Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-11
HEMPHES APPEAL
Me Mp HIS .
THURSDAY. IL 1896

THURSDAY, SAsUARY H. 1885
-
OUR FmEs.-Any n having copies
Of the APPEAL OF the eleventh Of No
vember. viii confer a great favor by
sending them to US, as th3t number is
needed % fl out our files.
rHE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE IN TEN
NES&EE.
Nearly everybody knows that q large
majority ofthe real people Of Tennessee
are -disfranehised, now and for years 10
come. But very few Of them understand
h0c this has been done, or have any
very clearly defined idea Of the precise
extent to which it has been accomplished
IN view Of the fact that there are stu
some elections left to the people, aud
that there are yet a few votes in the
State, we deem it not inappropriate to sci
forth the statute made and provided in
the premises. Here IS
The Way is Was Done:
WHEREAS, The hust article and the
first section Of the Declaration Of Rights
in the Constitution Of the state OF Ten
nes-ee daclares-'Thst power IS inherent
in the people and all free Governments
are founded on their authority n insti-
uted FOR their peace, safety AID happl-
ness for the advancement OF these ends
they have aU al times an i~nalienable and
iudafessabIe right 10 alter, reform or
abolish the Government in such name
As thew may think proper; and UhercGs,
large and respectable convention of the
f1aa and loyal people Of the State of Ten
ue-sea met in the city of Nashville, %
the ninth day Of January, eighteen hun
dred and siXJy-hve, and proposed certain
alterations and amendments to the Con-
s-itu-i1n Of the state Of Tennessee, for
rejection or ratification by the loyal
people on the twenty-secOBd Of February
following: and tchereGs said amendment
and schedule were sOlemnly ratified with
great unanimity by the authoritative
voice Of the people and trheroUs the
eighth section Of said schedule provided
for the election OF a Governor and mem
hers Of the Legislature on the fourth day
Of March, eighteen hundred and sixty
five. and who, in accordance Herewith,
were elected by the ballots Of the loyal
people: and E1cr6US, the same aUtlori-
rative voice in section ninth Of the SEIZED
ule. delegated 10 the General Assembly,
AaetEALlE fI O. AAAIA ALAA0 AAAAEAaNA NhA1A
tuition the right 10 fix the qualification Of
voters and the limitation OF the elective
franchise; therefore acting faithfully
under and in accordance with this dele
CATION OF supreme power:
Thus it viii be seen that, in the hack
neyed phrase Of the old party times, "a
large and respectable convention" Of the
so-caUed people Of Tennessee ''Haet in the
CITY of Nashville and "set this bali in
motion" It does not appear that there
was anv previous call for such Cenven-
ton, in any Of the usual m0desprescribed
for so grave and important a matter as
the change Of the Organic Law; but that
il "met" and after meeting, did various
and sundry things, and empowered the
Legislature which should first assemble
thereafter 10 do a good many other
things. Among the things thus empow-
cred 10 be done by this perennial Legisla-
ture, this is
What Was DOneI
SEcTToNl. Be L esacted 6yh The General
lgssuJtg Of the State Of Tennessee, That
the following persons, to-wit: First,
Every white man twenty-one years OF
age, = citizen Of the United states, n a
citizen Of the county wherein he may
offer his vote, six months next preceding
the Gay Of election, and publicly known
10 have entertained unconditional Union
sentiments, from the outbreak Of the re
beli0u until the present time; and
second. Every white man, q citizen OF
the United States, and a citizen Of the
county wherein lie may offer his
vote, six months next preceding b
dav Of election, having arrived az
the ageof t~weuty-one years, since March
fourth, eighteen hundred and siXty-hve,
provided that ne has not been engaged
z armed rebellion against the authority
Of the CRltsd States voluntarily and
third, Every white man OF lawful age 4
coming from another State, and being a
citizen Of the United States, on proof OF
LOYALTY 10 the United States, and being a
citizen Of the county wherein he may
offer has vote six months next preceding
the day Of election and fourth, Every
white man, 8 citizen Of the United
States. IA citizen Of this State, who has
served ~ s soldier in the army Of the
United Stsces, and has been, or may
be hereafter hOuorably discharged
rheefrJm: and fifth, Every white man,
uflawful aye, a citizen Of the United
States. aud a citizen OF the county
wherein he msy offer his vote, six
months next preceding the day Of cleo
ton, who was cou~Criptel by force into
The s0-called Confederate army, and was
known % b. a Union man, on proof Of
loyalty 70 the United States, established
bV the testimony Of two voters under
the previous clauses OF this section and
sixth Every white man who voted in
this state At the Presidential election IN
November, eighteen hundred and sixty I
- ---a. -. IL. - .
February. eighteen hundred and sixty
five. or voted on the fourth Of March, y
eighteen hundred and siXty-ive, in this
state, and all Others who had taken the
"oath Of allegiance TO the United States,
and msy be known by the Judges Of
Elections 70 have been true friends 20
the Government Of the United States,
and would have voted in said pre-
yiously mentioned elections, if the same
had been holden within their reach, shall
be entitled TO the privilege Of the elective
franchise.
That is 70 say, as the Legislature had
determined % ~disfranchise about four
fflhs OF the real voting population Of
Tennessee, they thus, nthe sweep Of one
section. MANUFACTURED thousands Of vo-
tiers, previously unknown to the old Con
sdtution Of the State. Having thus Gre
Gtsd out Of soldiers, sojogrners, and re-
luctant or renegade Confederates, the ,
material 20 Ill the vacuum, they pro- .
ceedea 10 sweep out OF existence the POI
ntieal rights Of the old population. Here !
is a schedule Of those
who are D~isrranehised I
SIC. .. Be Il further eaaeted, That
all persons who are or shall have
been civil or diplomatic officers or agents
Of the so-called Confederate States Of
America, or who have left judicial sta :
tions under the United States or the State
OF Tennessee, to aid in any way in the /
existing or recent rebellion against the
authority OF the United States, or who
are or shall nave been military or naval
officers of thesO-called Confederate States {
above the rank Of Captain in the army :
or Lieutenant in the navy, or who I
have left seats IN the Uaited States Con-
gress, or seats in the Legislature Of the !
State Of Tennessee % aid saidrebelliOn or
resigned commissions In the army s
or navy Of the United States and after 4
have voluntarily given aid to said
rebellion. or persons who have engaged {
IN any way Ia treating otherwise than
a. prisOnersofwar persons found
in the United States service a. officers, c
soldiers, seamen, or in other capacities, +
or persons vino have been or are absen- 5
tees from the United States for the puu- !.
pose OF aiding the rebellion, OF per- 4
sons who held pretended Offices under a
the Government az States in insurreo- &
zion against the United States, OF per =
sons who left their homes within the ju- =
rsdicucn and protection Of the United .
States, and fed before the approach OF q
the National forces and passed beyond ,
the Federal military lines into the so
called Caufederate States for the purpose a
Of aicing The rebellion, shall be denied 8
and refused the privilege OF the elective r
franchise in this STATE, for the term Of D
hheen years, fcom and after the passage :
Of tEis act y
And lest there might be some loophole c
through which some old citizen, who I
TOO manly and honest to play the q
lvn1eTtte. might gain access 10 the ballot q