Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-20
THE COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRA
TON In RUTHERFORD.


The Governor having appointed F. SHEER
BROOKE, Commissioner of Registration in
Rutherford county, under the late Fran
chise law, the Murfreesboro Monitor thus re-
fers to his "antecedents :"
Owing to his known Union sentiments
in 1861, we suppose there will be no diff
Guilty in his taking the oath on entering
upon the duties of the office. which says: l
do solemnly swear that have not AT ANY
TINE given aid counsel or encouragement to
said rebellion, ETC. Now it is 4 well estab-
Eshed fact that old documents are danger
Gus things and records never lie, and on re-
ferring to the poll book of the Goth Foster
yille,) district in this county, for the cleo
ton held III June 1861 for or against the Sc
cession OF the State, we find that there were
l23 votes cast in favor of secession, and 100
against the ordinance, and on examining
the list of voters and their names, we find
that the 69th vote in said election was cast
by F. SHEEBROoKE
These are things which cannot be denied,
and we leave it to the people to infer what
amount of aid, counsel or encouragement
was thus given in that vote. Had there
been even one vote against the ordinance,
there might be a suppOsition that one was
cast by SHERBRooKE, but it leaves no doubt
efthe unanimous sentiment in favor of seces-
sion at that time. Can he swear that he
never gave aid, counsel or encouragement to
the rebellion with these facts staring him in
face? Was voting for the ordinance of Sc
cession in 1861 giving aid, counsel or en-
couragenent to the rebellion?
If so, then we cannot see how he can con-
sistently take this cath with proper regard
for the truth if it was not, then are the
rankest secessionist as well qualified to issue
certificates as SHERBROoKE. What more did
any man of his age and circumstance in this
county do at that time in aiding, coun-
selling and encouraging secession? What
more could he do? If he has been such
an uncomprosing Union man at any
and all times, why did he not vote his
sentiments in 1861? Twas not from fear or
intimidation that caused him to vote thus,
but it was the popular and paying sentiment
prevalent, and he enjoyed and exercised it
as long as it was popular, but when its mer-
cenary popularity ceased he renowned it,
and sought that which is not prompted by
homer, but governed by deceitful hypocrisy.
With this statement Of facts in relation TO
the aid, counsel or encouragement which
SHERBRoOKE gave TO the rebellion, we quote
a part of the fifth section of the franchise act,
and leave the reader to draw their own in
ference from it. 1t says: Amy person swear
ing falsely TO any of the facts required to
be sworn to by the provisions of this act,
shall be deemed guilty Of perjury and upon
conviction thereof, shall suffer all the pains
and penalties provided by law for such Of
lenses
If it will be any consolation to Governor
BRowNLow or Secretary FLETCHER, we re-
fer them to this poll book which may be
found in the county clerks office, and should
it seem necessary we refer them to the
judges of the election for further aid, coun-
sci or encouragement which he is reported
to have given in the shape of a speech, and
which very likely some Of them may still
remember, as it was made unsolicited and
unexpected.