Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-12

any conviction that universal suffrage, re-
gardless Of race a. a principle, should be
introduced into the American system, how
ever foolish and dangerous we might es-
TEEN the measures, IFS projectors would st
least be entitled to that respect which ever
attaches 20 sincerity. But we are not per-
mitied by the facts TO accord TO them this
consideration. fit was on principle, and
from an honest con viction Of duty, that the
ballot granted the rude, illiterate and still
same barbaroUs negro il would have been
done at once, and not postponed until
every expedient had been tried by the
present official ineumbents to get along
without biz vote; nor would an honest ad-
vocale of negro Suffrage deem it consistent
with his theory to exclude the great body
of white people from the elective franchise
while bestowing it on the African race. We
are therefore compelled in Justice 10 the
truth of history TO represent all these out
RACES on the ancient rights, liberties and
privileges of American citizens as perpe-
traied solely in the interest Of party, and
to maintain in official position particular
class. Because the whites would not sus-
tain this class, and their politics, they are
stripped of the franchise Of American free
dom, and the African is aTrayed against
them, for the present dominating over
them-an elevation Of an inferior race,
however announcement and insulting, for
the present, to the superior-to ultimately
result, as all intelligent men must know,
in the utmost future calamity to the negro.
In the past career of the Republican party
antagonisms have been productive of many
evils, and great wrongs have often been
marked by public indecorum and indi-
vidual depravily; but never before the
present and now passing period 10 our his
tory has any political organization dared
to trample on the substantial liberties of
the American citizen, or sought to Wress
the elective franchise from those entitled
to it by the ancient usage and lava of the
republic. No faction ever before proposed
to secure its success by such crime.
This offense ia the more rank because
the act does not stop with striking down
| the liberties and franchises of the citizen,
| but heaps upon victims Of this lawlessness
he ignOminy of political subordination to
an inferior race.
| SOUTHERN WRONGS A NATIONAL DANGER.
Did the founders of the republic ever
intend that any part Of the white should
be subjected to the black race? 1t con-
cesns the people of the Northern States
who thank God are yet free, scarcely less
than those represented by your memorial
ists-to overthrow the infamous policies Of
which We complain. Ii our people within
the several Southern States are to be taxed
and our domestic policy shaped by the
lately emaneipaied slave, and the ire
sPonsible adyenturer, who uses him as an
unreasoning instrument Of his purpose, so
will the Northern citizen be taxed in the
national assessment by the same constitu-
| ency, and through the National Legisla-
tuFe his political and material interests will
be affected by the same unintelligent and
irresponsible vote. TO substitute for the
intelligent white voter of the South the
negro eleclor is to expose the interests Of
the North 10 almost the same hazard that
| threatens those of the South. In this matter
the agelfare of the lnhife man IN he South can
not Be separated from that Of The '0hite man in
| the North, a8g g.H.H ela.ss.a .s- rf5a-
ACTS OF LEGISLATIVE TYRANNY.
0dious and oppressive as are ahe fran
chise laws of Tennessee, they have been
greatly aggravated in all their evils by the
registration acts aud their administration.
| Tie first statute committed the work of
registration to the Clerks Of the County
Courts, who are officers elected BY the peo-
pie, aud therefore so situated as to under
stand that it was not prudent for them to
play the role of petty tyrants, or trifie with
the rights and liberties Of the citizens. But
by subsequent act these delicate and re-
sponsible duties have been assigned 20
Commissioners appointed by the Governor,
to whom alone they are substantially re-
sponsible for their conduct II is true that
there ia provision subjecting the Com
-missioners to punishment, as for a INSIDE
meanor for tgillfHl and Intentional violation
Of the law. Bnt, when il is considered
that by the terms of the law the burden of
proof as TO Eiilfulness and intention ofthe
corrupt Register is thrown on the accusing
party, and that il is so easy for the offend
ing officer to have his deFeiiction construed
into mere mistake, it will be seen that
the people are without protection, in this
regard, against the corrupt practices or
arbitrary action of the Registers To rem
der this very slight aud eyasive restraint
on the conduct Of this official utterly in
efficient for the security of the people, the
Legislature has ordered that the counsel
fees and costs Of suit incurred BY him in
defending any prosecution, penal or civil,
instituted against him fora violation of the
rights Of the citizen in The performance Of
his official duty, to be paid out Of the pub
lie treasury, thus taxing the people to pay
the expenses of their Oppressors incurred
in the preparation of the wrong. When
it is remembered that the taxpayers of the
State are those opposed to the faction in
power, and consequently those against
whom the Commissioners Of Registration
would be most likely to perpetrate add do
10 fact work injustice, the vice and tyranny
of this legislation must at once become APP
parent. la effect it cOmpel5 ffeemen TO pay
for The chains with which they are to be
bound .... $40 .sz.
Additional IMMUNITY is secured to these
servants Of the Executive by statute which
enables them 10 exclude from the iary-box,
by challenge for cause, any one who ia not
a voter. Thus is rendered certain in every
trial an available partisan influence on the
panel in behalf of the transgressing Re
gister. I s-i $50 a2laa e--ll {
A TYRAENICAL EXECUTIVE. l-H
% the other hand the authorities con-
trolling the State have not left their inter
ests to the hazard of even the accidental or
occasional honesty of these officers. The
power has been reserved to the Executive
to declare by simple proclamation the
registration Of any county void, and to re-
move, at his sovereign viii, any Register
that may excite his suspicion or iucnr his
displeasHre. Thus has been reposed in the
Executive Department Of the government
the entire control of the ballot-box, and 70
that eud he exercises Judicial and eKecu-
tive functions: judicial TO divesi, and that
too without trial, freemen of privileges /
duly acquired executive 20 inhict his own
sentence Of divesture, in violation Of all
principles of free government; against ali
precedents known TO American law, and 10
utter disregard Of the provisions Of the
Constitution. This arbitrary power has
been exercised by the present Executive
often, and always reaoundiug TO the advaL-
Iages of the faction supporting him and his
policy. In this state of the case where Is /
there foolhold for those who would lih |
from earth the PROSTATE form Of liberty