Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-17

Your attention, if you please On
the lst day Of July you issued your pro-
clamation, from which we extract as
follows
Whereas, an incendiary document has
been issued al Nashville, by the partisan
chairman Of political committee,
Whereas, this seditious circular recon-
mends the notification of the franchise
law, which is now part Of the constitu
tiGn Of Tennessee, and has been approved
by the Supreme Court and. whereas a
false and rebellious construction has been
given 20 the law above named by the auda-
cious authors of the aforesaid reasonable
circular, evidently for wicked and revolu-
tionary purposes; and, whereas, the judges
and clerks of all elections in the State are
10 be appointed by the Commissioned Of
Registration in each county, as the tenth
section of the franchise law provides,
Now, therefore, i, William q. Brownlow,
Governor ofthe State of Tennessee, by virtue
of authority conferred upon me, and in dis.
charge Of the duties imposed upon me by
law, do hereby give notice that the fran
chise law was clearly and unquestionably
framed 40 as 10 take the appointment of
Judges and Clerks Of election from the
County Courts and Sherifls, giving the same
TO the Commissioners of Registration
therefore the election returns made by said
Commissioners will alone be recognized at
the State Department. | warn all County
Courts in the State not 10 act upon the adj
vice of this committee of seditiOnlsts as
they will lay themselves liable 10 be pun
ished andrl warn all Judges and Clerks
of elections, whom they may appoint not
60 attempt 10 serve, as they would come 40
conflict with the lawfully constituted
Judges and Clerks of elections And If il
be the purpose 10 provoke sedition and
violence in a wicked attempt to overthrow
the State government, upon their heads
shall rest the consequences"
Your sincerity was seriously questioned
when you issued this proclamation This
stretch Of the executive authority over
the judicial department of the govern
ment was new thing in Tennessee, and
it subjected you, as you are well aware,
to good deal Of obloquy But the time
has come when you can establish your
honesty in this matter of executing the
franchise law, or showyourself the mere
political trickster your opponets charged
YOU to be. Your own party in this city
recommend the notification Of the fran
chise law, which is now a part of the
constitution of Tennessee, by n0mina-
ting negro man for the Office Of Coun>
Gilman in the City Council Of Nashville,
wher the sixteenth section Of the fran
chise law explicitly provides shat this
act shall not be so construed as 10 allow
the eolored man to hold Office or sit on
Juries When the Executive Committee
OF the Conservative party gave con-
straction 10 the tenth section Of the franz
chise law which some Of the best legal
minds in the State believe the courts
would be compelled TO sustain, You made
hot haste to declare your construction Of
this section Of the law and what
was the intention Of the framer.
Of the law, and 10 give notice that
You would enforce your construction Of
this section, with the loyal militia" If
necessary, There can be no question