two witness g
who shall be known TO said commissioner to III
We been themselves, at all times, such uncond- az
nal Union men, shall not take and subscribe any yC
IN whatever in order obtain for themselves Ger
Gates Of their right TO the elective Franchise. re
: &c. + Be Il further enacted That upon the 10
ing and filing the proof and oath REQUIRED in sec of
81 Of this act, the said commissioner shall rev be
er TIE name Of said voter and issue to him his wS
tifcate therefor. ProUds6, Thst nothing herein TO-
trined shall preveet said commissioner from hear of
proof from equally competent testimony con- n,
Y to and contraven ng the proof offered and III,
en- in behalf Of said applicant; and the said va
missioner shall be the judge of the weight of On
conflicting testimony so far SIS the same msy tn;
ct the issuance Of certificates. raj
&c 8. Be- It further enacted That no person vO
i be entitled vote at any State county dis rel
!, or municipal election, or any other election Al
under the laws of this State, unless be shall :"
9 been registered and shall have received q Ger be
ate thereof as provided in this act and any per-
swearing 70 shae e.,