Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-16
A FULL EXPOSITION or DIFFICULTIES
IN THE TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE.
A Truthful and Clear statement by Mr..
W. X. POStOp.

his return TO Memphis. They will explain them
selves, and be read with interest:
In order that those whom we have Immediately
represented for brief period in the House Of Rep
resentatives of the General Assembly of the State
of Tennessee, may understand precisely the status
of affairs in that body, and the that mpell-
ed us to the action we have taken, beg leave in
addition to the matters set forth in the address to
the people'of Tennessee submitted by ourselves in
conjunction with other retiring members, to say
that, prior TO the 18th day of February, 1865,
various DISTINGUISHING bills had been introduced
into the House of Representatives, of character
and tenor widely diverse, some of exceeding srin.
gency, and some of provisions more liberal and
inst. One introduced by the venerable and highly
lestcemed senior member from Davidson, the Hon.
William B. Lewis, the lifelong friend and intimate
Ipryy counsellor of the "Ilero cf the Hcrmitnge;' =
the tried and unfinchug friend of the Union in
its darkest hours, and a member Of the present
Legislature of Tennessee based upon the proyis-
ions of the Amnesty proclamation of President
johnson; others introduced by extremists of the
Radical faction; ultra aud exclusive to the last
degree. Theae various bills had been referred TO n
special committee with instructions to report upon
them or to report bill IN lieu. This special COM
mi,tee had reported bill much more stringent in
its provisions than the present franchise law which
had, without discussion, been adopted in lieu OF
all Others and was lying on the table of the House
awaiting action.
On the 9th of February the Franchise bill re-
ported by the committee and adopted in lieu Of all
Others was called up for action in the House, and
then, for the first time, the representative from
Bedford ahd Rutherford Offered in lieu the present
most extraordinary unjust and iniqnitous bill
This bill is more stringent far in its provisions
than the franchise law in force, anulls all the
certificates of gisration heretofore issued eXclu-
al. - -
many persons entitled thereto under the existing
law, and in addition thereto comforting upon the
| Governor of the State the power OF appointing for
leath county IN tic State, n commissioner of regis
tralion who is made the exclusive Judge of the
qualification of applicants and of the weight OF
testimony introduced to establish loyalty aud en-
powered to call in rebuttng testimony to disprove
that loyalty From the decision Of this commss-
ioner there can be no appeal
This bill is the creation Of the Secretary Of State
A. j. Fletcher, WAS by him introduced into the
caucus Of the majority, was by him argued and
urged at length, all amendments or alterations
thereto refused by him, and that majority instruct
ell finally in substance that the bill must be pass
ell in its present form. II came 10 the House in
the hand writing of its author. Cotempornneous
with the action of the Secretary of State appeared
in the columns of the Knoxville Wing, the organ
and generally Acknowledged property of the Gov
ernor of the State, an editorial from which We Gull
the following extraordinary significant paragraph
"If the people ever did plant themselves firmly
on any platform, it is on the platform now occupied
bv tie so.called Radicals faction constituting
the majority in the present Congress. We go with
that faction Of Radicals, we approve their princi
pies and policy; and live or die, sink swim
survive or PERISH we risk our life, our .ortune anC
orr sacred honor On hoard of that SHIN
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tha ,aorIo or Trnnessec or 10 amend II in onv n
its ,nonstrcus taatures retired tom the House II
numbers sufficient TO reduce the House below
quorum, and thus defeat the passage of the bill
The oprevous question: n feature of parliamentary
proceeding instituted in the British Parliament, fol
Iexcluding discussion upon questions of delicac,
Involving persons in high position, and continued