Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-14
THE GOVERNORS SPECIAL MESSAGE


STATE OF TExxEssEli EXECUTIVE DEPART
EEET, NASHVILLE, April l3. lS66.-Genfiemen If
the Senate aud House of ReDresenfatfres. The ex-
traordinary circumstances under which you re-
sumo your seats after the untOward events Of the
past six weeks make il my duty. as / conceive. 70
send you this communication, giving such infor-
nation as / possess concerning the state of the
Government
Two elections have occurred since your DELHI
eratiOns were broken up by the action of por-
ton OF the House-the one a general election for
county officers on the Sd of March; the other "a
special election of twenty-four Representatives
and two senators in different parts of the State.
The result Of these elections, carefully studied,
will furn sh you much instruction in the discharge
Of your present duties. 1t will appear that the
public safety absolutely requires a thorough re-
vision Of the present suffrage laws. While il is
true that in many counties in West Tennessee a
a very crtditabe. and in some instances success
full effort was made TO execute the act of the 9Th
of June last in some counties of that section and
in the GREATER portion Of Middle Tennessee the
law was totally disregarded. In the county of
Davidson, for instance, where there has been
much clalpor against the law charging that three
fourths Of the people DISTINGUISHED by it. the
aggregate vote exceeded, by over a thousand the
average vote in county elections before the pas
sage Of the law. Candidates in many localities
openly arr publicly based their claims to election
upon wounds received and losses incurred in the
cause Of rebellion. and were often successful.
In the special election nearly all of those who
had by revolutionary conduct broken up the
Legislature and paralyzed the government were
candidates for reelection, under pledges TO repeat
their performances unless the majority will yield
to them the control Of your proceedings With two
exceptions in West Tennessee, one in Middle Ten
nessee, and two in East Tennessee, they have been
returned by large majorties. This result may well
excite the apprehensiOns Of the friends of civil
government. 1t shows that not only the revolt
ing representatives, but their constituents, are
ready to destroy the State government. The fear
expressed in my proclamation Of the Sd OF March;
that our people have not sufficiently recovered
from the demOralizing effects of the late rebellion
TO appreciate the blessings Of peace, is thus pain
fully realized.
ton Of the Sd of March in ordering some eff the
elections have been questioned, and may come
incidentally before you in determining the quail
ihcatiOns of the new members. l will present
briefly the grounds of my action.
The Constitution provides that where yacan-
cies happen in either House, the Governor for the
time being shall issue writs of election TO fill such
vacancies" No particular form of vacatng
seat il prescribed. 1t is sufficient If the seat is not
occupied, and no legitimate excuse or reason
given for its remaining so. If member wilfully
and persistently refuses TO occupy his seat and
perform any of the duties of his place. the seat Is
in fact and in law vacant. 1t may be the duty Of
the House TO notify the Executive when vacan,
cy happens, but when the House Is dlsOrganlZed
or not in session, il becomes his duty to know when
to act. Upon this construction of the Constitu-
ton and this view OF my official duty, l issued
writs of election to fill the seats of those who had
absented themselves from the House for the de-
cared purpose of disorganiZing it, and who bad
publicly proclaimed that they had withdrawn
from your deliberations. This much deem pro-
per TO say in justification of my action. You are
the exclusive judges of the qualification and elec-
ton of your members, and i only announce my
own action and the reasons which governed it, and
refrain from any recommendation as to the rights
Of the newly elected members. The extreme
peril of the crisis in which find ourselves will,
however, justify me in calling your attention to
the fact that a number Of members are asking
seats in your body under a pledge, Endorsed by
their constituents, TO disorganize the Legislature
by revolutionary conduct. l, therefore, invite
your serious attention to the grave question 1t
presents.
