The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-03-16
PROCLAMATION by THE GOV.
ERMOR,

government 10 again imperiied in the State
Of Tennessee. The events Df the last three
weeks give rise 70 serious apprehensionstha that
a large portidn OF our people have not suti
ciently recovered from the dsmoraiizing eff
fects OF the late rebellion TO enable them to
appreciate the blessings Of peace-that their
passions hare not sufficiently cooled To enable
themt 20 avoid a relapse into anarchy or MILF
tary rule. ~
A.small minority Of twenty-one members
! Of the House Of Representatives, by factious
and revolutionary proceedings, have succeed
ed in breaking up the Legislature and par
My zing the State Government, character
Use this conduct as revolutionary, because II
was v%iolatiye Of the spirit Of the Ccnstitu-
ton aad laws, and arrested the machinery of
the State Government As efectually as II the
same had been done by force Of arms.
They have been able, under the constitute
ton Of pariian entary law which prevailed
in the House, to reduce il below what was
held to be II quorum for the transaction of
business, and the great body Of the members
Of both Houses have gone to their homes,
and legislation has entirely ceased.
Wheu AN impSrtnt measure, Of State poll
icy was proposed-a measure referred to, and
a duty imposed upon this Legislature by the
amended Constitution they either Withdrew
from their seats or remained and reused to
answer TO their names when called, the speak-
er holding that a member in bis seat, refusing
to answer, was not present so MS to be coun-
ted as part Of a quorum. Amer worrying
the majority in this way for several weeks,
aud after the consultations of the ConVen-
tion of the 22d February, they have public
ly announced their secession from the Legisla-
turc, through the newspapers, in a document
that will not fail to remind its readers Of the
address Of the Legislature Of 1861, who trans-
ferrcd the State to the Southern Confederacy.
The pretext for this legislative rebellion
WIS q proposition TO discharged the duty
imposed upon the Legislature by the ninth
section Of tie schedule to the amended Con-
stilution, which provides for d" the Limitation
of the elective franchise by this Legislature
There was nothing new or startling in this
measure. From the earliest inception Of the
idea Of recognizing a State Government, up
on the ruins Of the rebellion, the policy Of
disfranchising those VINO had lately destroy
cd the Stute Government, and attempted TO
destroy the National Government was deem
ed q necessity, aud was adopted and rigidly
executed. 10 the election held on the 22d
Feb, 1865, upon the adoption Of the
amended Constitution, rebels were all dis
franchised by an oath which required every
voter to Gwear that he was " an enemy of the
sO.called Confederate States" The same
course was pursued in the election for Cover
nor and members If the General Assembly,
in March, 1865. The Military Governor nat
urslly believed that those who had wan e
tonly detrOyed the Government were not the
proper persons 10 rehuild il, or to administer
it when re-estsblished. This policy and
principle of Acknowledgement was u feature
Of the amended Constitution approved by
the qualified voters of the State. No subject
has been more thronghly discussed and I'M
derstood by all classes for the last year, than
this subject of d,sfranchising the d~isloyal.
Several Of the seeding members Of the
convention which adopted il into the sched-
ule, and sustained it before the people, and
accepted Office under Il, and are therefore es-
topped from denying its binding force. All
Of them had been elected under q law or
reclamation DISTINGUISHING rebels. The
prc,cnsc that the measure was sprung upon
tlem suddenly, is therefore manifislly a sub
Ierluge to cover up the attempt at disorgan-
i%zatiOn.
The resiguing members appeal to their con-
s~tituents 10 sustain them, are announced rs
candidates for reelection to the places they
have just ldG vacant under u pledge, of
course, again to withdraw from their seats,
and again TO break up the Legislature. This
d~iscloses the whole plan Of the conspiracy.
They ask their constituents to approve their
act, and to send them back to repeat j.. This
vfflI t1a.o thafr onugfifuaOfa in fha nfItfu le N
disorgAnizcrs commit them 10 a rebellion
against the State Government, and render
futile any attempt 20 Gil the vacancies by
by Wtits Of election, as the same routine
would Se repeated. The danger to the State
is therefore Imminent. Should the civil gov
ernment fail, the military authorities viii
take control Of the State, and II is not like
ly that the General Government will. at an
early day, permit a people who will have dis
played such incapacity for self-government to
attempt anotte. State organization. Nor is
it likely, II the effort should be permitted,
that the different divisions Of the State will
agree upon n new constitution, and discOrd
and Il separation may follow.
II the plan OF the seeding members, now
90 manifested, is successful, many Of the im-
portant laws already passed, including those
comforting Important civil rights upon freed
men can never 90 into effect. No appropria-
tiOn bill can be passed the Penitentiary,
Luaalic Asylum aud other State Institutions
must be broken up aud abandoned and the
interest acruing on the debts OF the State
aud ali other expense requiring an appro-
priation must remain unpaid Tie credit OF
the State will he destroyed, and the bonds Of
The State already appropriated must be de-
prcciatCd, so as to fail Of the objects Of their
issuance. Emigrants will shun q State Ia
such confusion and discredit, aud capital will
seek investment in more promising localities,
and thus the brightest hopes Of the State
will be bligLt ted
Even ii the conspirators should fail Of sue
cess inralculabls mischief has already been
done to the State. Eight millions Of her
bonds are soon TO he thrown upon the mar.
ket. The %runious depreciation Of her credit
consequent upon a disorgsniEed condition Of
the State, indiets a deep injury, not only up
on the boudholders, but upon our works OF
internal improvement, dependent now upoh
a sale Of our bonds TO enable to revive their.
operations.
Our political prospects too, are severely
injured By the acts Of a rebs lioUs popula-
ton we have cost our representation in the
council OF the nation. Onr Senators aud