Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-07-10
From the Nashville Press and Time.
Shall There be Two Elections.

The U1tioa and DispaEch adults that we gave the
true and correct exposition Of the intent Of thu
franchise sw with respect to the judges and clerks
Of elections. We said that It was ghe intent and
purpose Of the law to take the appointment of the
officers of elections out Of the hands of the County
Courts and place IL il the hands Of the Commit
sioner of Registrstion. The Union and Dispatch
now says
No one doubts for an instant that it was The in
tenton OF the trainers Of the franchise law 70 con-
fer the power claimed By the Press ard 7rsSs upon
the Commissioner Of Registration"
No ore doubts for az instant What moro Is
needed Tor the true intent OF the law Why this
very feature Of the law has been one Of the stereo
typed ections to it in the mouth OF Conservative
speakers, and IN the columns of Conservative ps.
pe-s II has ten thousand times been proclaimed as
one Of the fragrant orinoes Of the . Brownlow Gov
ernment that it had, by its franchise law usarpsd
the appointment of the oEcsrs Of slecsion.
There ie not an intelligent man in the State who
does not know this 70 be true TIE Intention Of thA
law being matter Of universal CONSENT r,nrb
60 tbst the Gion aid Dispatch admits that no one
doabts Il for an instant what is the duty Of ths
Governor Is ne under oath to execute the law BY
bubble, or by en- Interpretation which all men
know 70 be false OF is be bound BY his oath Of Of
ice 70 execute the law according 70 is unmisakabs
intent? Beyond all controversy, conscience Gus
tom, duty and oath, command the latter course
The chief executive Of State, who should compel
every officer in the State to execute an important
law, contrary TO its universally understood and ad
mit.ed intent, would cover himself With shame
No respectable attorney, No counHelor who has
studied the horh-book Of common law, and has the
least knowledge Of the raes for the Interpretation
OF statutes will assert the contrary.
We have no knoWledge Of the course which Gov
Brownlow has marked out for himself in this par
tcular case aad no authority 20 speak for him, but
We have no hesitation IN saying what he ought 70
do. BE IS undoubtedly bound 10 recognize no other
elections, except those which are held legally, and
no elections can be held legally except under tho
conduct Of judges, clerks and officers appointed by
the Commissioners OF Registration. II any Of the
County Courts, in violssion Of the law appoint Of
hcers OF election, AID the Conservatives vote at
polls opened BY them their ballots will be s. worth
less a. II they had been stuck into the letter boxes
on the lamp posts. The election viii be held IN
der tie authority Of officers appointed by the Com
missioners Of Registrason and the ballots recsvsd
oy them, only will be counted II the Conserve
tive Central Committee succeed in their seditious
intent Of aring the Southern heart and precipita
ting the people into second revelation under thu
guise OF porr rebellion, It VIII become the dnty Of
the fottieth Congress to determine which the le-
gitimste State Government in Tennessee and tie
ools who plotted sedition viii get their labor ior
their pains