Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-04

these acts of tyranny ard oppression, un-
equaled in the annals of civilization. And
yet the insolent minions Of tyranny threaten
you, that unless you continue to patronize
and employ, and feed, and clothe, and
shelter the men by whose fundamentally
they seek 10 perpetuate their power, and
to continue your humiliation, and TO bring
upon you these other and greater indigni-
ties and calamities, they will mark you,
and visit you with assessment after the most
improvedrule of military rascality. Takeno
counsel with your fears. Cowardly highway
men rob the timid. Let these men know
that the war is over; and not till the war
is resumed again will military assessments
come in use again among us.
On the first day of the present month,
the Governor, who now seeks his re-elec-
ton by all manner Of unlawful and unfair
means, issued his proclamation, which most
of you have seen with indignation. In this
Gubernatorial proclamation the dictator
boldly assumes to the Executive depart
ment, from which the constitution has ex-
pressly withheld that function, the authori-
ty to declare, construe and expound the
law. He utters his opinion like the re-
script of a Roman Emperor, and AFRO
gantly threatens the Judges of the County
Courts with punishment if they shall
presume to perform those judicial
and ministerial functions conferred
upon them by the constitution and
laws The law shall be according to hfs
Interpretation, and vengeance shall fall on
the heads of those who disobey. He, the
Governor, is a candidate for reelection.
He has the power to appoint the commits
sioners of registration in all the counties,
and assumes the right to change them at
pleasure. His commissioners so appointed
by the one man power, shall appoint the
judges to hold the election, and all other
officers thereof Under our laws a sheriff
is not permitted to hold an election where
il he himself is a candidate and common
decency would debar any but the most
shameless from exercising controlling in
huence over his own election. But, there
seems to be noinfamy of degration to which
the present rulers of Tennessee will not
descend.
In reference to this matter, fellow
citizens, we advise moderation and
obedience to the mandate of the OPP
pressor, that he may be left without excuse
before the nation, when he finds himself
beaten on his own ground by the indig-
nant voice of a people determined to be
rid of him. If the DISTINGUISHED and OPP
pressed masses will arouse 20 the effort,
though only the colored men of the State
were enfranchised, they will not vote for
Brownlow or his party. Ir counties where
the courts have appointed Judges, and
where the commissioners have done the
same, let the appointees of the latter hold
the election, but let the lawfully appointed
Judges attend to watch the manner of its
holding. Let these, or if they will not
serve in that capacity, let others appointed
for the purpose, sit by aud see that the ball
lot-boxes are not stuffed, and that the re-
turns are made correctly. Let the ballot
box be everywhere protected from unlaw-
full violence and fraud. The unarmed and
sober people can do this if they will, and
no small bands of the tyrant's armed mill
tia can prevent it,
Can you not, felloW-citizens, enfranchised
and DISTINGUISHED, make this one effort to
regain your liberties? Brownlow and his
men seek to provoke you TO commit some
act of violence. Be not entrapped into
that error. Protect yourselves from vio-
leuce, but commit none. Do not permit
the voters, white or colored, to be intimi-
dated by outlaws. Commit no frauds
yourselves, and permit none to be committed
by them. Brownlow hopes to be kept in
power only by the aid of the general govs
eminent, through its Congressional major
ity. Give him no pretext to ask Congress
sional interference.
JOHN LELLYETT,
JOHN S. BRIEN,
w. MATT. BRowN,
THEO. TRAUERNICHT,
Elk Com. for Middle Tennessee.
July 4, 1867.