Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-26
WHO ARE VOTERS
In the PRESIDENTIAL EIeefIOn--The
POweFs Of the Legisiature over the
subIeet-An Important view-Lesser
og Hon. Geo. w Jones.
= n

AeglsldtuCeI venture TO suDlllE lev
thoughts for your consideration In IN
open letter addressed by Hon. II. S. Foot
to Gov. W. G. Brownlow, in courteous,
frank, respectful and earnest terms, the
distracted condition of Tennessee is
wildly portrayed, the remedy suggested
and the Governor appealed to in the
spirit Of patriotism and magnanimity to
come to the rescue. Surely no man ever
had q fairer opportunity TO deserve and
receive the gratitude of his fellow men,
and at the same TING engross his name
upon the never fading roll of fame, than
is now presented to Gov Brownlow by
the performance Of a simple act Of JUS
tiee, by the restoration, to the former
citizens Of Tennessee, their birthright
and inherited franchises. This the Gov
ernor, together with the Legislature, can
accomplish. .a
1t is suggested that the Governor re,
commend to the Legislature an enactment
providing for the calling Of aoconvention
to amend the present Constitution
Of the State SO as to restore the
right of suffrage to the thousands of
Tennesseans now disiranchised, and that
to make it effective and enable these men
to vote at the Presidential election in
November next, the convention should
assemble and the Constitution be amends
ed within the next sixty days. To re-
store these persons to the right of suf-
frage and all the franchises of free born
American citizens, certainly requires an
amendment of the present Constitution
Of Tennessee, as construed and held to
be by the Supreme Court of the State.
But this is not at all requisite or neees-
sary to entitle every free white man, and
as many others as the Legislature may
determine, to vote for Presidential Flee.
tors in November next.
The Constitution Of the United States,
article 2, section paragraph 2 provides
that EACH STATE SHALL APPOINT, IN SUCH
MANNER AS THE LEGISLATURE THEREOF
MAY DIRECT, NUMBER OF ELECTORS EQUAL
TO THE WHOLE NUMBER OF SENATORS AND
REPRESENTATIVE To WHICH THE STATE
MAY BE ENTITLED TO IN CONGRESS" Withs
out doubt or question, this constitutional
provision places the appointment of
Presidential Electors entirely under the
control and direction of the Legislature
They shall be appointed in such manner
as the Legislature Of the State may d.
rect There is no constitutional provi-
sion, Federal or State, to limit or direct
them in the mode they shall adopt for
the appointment of Presidential Elec,
tors, But is entirely subject for the
Judgment and discretion of the Legisla-
ture
Thousands of white men have been
disfrauchised in Tennessee upon the as
sumption that they participated in, SYM
pathised with, or in some way gave aid
and comfort to the Rebel cause in the
late terrible civil war which desolated
the fairest portion of the globe. What
ever of sin, ofense or crime was commits
ted by Tennessee Rebels was merged and
included in the crime of treason against
the United States. Many of these Rebels
were indicted in the Federal Courts, and
tried upon the charge Of treason. OF
several hundreds indicted, not single
one has been convicted, nor has there
even been an effort to convict in single
case. But all who have appeared have
been acquitted, and upon payment of
costs, discharged
The recent proclamation of the Presi'
dent, granting free pardon and uncondi-
tional amnesty to all persons with a few
exceptions) directly or indirectly identi-
fed with the rebellion against the gov
ernment, absolves the subjects and bene>
fciaries of the pardon and amnesty thus
conferred from all liability, responsibility
and disability so far certainly as the
United States is concerned The Presi-
dent is a United States officer, and the
election is, or should be, a national eleca
ton, and participated in by all free
Americans.
The President has, as far as he could,
all or nearly all to their in
herited birthrights The present Radi-
,al Congress has certainly interposed no
obstacles to the full and free exercise of
The elective franchise in Tennessee nor
n any other Rebel State after its recon-
Jtruction and readmission. Under the
laws, many were excluded
rom the ballotbox, in the election of
delegates to their conventions to form
State Constitutions, and also on the rati
icatiOn of such constitutions. BY the
new Constitution of Georgia, and also by
hat of North Carolina, all free men are
one excluded from the ballot
BOX or disfranchised These ConstitR-
ions have been approved by the present
Radical Congress.
by the fourteenth or HowOrd amend
nent to The Constitution Of the United |
states, which has been ratified before |
his time by a sufficient number of States
o make it part Of the Constitution
many Rebels and supposed Rebels are
and excluded from Office, but
lot one Is excluded from the ballot box,
ler denied the right of suffrage, nor is
nv State required by that amendment
o disfranchise a single Rebel or sup
,osed Rebel In all ages and countries,
,ardon and amnesty has relieved from
II liabilities and penalties, and obliter-
tied all crime from the government
nau,,rv Vbiy tho prnsidaut NTH foil