Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-29
WHO SUSTAINED THE BROwNLSw
rSWrRPATUON

frankly confessed that there were grave
doubts whether the franchise law re-
pealed or modified the privilege conferred
by the city in this respect, and that it was
a question for the courts to decide The
ring, which Secretary Fletcher charges
is composed of adventures and bum
mers from the North, set to work to get
the Governor to issue proclamation de-
claring that the Judges and clerks APP
pointed by the Commissioner Of Registra-
ton should hold the election, and for
bidding the election to be held by the city
authorities. They succeeded and the in
Auence and power of the Governor were
thrown into the scale in favor Of the
ring, which the Press and Times has
charged repeatedly with being governed
by corrupt motives. What, efforts, if
any, the /" resident Republicans made to
secure the Governor for their side is not
known. Perhaps they felt it was useless
and did nothing, since his preference
for Northern men over native Ten
nesseans is so notorious The
whole course of the Governor in this
election has been almost as decidedly
against the resident Republicans, as
the Press and Times christened the wing
Of the Radicals that opposed Alden, as
against the city authorities The resi-,
dent Republicans cannot be so ignor-
ant as not to know that they owe their
defeat to Gov Brownlow He had no
sympathy with their movement, and
hence what he has done has been at the
suggestion and in the interest of what
Secretary Fletcher and the Press and
Times call the ring Gov. Brownlow
has usurped authority backed by his
loyal militia and Cen Thomas, which
has resulted in the triumph of men
whom the Press and Times has been
charging for weeks as INSCRIPTIONS and
corrupt, and therefore unworthy the
confidence of the people Of Nashville.
The triumph was, therefore, not over tie
city authorities alone, but over the
resident. Republicans"
la the midst of these troubles Gen
Thomas came here in obedience to dis
patch from Gen Grant as Secretary of
War ad interim In that dispatch Gen
Grant said
The military cannot set up TO be the
judges as to which set of election judges
have the right to control, but must conine
their action to preventing or putting down
hostile mobs. 1t is hoped, however, by
seeing the Governor and city officials here
referred to, your presence and advice may
prevent disturbance
That was all that was asked by those
who invoked the interposition of the
United States 1t was a question for the
courts to decide, and they asked the
United States to protect them against the
fragrant usurpation of Brownlow that it
might be RENTED to the courts. And
this was the spirit of Gen. Thomas i'm
structions from the Secretary Of War.
events have certainly de-
monstrated whether Gen. Thomas came
here to carry out these instructions, or to |
back up the Governor in his usurpation,
and thus aid the ring not only against
the city authorities, but against the
resident Republicans" Early Friday
morning Gen. Thomas called upon the
Mayor at his office, and handed him a
telegram he had received from Gen.
Grant the night previous, which reads
ls follows
l will send you further instructions to-
morrow. Nothing is clearer, however,
han that the military cannot be made use
If to defeat the Executive Of State in en-
orcing the laws of the State. You will
lot prevent the legal State force from the
xecution of its orders
This dispatch came from Gen. Grant
IS General of the army, and not as Secre-
airy of War What appliances were
brought to bear upon the General of the
irmy which caused him to give instruc-
ions which Modified those he had isssued
S Secretary of War, are not known to
he public, but the telegram shows clearly
hat the suggestion came from Gen.
'homas II was announced at the Alden
Meeting Thursday night by one of the
peakers, with n by authority air, that
ten. Thomas would never turn Federal
'ayonets or bullets on the Army Of the
cumberland. That was fair warning
hat he would do all he could to advance
he interests Of the "ring" Every move
nent he has made since he came to Nash
lille has been as much in the interest of
irownlow and the ring as those Of Joe
copper The appeal was for relief, but he
anne to strengthen and perpetuste the
espotism under which we are strugg ling. |
hat this was the feeling, not of the Con-
,rvative people alone, but of the resi-
ent Republicans, is fully confirmed by I
lie very light vote east by the white citi- {
ms of the city yesterday. The announce
snt by Gen. Thomas that he should
Istain the Brownlow despotism fell like '
/ ice-cold shower bath upon the pro-
,rty holders of the city, and the proof of :
is was seen in the fact that even the t
lends of Mr. Scovel took bat Ii tile in> '
rest in the election farce yesterday
ID il went almost by default S
Gov. SgARKEY has written an elaborate a
tier, which is published in the Colum
Is, Miss, IRdeT, of the Doth inst, in i
hich he takes strong ground against re- c