The objections to stringent suffrage law are
plausible, and made under the guise Of equal
rights and republican liberty, but experience will
show that those who, but few months since,
were engaged in the work of destroying all gov
eminent and who succeeded in destroying our
State Government, and only failed to destroy the
National Government by being Oyerpowered by
force of arms are not yet safe repositories Of the
elective franchise. II is not question as to who
shall be DISTINGUISHED, but TO who shall he en-
franchsed Those who committed treason dis
franchsed themselves To restore them at once
to the right of suffrage is simply to hand over to
them that Government which was organized in
spite of them upon the ruins of the one they had
destroyed. This is what they now demand. The
red handed marauder who has inflicted the most
frightfu wounds upon the body polite, claims
that he of all Others, is the proper surgeon to
heal them, They claim the exclusive right to
destroy and build up-to kill and TO restore to
life. You alone, gentlemen, can dispose of this
a
no timid course. Let us feaTlesSly perform our
part, and leave the result to God. | invoke your
prompt attention to this vital subject. We can |
have no hope that capital or loyal emgrants will
come within our borders until they are assured of
protection against rebel rule / am assured that |
the tide of emigration now flowing into Missouri.
is owing to the ample protection given 10 them, |
in that State by the Acknowledgement of the des
trOyeTs of law and order.
have been compelled, by a sense Of humanity, |
to direct the Comptroller to issue his warrant |
uTa no ar a wit h.
out any act of Appropriation, to supply the con-
victs in the Penitentiary with the necessaries of
life. | am informed that they are again in danger
of suffering. The agent of the institution Is pro-
curing supplies on credit, relying upon you to |
meet the payment. The Hospital for the Insane |
is in like necessitOus circumstances, and the sala-
ries of the officers of both Institutions unpaid.
our early action in relief of both is absolute
necessity.
| apprehend that sufficient provision has not |
yet been made TO meet the July interest on the |
State debt proper, and upon the bonds loaned TO |
such railroads as may fail TO pay their coupons |
then falling due. L recommend the temporary |
appropriation of the funds realized by the sale of
the specie captured with the remains of the Band
of Tennessee for that purpose, without perma- |
nently withdrawing il from the school fund.
After mature delberatiOn, have determined |
to recommend TO your favorable consideration. |
the remuneration of loyal citizens of this State
for losses sustained by the occupation of the |
country by the national armies. The passage of |
the so-called ordinance of secession, and the as
Sumcd transfer of the State to the sOcalled South
cTn COntederacy, placed Tennessee in the attitude
of rebellion, and her people in the position of
emies to the National Government. The cOnse- |
quence was that upon the occupancy OF the State |
by the national forces, our people were treated as
the loyal and dislOyal, Their lands and houses |
were occupied, their property impressed or de- |
strOyed, and their provisions consumed. In East |
Tennessee this was done from necessity, by an |
unsuppled army, to an extent that reduced the |
people to absolute suffering Thus far the FEEDER |
al Government, CHASING Tennessee with the rebel
States, and unwilling to assume the losses incurred
in the whole South, has not regarded the appll- |
cations of our loyal people for remuneration. L |
that similar losses by the citizens |
of Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio have |
knows, and the world knows, that n more |
loyal people than those in Tennessee who |
remained steadfast to the national cause through /
so long and terrible an ordeal are not to be found /
in the Union. But | cannot and will not loose /
confidence in the justice and magnanimity of the |
American people | believe they will yet cheer /
fully repay the loyal sufferers among people, |
many of whom were deprived of their property |
by the national forces while they were themselves |
absent fighting for the national cause. But you, |
gentleman, can afford present relief relying on |
the General Government hereafter TO assume and /
pay these just and merltorious claims.
| recommend that proper officers be appointed /
TO ascertain and audit those claims, and that the
bonds Of the State of denominations from go to |
500 be issued in payment. | am aware that this
proposition will meet with fierce opposition from
those who would give preference to the millions
OF by Rebel Quartermasters. | |
am also aware that objection will come
from a better class upon the ground of so |
an increase of the State debt; but If
the American people are Just, they will assume
the amount long before it falls due, and, upon
principle, treat the suffering lOyalists of Ten
nessee they have treated the loyalists Of other
States.
In view of the prOtracted length of your session.
caused, in part, by difficulties attending
ganization Of the State Government, but chiefly |
hN he rel and rpbelllOus conduct n
nority, you will pardon me for expressing the |
hope that you will proceed promptly and vigor-
Ously with the necessary legislation, not only as
a matter of economy TO the Treasury, but to give
quiet and rePOSo to the people by the final and
establishment of a State policy which
shall give security to the loyal, and restrain the
disloyal. w. G. BROwNLOw.
TROUBLE IN TEXAS.