Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-10-04
MONTPELIER. VT.:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1867.
Tennessee.

Sometime since an election was held III
Tennessee in which disfranchised rebels.
after vainIy endeavoring to make trouble
and stir up the evil passions Of the people
until they found vent in mobs, surlily sub
sided under wholesome fear of the military,
which wac present to preserve order and see
that the election was conducted according to
the laws of the state But city election
in Nashville has given them the opportunity
to make another turbulent demonstration
The city has charter, and by that charter
it is claimed that only white males over
twenty-One years of age are voters, while
the city authorities may appoint the judges
of elections. This charter has given the
rebels much comfort. They have been very
learned in their expOsitions of law for some
months. in fact ever since Charles q Common,
Esq, of New York City, argued before the
Supreme Court, in the application to restrain
Gen. Pope and Others from carrying the re-
construction laws into effect, that organ
lied municipality had rights and privileges
which posi- fdctO law could take away;
and the Nashville rebels have concluded from
this logic that city charter could not be
changed except by the consent of the city
itself and that Nashville was therefore en-
titled u elect it, city officers after the old
fashion. when white men only had power in
the citv Governor BrOwnlow. on the con
trary was Of the opinion that the franchise
Laws Of the state controlled Nashville as well
hor RI
and ordered the election 10 be held according
to the law OF the state. The city authorities
at fret declined to recognize the Governors
authority in the premises being quite in
clined to resist him with the state militia at
his back and asked the aid of Gen. Thomas
and the Federal troops to oppose General
Brownlow and the state militia. General
Thomas asked advice of Gen. Grant, and
Gen. Grant replied that the Federal military
must not he used to oppose the state authori-
ties. but might be employed to preserve
order at the election. Gen. Thomas then
notified the mayor that he should that
the election held peaceably under the
laws of the state The result of this notice
was that the secesh candidates withdrew
from the canvass, the city authorities sub
sided, and the election was held last Satur-
day in conformity with the new franchise
law
As we have neither the franchise law of
Tennessee nor the city charter of Nashville
before us, it is impossible to determine how
far the city authorities had warrant for their
contumacy in the letter of the law Char
tiers and grants to private corporations, like
those 10 individuals, have been frequently
held TO be beyond the reach of subsequent
legislation. There seems TO be good reason
as well good law in this. such corpora
tions have generally only property rights
But it would he singular phase of the law
if it should hold that political bodies had d
right to always exist with whatever fran
chise they had al their creation. This, how
ever, is only the logical conclusion Of much
of the reasoning respecting state rights. Ii
the general government has no right to resu-
late the franchise in Il state. WHY should a
state regulate it in city within its limits
The rebels may make an effort to test the
LEGALITY of this alootion in tho courts and
We certainly hope they Will, for it is desira
BILE TO learn soon possible whether
the courts or the people are TO settle these
political questions whether the politica
rights of the people themselves are to be
held at the option of few judges. or are to
he determined by the people in their sovereign
capacitv