Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-09
Writ of Elections,


The Governors proclamation, ordering elections
to fill the vacancies occasioned by the resignation
of twenty-one members of the Legislature, and
also the vacancy ia the Senate resulting from the
death Of b, H. Peart win be found in our columns
TO- day. The document Is Characteristic of the
man, and we regret to see that age and infrmity
bring no abatement of vndictivcness towards those
citizens of Tennessee who do not see things through
his spectacles. Every cfusion of his pen, is an
argument. before the Committee of fifteen, and the
burden of his brief is the treason and dsloyalty of
the ex-rebels. The Governor evidently forgets
that there is such thing the law of selfpreser-
walton, and that it is the only law which the vic
tins Of oppression can fall back upon as a security
against utter ruin. He forgets that the resigning
members Of the Legislature had as much right to
avert the destruction of their political rights by de-
feating quorum as the radical majority had to de.
s,roy those rights under the .semblance of law and
justice. The present government of Tennessee is
the creature of :orce, and however necessary it
may have been deemed, as a measure, in time
Of peace it is oppressive, unjust, unnecessary and
snti.repubcan. Those who administer it, act up
on a single motive, and that is, to hold the power
uncons,tutionally vested in them, by driving from
the ballot box the virtue and intelligence of the
State, and opening it to those, only, who are inter-
ested in maintaining the existing order Of things
Under these circumstances, what are the people
to do? In compliance with the provisions of the
existing franchise law, many have obtained certif
Gates of registration who are Numerically opposed
TO the radicals and their illibera policy These
voters elected members Of the Legislature to rep.
represent their views and defend their rights. But
the majority. repndiating the theory of free gov.
eminent, and ignoring popular rights resolved that
those dsloyal voters and their representative:
should be stricken from the roll of citizenship, and
remauded back 10 the condition Of free negroes
The only way to defeat this diabolical design wa:
to leave the House without quorum. The alter
native was one not to be justified except in extreme
cases-the case an extreme one. 1t was coun.
ter revolution against revolution, and ustifable a:
measure Of selfpreservation. Yet those repre-
sentaves and their constituents are denounced a;
disloyal and reported to the Committee of fifteen
as incorrigible traitors. What does the Governor
allegiance to the Constitution and laws. and theil
obedience to those in authority? If he expect:
them to vote for men who have Gvowed their in.
tention to strip the vat majority Of the people Of
their highest political rights aud subject them tC
the unbrided will of soulless oligarchy, he i:
vastly mistaken. Yet, if the masses who do not
voluntarily, hold out their wrists that the mana
81, lao %
rebelliors traitors, and the military power is IN
voked to keep them in suhugation. The political
struggle, being carried on in the State, is, OF
the part of the few to disfranchise the many, and
on the part of the latter, to secure the rights t.
which they are entitled as free born white men anC
law abiding citizens. 1t is struggle betw eer
right and mgLt-between freedom and despotism
and since the latter knows no law, save its owl
will, the former must seek protection under tn
broad shield of selfdefence 1t is deeply to be re
GREETED that such a state Of things should exist
and every one who has acquired the right of suf
frage under the law, as it now stands should vot
for no man who does not stand squarely upon tn
platform of equal rights, the Union and the Con
stituton, and who does not fully endorse the Pres
ident OF the United States If this be treason
free government is n humbug; if this be disloyaty
patriotism has ceased to be virtue. But, be it a
it may, the people of Tennessee know what thei
rights are, and if they are to he deprived OF then
let it not be said that they yielded them without
struggle The ballot box o1ps the way to victory
let the victory be won, or throw the responsibit
of defeat upon these who she liter themselves undc
the strong arm of despotic power.