Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-06
ani0u aud 1ispateh.
Largest Circulation in city and State.
NOTES RROM THE FIELD.

GIBSON COUNTY-THE DAY AT TRENTON.
The Pres and Times, of yesterday, with
its usual recklessness, says:
'In the VIGOROUSLY lawless town Of Tren-
! ton, West Tennessee, cOlOred men were
/ driven from the polls by armed Tuttlans,
Rebels took possession Of the ballot box,
and the vote, Of course went for Etheridge"
The Trenton Gazette, Of the ID, thus
punctuTes the statement:
The history Of yesterday, in Trenton.
were il written, would be the blacklist and
most shameful. We will not dignity the
farce at balloting as an election. Early in
the morning a company, known as Hollis
company, which was in Hursts regiment
in the late war, marched into town with a
banner unfIirled, upon which was written
w. G. Brownlow and after marching
around the square, planted their colOrs
within a few feet of the ballot box, at once
making themselves busy, with their pistols
buckled around their bodies. to vote colOred
men. Alas that these poor deluded dupes
can be 40 easily misled.
The Mayor had taken every precaution-
ary step to prevent violence or blOOdshed.
He had exacted promise from the Cap
tain Of the Brownlow militia company that
he would keep his command at camp
throughout the day also did the Mayor
close the whisky saloons. This company
of Hollis from up near the Weakley line,
insulted two or three citizens, for which
plain enough words were spoken.
The militia company leave their camp
in the face of the promise made to the
! Mayor, without being sent for by The Mayor.
Ii takes possession of the upper part Of
the courthouse.
A boy not grown, when iusulted, replied
| to one Of Hollis men that on equal ground
be was not afraid to meet him At once
the command "to rally" was given, and
this company from the upper part of our
county with drawn pistols rallied. The
people for the moment gave back,
but thinking that all the sense of
these men had not persisted, after
this were moving about in the
courthouse yard. Whereupon these Holt
| ties moved upon about two dozen citizens
in the courthouse yard, with leveled pistols,
the militia from above through the win
dows simultaneously leyeling their pieces,
| commanding the courthouse yard to be
cleared. This was too much. Excitement
| flashed to white heat. Citizens armed
themselves TO the teeth. Passion was
furious. 1t was everything that those men
who we're calmest could do to restrain the
people from at once charging the court
house. Nothing short of a demand for
Hollis company, as we'll as the Brownlow
militia, 10 eyacuate the courthouse could
| appease the people. These companies,
amidst the wild shout of the people,
marched out Of the courthouse. Thus
ended what Hollis company came to Tren-
ton for and what Brownlow's militia Joined
| them to carry out, rOW.
HENRY CoUNTY-HOw IT WAS EXCLUDED
FROM THE BALLOT BoX-THE MYSTERY
| EXPLAINED.
From the Paris Intelligence, Aug Sd.
Guthrie, the Commissioner, of Registra-
| ton in this Henry county, labored by
! fair means and foul 10 place the political
| control of his baliwick in the hands of the
Radicals. Towards white men he was re-
morselessly exacting The proof the
proof unquestionable proof of Loyal-
| ~, was his constant cry, and oitentimes
| when proof was offered by vouchers of his
own selection, certificates were refused on
/ the fimsiest preteKts. But to the colOred
man he would roar me as gently as any
dove" he would raise no doubt, start no
| objections, bat with a smiling graciousness,
| would accept the uactuous perjuries Of
| Cal. Sweeney and Bob. Curry, brace of as
| disreputable wretches as live, as proof as
| strong as holy writ Of a negro's loyalty.
But after all his rascali.y, as the result of
| his labors when he closed his books on last
| Saturday night, this disagreeable fact pre-
1 4 f7,,
tives had registered than Radicals. The
| remedy was in 4 moment thought of.
| Frauds were at once charged, and reported
to Nashville with the recommendation no
| doubt, that the old registration be annulled
and new one ordered underdifierent auspi-
ces. Accordingly on last Sunday morning the
! community was astonished and dumbiOund-
| edbythe announcement that this county had
been unregistered, and John Mcdonald,
| another ardent supporter of Brownlow, but
| withal a clever and conscientious citizen,
had been appointed the successor Of Guth-
| RE. In the same connection II was given
| out that the new Registrar would open his
| books on Tuesday, the 30th ult., thereby
| allowing the people only two days TO obtain
certificates. On the day designated our
streets were crowded with dense throng
of men robbed of their rights, but eager to
| re.inyest themselves with the voting priv
lege. At the hour appointed applicants
| presented themselves, the whites at one
| door. the blacks at another The latter we're
| given without hesilancy the precious boon
/ sought for, by militia lieutenant, who had
| been charged with that duty, but who was
a stranger 10 this community, and conse-
| quently ignorant of the antecedents OF
| every citizen of the county. The whites
| came harder by their certificates In another
| room adjoining the one occupied by the
| doughty officer of Brownlow' trained band.
was a scene to make the gods weep.
| Worthen, Frank Travis and the Captain
OF the militia stationed at this place, were
grouped together IN direconspiracy against
the liberties Of the people. The moral
beauty % of the picture is best shown by
the fact that bat one. of this ungodly and
unprincipled trio is a citizen of the county,
and he is its bitterest enemy But It's most
touching feature was Johh Mcdonald. He
was the impeT5Onation Of an honest man
struggling with adversely, and If such a
| scene makes angels weep, as has been said,
| verify there was shedding of tears on high
that day. There he sat, every honest sug-
gestion Of his overruled, the evidences of
his senses denied. his strongest convictions
of right and duty gainsaid, his ideas ofmen
and things quietly ignored every noble
prompting irowned down, his decency out
RACED, his humanity shocked, his intelli-
rence insulted, his sense of justice violated
hv the shameless proceedings Of the I'M
considerable junto that Brownlow placed
over him. Enduring this until 1t became
clearly apparent that he could not consist
entity with his oath, submit longer-ln
other words, seeing that it was impossible
for him TO execute the law, he gave up IN
disgust after few hours, and dispatched
his resignation to Fletcher, announcing that
his acts were null and void. This Is a
r simple statement of facts. The world IS at
liberty to draw its own conclusion. There
: is but one opinion here, and that Is, that a
4 more Unmiugated outrage never was at
y tempted to be Perpetrated on the rights Of
3 free people OF republican usage.
q Il Is needless 10 say that Fletcher APP
, pointed no one 20 take the place OF Me-
q Donald, and so the vote @. Henry county
Is elely nominal, but nevertheless Con-
a sentative.
l. FRAUDS AT CHATTANOOGA.