, 1866-03-08
TENNESSEE,
The Rebellion in the Legislature.
L PROCLAMATION BY GOVERNOR
BR0WNLOW,

Ihe Rebelll0n IN the Legislature.
4 PROCLAMATION BT GOVERNOR
BR0WNL0W.
A New Election Ordered 10 FIJI the Va.
capcicA Created By tile Hettr1ns
WcmbcFz.
The following Is proclamation from Gov,
Brownlow ordering elections to fill the vacan-
cies Of the resigning members Of the Leglsla-
ture.
s'It Is my painful duty to announce that
civil government Is again inperflled In the
State Of Tennessee. The events OF the last
that large portion Of our people have not
sufficiently recovered from the dtmoraliziug
effects Of the late rebellion to enable them to
appreciate the blessings Of peace, and that
thclr passions have not sufficiently cooled to
enable them to aTold relapse to anarchy OF
military rule.
IA small minority OF twenty-one members
Of the House Of Representative, BY dactious
md Revolutionary proceedings, have succeed
ed in breaking up the Legislature, and parn-
lyzcd the State Government. I characterize
their conduct rs revolutionary, because It WAS
Violative Of the spirit Of the Constitution and
laws, and arrested the machinery Of the State
Government as etfectnnily as Il the Same had
been done by force Of arms. They haye been
able, under the construction Of parliamentary
Law which prevailed In the great body Of the
House, 10 reduce It below what Was held to
be qdorum for the transaction Of business,
md the members Of both Housea havo gone
II ceased. Whenever m Important measure
Of State policy Was referred to, aud duty in
posed upon this Legislature by thu amended
Constitution, they either Withdrew from their
seats, or remained and refused to answer to
their names when called, the Speaker hold
=, in, r fFtn
wns not present 90 Us to be counted as part
:" Alter worrying in this way for several
weeks. and after tie consultation of the con-
vention Of the ed Of February, they have
publicly announced their secession from the
legislature through the newspapers, IN q doc
ument that will not fail to remind It's readers
of the legislature Of 1861, which Transferred the
state to the Southern Confederacy. The pre-
text for this legislative rebellion was in oppo-
sitfon to the discharge Of the duty imposed
upon the legislature By the ninth section Of
the schedule Of the amended constitution.
which provides for the limitation Of the cleo
tive franchise by the Les sis'ature. There Vas
nothing startling in this meaapre. From the
earliest tnccption Of the idea OF q reozganiza-
ton Of a state government upon the ruins Of
the rebellion, the. policy Of disfranchtsing
those who had lately destroyed the State gov
eminent ard attempted to destroy the nation
al ROFfFQMeuL& HaS uttlAeU u 4CcEs54kfF AuA
was adopted and rigidly executed In the e1ec~
ton held on the I'D Of February, 1866. Upon
the adoption Of the amended constitution,
the rebels were all disfranchised by an
oath which required every rotcr to
swear: that he Was an enemy Of the
so-called Confederate States. The same
course was pursued IL the election Of
bly,, in March, 1865. Tho military governor
naturally believed that those who wnntonly
destroyed tho Government were not the proper
persons to rebuild OF administer 1t when re-
established. This policy and principle Of dis
ltanchiseIacHt was feature Of the amended
Of the State. No subject has been more thor
ouslly discussed and understood BY all classes
for the last year, than this subject Of the dis
franchisement Of the dls1oya1. Several Of the
seeding members were also members Of the
convention which adopted It into tue sched-
and accepted office under it, and are, there
fore stopped from denying its binding force.
All Of them had been elected under Law or
proclamation dlsftanchlstng rebels. The pre-
tepce that the measure was sprung upon them
suddenly is, therefore, most Inanitestly sub
tcrfnsc to cover up the attempt at disorgnni-
zation.
"The resigntng members appeal to their
constituents to sustain them, and most oi
them arc announced as candidates for re-
election to the places they have just made
under pledge, of course, aEssain to withdra"
from their seats, and again break up the Leg.
islAture. This discloses tho Wh0fe plan 0l
conspiracy. They ask their constituents t1
approve their act and to hend them baek to
repent It. This will place their constituents
| in the attitude ot dIsorgnnfzers, commit them
to rebellion against the State Government
| aud render futile any attempt to hl the W
cancies by writs Of election, as the Same rou
| tine would be repeated. The DANGER to til
| State is, therefore, Imminent. Should th,
| civil Government fai], the military authorl
tics will take control Of the State; and 1t i
| not nkely that the General Government vii
at an early day permit q people who VII
! have displayed such an incapaclty for sell
ganlzation. Nor Is 1t likely, If the attemp
Should be permitted, that the different di
visions Of the Slate will agree upon new
"Discord and separation may follow, i
the plan Of the seeding members now mani
Tested Is successful. Many of ths importan
ring important civil rights upon freedmen
can never 60 into effect. No appropriate!
bill can be passed. The. p1nltentiary, 1unat1
asylum md other State Institutions must b
broken up and abandoned, and the interes
accrulng on the debts Of the State VIII DC dc
stroyed, and the bonqs OF the State alread,
appropriated must be deprecated 50 as to tai
OF tht objects Of the Issuance.
s'Emigrants will bhun q State In such con
fusion and discredit, and capital will seek In
ycstmcnt In more promising localities. an
blighted. Even II the conspirntors should hl
OF Success, ipcalcnlab1e mischief hns utread
been done to the State. Eight millions OF hr
bonds arc soon 10 be thrown upon tbs mal
ket. The rulnous depreciation Of her credit
consequent upon disorgnnized condition q
the State, in1icts deep injury not onl
terual improvements dependent now upo
sale, Of our bonds to enable thcr
| to revive their operations. Our politics
prospects, too, are seriously inju1e
by acts Of the rebellf0us population. "
have lost our representation In the council {
the nation. Our Senators and Represeutt
tlTes arc In Washington asking admission IL
to Congress. That body Is watching all on
| movements with view OF dctcr1nintu
whether we have M established gofeTnmer
or not, and whether those Senators have bee
sent there by a government capable Of mali
tainlng it's existence and authority. We ma
now conclude that our people arc not in
temper for self-Eoyesnnnept. Certainly II
opponents of our representation will be fu
1fshed by our present condition with An .
Enmcnt against our admission Nor Il tt
statc and people less to be deploFcd. 4 larr
| f;on ara nrofrsstng reconstructed loyalt
wh;ic n nnrtion ii their REPRESENTATIVES di
, n1ay not 6nly I, rebellious spfrit. Int iisr
ma & for for The M solemn obligations Of legislator
/ Thev are unmindful Of that dignity 4 sense
, j1on1r which should alwa5s Characterize Il
statesman.
! 1But, aside from the injury to the mora
> uoliiical. and financial character Of the Stat
and The danger Of dissolution, the actual 10
! | to The State Treasury Is immense. Nearly
t month has already been lost blythe Legisl
). turc. Another month must tIanspfze beio
the vacant seats can DC hiIea nY eleetlot
bers can appear. Estimating; ssl5 tue expenses
the Leetsiatufe al seoo PER oay' anu loss loss
scyenty aays lfom ausnss' u t"sal .oss !oss
= Ho,No Is me result, eVen eouasspnatG
+ should ~ succeed no 5ufteef T.. y laen Ut, !.
+ signs. Ihe loyal People q tne az state sn WI .
i | fah 10 AolA w EuaMS pat,ss nlu .as1 "a q
Q vlsers 5espons'gse ior tnis Mo.se tnan useie
e1penature+ IL may pe snaL theconssitaen .a'
I fff1V01TtEf