Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-25
Confessions OF THE cOVERxOn.s

CONTENTIOUS OF THE GOVERNORS
PAPER.
The Knoxville WAig, Of which Gov.
Brownlow is the ESenior Editor" makes
a notable confession. In notice of a
Fourth Of July speech at McMinnville by
Gen. B J. Hill, that paper says
"Had majority of those holding promi-
nent positions in the rebellion in Iennes-
see manifested the spirit of Gen. Hill, there
would never have been enacted any law OF
Acknowledgement. Toward such men, Rebels
who IN good faith surrendered, Union men
have never had any hostile feelings, 1t is
a pity there are not more Rebels ike Gen.
Hill. There are some in every community.
There are in Knoxville some men of this
class whom il would be safe TO trust with
the elective franchise, and who are not
parties TO or indorsers Of the plot TO assas.
sinate Union men. Such men are known
to all Radicals. And when the bloodshed
in this community is inaugurated, which
some Rebels and so-called Conservatives
have endeavored 10 bring on, they will be
separated from the would-be assassins re-
ferred TO- -'
Here is a confession by the Governors
paper that the franchise law was not ems
acted because it was right that Rebels
should be dislranchised bat as a punish
ment Of certain portion Of that class.
Ii has been demonstrated by the action
Of almost every Commissioner of Regis
tFatiOn in the State that "Rebels" were,
not disfranehised because they were
Rebels for not one Of them who satis-
fed the Radical leaders that he would
vote the Radical ticket, found any diff.
Guilty IN procuring a certificate of regis
tration. The law was passed because the
men in power were afraid to trust the
"Rebels' with the elective franchise.
knowing as they did that these "Rebels"
would not vote for them OF their party,
and the confession Of the Governors
paper fully confirms this position There
are thousands upon thousands of "Rebels"
in this State "who in good faith surren.
dered, and have kept that faith, but they
are under the ban of the Governor and
bis cohorts simply because they are DemN
Ocrats and would under no circumstances
vote the Radical ticket The Cove
ernOr paper says some of these Rebels
could be safely entrusted with the
elective franchise Radical members Of
the Legislature and Radical leaders say
the same thing. Why then should these
men be punished when it is confessed
that they are good and reliable citizens ?
Shall their disabilities be continued
simply because their votes would endan-
ger the success of the Radical party ? If
the Governor and Legislature persist in
their refusal, the ono to recommend and
the other to call a convention to remove
these disabilities, it must be accepted for
confessed that they are willing to per.
petuate wrong simply to gain party
triumph. They should be satisfied with
their experiment in governing the State
with the great body Of the men disfranS
chised. The condition of affairs under
their prOscriptive policy, has grown
worse every year, until the mutterings of
the discontinued are now heard coming
up from every portion Of the State as a
warning that this anomalous condition
cannot much longer continue without pro
ducing its legitimate results. lifetime has
como when the Governor and Legislature
must cOncede something to the demands
Of the men who pay into the treasury of
the State three fourths or more Of its
revenue; when they must concede some,
thing to preserve the peace and quite Of
the State. These sixty thousand men
who demand that the odious and unjust
disqnalifcations imposed upon them shall |
be removed are not scrfs or poems Just !
liberated from bondage, without property |
and without intelligence, but they are the |
men upon whom the State government |
has to rely for the very means Of its exa
istence. They are the men who fill the |
Golfers at the public treasury, who work |
the public roads, and who serve upon
juries when justice is to be administered |
and the majesty Of the law indicated.
Can the State afford longer to continue
these philosophical citizens in the con
dition of political serls This grave and |
important question is now submitted to
the Governor and the Legislature, and
they cannot stink the responsibility it inn
poses 1t is for them to decide whether
MA 81 al bova mana