Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-08-14
Chr Amnxrtllr Hhia.
Knoxville, Tam, August ID, 1867.
The ElectIOn IN NashFIIle.

Thelelection in Nashville isthus described oy Tue
correspondent Of the New York Herald
In Nashville there was general suspension. S %
business, and people kept their houses 50 ina
streets except In tbeimmedis vicinity Of lne U
were almost rs deserted and quiet as on 1fa,v
There Vas no intoxication and no disoruei. az
arrests were made for violation o. tDe oiaf col
TO CARRYING concealed weapons ano the de-
ored men were apprehended Tor aIeel'P Even
Tnocratic stra,eeT Of voting more thsn once - 800
dbe Sisfr.ncb,seS were IS general thing 10 e0ou
humcr. .ns s
LIZ - order due TO martial effect, for
Nor va ~ ha5 disposed the military most unoo-
zen DunOS - oavalrymen were plcketed IN
uusiFeiy. - bsll detachment Of infantry had
rear o. snv lies At the capitol and horseman quietly
.1toa each poll from distance otneT"ise tne
Mes.av we're entirely out OF sight
Inc - ~ the franchise for the first time in any
tee o. tbe African race Of the South. 1t would
P'N-o - a curious scene anywhere 70 have wit
o5 streams Of black voters at the polls. 1t was
N-.srtsbly so in Tennessee. Il seemed like clo-
.;,g ableau 10 the great drama just enacted by the
nst7on-its apothess Of the terrible struggle which
set free a whole people; 1897 was cnriously con-
,rssted with $50. White and black master and
Save freeman and freedman, side by SIDE to-day in
Tennessee exercised the privilege Of common cit-
senship.
The newly mace ClLZeus were UP DflEuh anu ehI-
" this morning They thronged the streets in quest
Of the polls before they were opened When the
baloting commenced they formed in long lines, and
in an incessant stream poured in their tickets nEl
their whole vote was received. They were so
prompt and steady at this work that nearly the
whole negro vote was polled by two o'clock The
whites generally deferring voting until the after
noon, the colored citizens had the polls almost en-
tirely 10 themselves during the forenoon. few
Caucasians forced themselves into the rigid Ethlo-
nian tide and were borne along TO the ballot-box;
but their numbers were few and far between. Sin
eulAry enough, many Of the negroes were election
eering for the Conservative candidates and perhaps
from one-tenth TO one-eighth Of the whole colored
vote was cast against the Radical ticket. Some of
the partisans of The Conservative side were rogush-
IL ualminc of anti Radical ballots on their unsus-
Meeting colored brethren who did not enjoy the adj
vantsges Of a common school education, ana VINO,
conservative voted contrary to their original nten-
ton. But few were deceived in this manner, now
ever.
II lie still fact that an important element Of the
Conservative vote was contributed by the newly
enfranchised colOred citizens. Their Radical broth
rem were not intolerant Of this freedom Of opinion
They merely expressed their estimate of their de-
graded Philippians, who could vote any other
than a Rad" ticket by a look OF supreme con-
tempt but offered no violence No child was more
pleased with toy than the negro with the ballot
stoioallv patient he brooded for hours IN lhe DOT
sun awaiting his turn each face radiant win De
light and each hand nervousy elutching the ballot
of the freedman The wrs represented by ali
the ages Of manhood, from the sprucest city boy to
the venerable white haired field hand, who was
barely able 10 hobble TO the pole and who seemed
rs II about 10 deposit his ballot for the first and last
time of his life and all shades we're present. from
the unmitgated baelSness Of the Congo to The fair
yghiteness Of the Octoroon, who might lay claim to
b. wholly Caucasian.
The challengers of the Conservatives acted i'm
partially in their duties. They did not seem to
manifest any improper desire TO impede the voting.
Where they knew a voter to be qualified, they even
assisted him TO a prompt deposit of his ballot
When it was necessary to question the voter, the
well known ignorance Of the African as TO dates and
time was illustrated-all were over twenty-one
years, Of age, according TO what they were told by
their parents and relatives; but not one in dezen
could name his birthday.
The registration list Of coored voters is also re-
markabe for the long array Of distinguished names
The best families Of Tennessee the most renowned
statesmen and soldiers Of the Union since its incp
iency, and even the glorious cognomeDs Of Roman
history bid fair 10 be perpetuated in name at least
among the future citizens Of Tennessee