Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-29

require the prescribed oath to be taken by
every one offering his vote. He read the
following circular which he had addressed
to the officers of the election:
TEE ELECTION OK SATURDAY.
To the Sheriff Of Davidson county aud the Judges
Of the election to be held on Saturday, March
-, 1866, and 70 all admitted voters under an
act 10 limit the election franchise chapter 26.
page ~, OF the late acts passed June 3. 1863:
You and each Of you are hereby notified that
am a candidate TO represent said county at its
present session Of the Legislature. | have com
piled with the section Of aid act. and taken the
oath therein prescribed ] am a voter and enti-
tlei 10 vote under said act. l. therefore, urge you
10 guard the ballot box faithfully and efectually
against the approach Of disoyalty and treason, no
matter IN what character II may come. / desire
those entitled under this law 10 vote, and none
others.
Therefore. now demand that the Judges nj
each voting precinct in the county, before receive
ing vote, take the oath in said act prescribed in
said seventh section. page thirty-six also ehal-
lenge each and every voter TO take this oath at
As this is the law and fastened upon the public
by Major Lewis, desire il faithfully executed. |
will contest every poll and every vote which Is
not strictly in conformity with said act. j also
request all admitted voters 20 go 70 the polls,
challenge the votes. and see that one votes
without hrst taking said oath in due form;
March 26, 1866. NJ. NJ. BRIEN.
We have no exeeption.t to this notification
70 the officers of elections, but think it ques-
tionable taste for a candidate TO give it in the
lordly style here assumed. The charge that
Major LEWIS is responsible for the law, has
been denied by him and thoroughly dis
proved, and of course Judge BRIES will no
longer repeat it. But it is the law of the
State, nevertheless, and should be enforced,
and Major LEWIS desires equally with his
competitor that no vote should be polled
which is not strictly legal
The sixth section of the law makes it the
duty Of the County Court Clerk to register,
under oath, if he sees fit, applicants for the
certificate of the privilege of voting, and
it has been heretofore esteemed that the
presentation Of the certificate to the Judges
of election was all that was necessary. But
the seventh section provides hat an admtit-
ted voter mag challenge any voter, and it is
then made the duty of the Judges of election
to administer the following oath:
Il solcmnly swear that 1 viii HExcEFORTH sup
mort the Constitution ofthe United States and de-
Tend il against the assaults Of its enemies; that
am an active friend Of the Government OF the
United States; that will heartily aid and assist
the loyal people IN whatever measures may De
sdopted under the Constitution of the United
states, and under all laws and proclamatlons
made in pursuance thereof, TO establish the "a
tional authority over all the people Of every state
and Territory embraced in the National Union;
and that will faithfully and most heartily sup
port and defend the Constitution OF the state OF
Tennessee and the amendments and scheduie
fhereunto appended, and adopted by the people
on the 22d day of February lebo; and also an the
| Acts of the General Assembly assembled IN ac-
cordance Herewith; and that | take tins oath
| freely. voluntarily, and without mental resei'a
| ton SO help me God
Now we have this to say to every quail
| fed voter who has a certificate. You
may or may not have taken the oath
to obtain the certificate. If it is ne
eessary TO appease the carping and he-
tious spirit of Judge BRIEN and his friends
in order to put the result of this election
beyond the range of cavil or pretext, do not
hesitate TO take it again at the polls. Mark
the language, and it viii be seen that it re-
quires nothing that the voter cannot consci-
| entiously subscribe to. Under this oath yon
swear 10 support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, and defend it against the assaults
Of the Radicals, Of Ichom JUDGE BRIEN him
SELF is one; that you are an active friend OF
the Government ichich many ofthe advocates o.
JUDGE BRIEN are not; that you are in IA
Cor Of all measures which will perfect the
rightful jurisdiction Of the General Govern
ment over every Stateand territory; that you
| Al ,ftIa anH fka
amendments adopted on the 22nd February
1865, and the laws passed in pursuance
thereof Every true conservative man can
take this oath freely and without mental
reservation, and they are the only men who
will faithfully comply with it. The party
represented by Judge BRIEN are to-day spit
States, and the Constitution of Tennessee
They are attempting to govern the people
by law higher or lower than either, al
the case may be. The great end Of con
servatism is to bring the Government bach
to the principles announced in this oath
and hence no true man should be deferred
from meeting it at the polls or elsewhere
We however caution the friends of Majo
LEWIS to be vigilant, and demand of thei
opponents the same oath that may be re
quired Of them.
The chief object of this move however, i
to brighten voters. 1t is an assumed lion
roar to terrify the timid. But it is onl.
''Snug the Joiner" at last 1t should dete
no true man from doing his whole duty OIL
Saturday, and it viii not, though Judg
BRIEN roar never so loudly.