The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-05-30
BrOwnlOw's Registration.
From the Nashville Banncr.]

Tennessee would be u larce II II were
not an atrocious outrage. In most ca
SEES the sole qualification looked to is
the present, not the past, position ofthe
candidates for suffrage. Soldiers who
served in the Union army throughout
the war and are now for EthcTdgehaS
bcendeaied certificates, whilst mcn'wie
were first rebels, then Radicals, and
now are for Browniow, have had 10
difficulty in getting themselves regis
tered. This sort of exclusion Is carri'
cd among the blacks as well as the
whites, and is fairly illustrated by an
incident furnished us ibya correspoD-
dent from one Of tho adjoining coun-
ties.
A colored man who had been the ser
want OF a Confederate oficerduring tho
war came before the Register and ask
cd for u certificate, when. the, following
colloquy ensued !, t,nn 81 ,,oo..a
care you a native Tenpeseear
a"Yes, sir, Twas born an raised in this
State" '~A't"'N" ".''' !f'" g.,
"Wherc were you during the war;,
"In various places sir. / belonged
to Captain---,and went "l'i
him to the army as his servant" ~s,.,.
"To what army p
"To the Confederate army, sir"
"Then you were n rebelY '''
"No, sir, | was not. | had no poll
tics and followed my master, because l
thought it my duty and no treated me
kindly"
Were you glad that the rebels Is we're
beaten ?" '''
II was glad to get my freedom, sir,
but I was sorry to see so many OF my
old friends ruined and disappointed
II was thankful for the Union victory,
but | do not think it the part Of q good
or brave man, black or white, to gloat
over the misfortuncs Of others"
"How are you going to vote in the
next election
II don't know, sir" "
81 expect you arc a id Ether
idge niger" ....
"Perhaps ] am, sir"
"Then get out o this, you black
scoundrcl, before / kick you out! Git
from here, youlousy dog! No one but
Brownlow niggers can register on these
books" .ra "f u#sI' nH1 's''1l 30 4!
The colored man went away crest
fallen. But he watched and waited
Two or three days after his unlucky
interview he found a smart old darkie
who had recently come to the neigh
borhood, told him the story and put
him up to a trick on the Register. He
sent him to the Office fully cooked and
primcd. and the following dialogue oe-
cured. me 3f Us.
"Well, old man, what do you want
me, sab l wants a c'tifikit, sab
And Id quick too, for I'ze a Brown
low darkie, and not to be fooled with
by white folks"
e you are for the old man, arc
your" w.. l.' r..
'Dats my tensions sab, Tie fout
agin the rebs fust an last, an, please
God, I'm gwine to glib en- III dis
time"
"Were you a soldier"
"No sab, but l had six sons in dc
Federal army, an me an dc old woman
ruined off in de beginuin' OBJ de war
AFTER burnin' down de ole family man
sion dat dc white folks had deserted
care you u member of the loyal
leagueT" '"' Wv
"Sho's yer born / is"
"Andgoing to vote the Radical tick
ct straight out"
"Dat's de talk SAIL"
"Vcry well, there's your papers. But
before you go, come round and take a
drink, It'll seasonyou as a Brownlow
man."
Our sable friend got his ticket and
took his drink, but as he moved out OF
hearing he broke into aloud laugh and
cried, Dats a fac! Fool dis chile! Eye
golly, I'm gwinc to vote jist as l please
an for SIGH as suits me. only, dat
Brownlow don't suit me. He's too
cussed onsartain for my use, shor!' D.
There's liberty for the million!i ''
There's the noble operation offreedom
and equality! There's suffrage and
government and republicanismJ with q
vengeance! And it is the complexion
we have come to at last in one of the
wealtltiest, most populous and most in
telligent counties in Tenn essee. i'lu.H