Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-07-03

ended the last attempt mace by the
patriotic men of Tennessee to hold
any election under their old Constitu-
ton. Men who had the power which
military success always confers, trent
cd this Constitution, under which The
people had lived and prospered for so
many years, with contempt, regard
ing 1t as practically abolished by the
results and consequences of the war
and soon after steps were taken 10
establish what was called new Con-
stitution in its stead. A convention
IF Unionists met in Nashville, Janu-
ary 10, 1865, and adopted a series Of
resolutions, upon which Governor
Brownlow was nominated, and on
March 4th, the form of choosing a
Governor, Legislature, &c.j was gone
through with, soldiers voting there
for in hospitals and camps. But a
small portion of the population took
part, or were allowed to take part, In
this election; and the form of inaug-
urating q State Government having
been gone through with, II was soon
recognized as legal by President
johnson, and some time after by
Congress-. ,e.|
President johnson, in his procla-
nation Of June l3, 1866, said:
And whereas, 1 am satisfactorily inform
ed ttHt dangerous combinations against
| the laws of the United States no longer ex-
ist within the state of Tennessee; that the
insurrection heretofore existing within
the boundaries thereof the authority Of the
| United States Is undisputed; that snoh
officers of the United States rs have been
exercise of their official functions also; and
l hereby proclaim and declare that the in
surrection, that so far as IL relates to and
habitants of the said state of Tennessee, as
reorganized and constituted under their
recently adopted Constitution and reorgan- :
ization, and accepted by them, is sup
pressed.
On March 4th, 1855. under the or
ganization effected by Andrew John
son, William G. BrownlOw was
elected GOvergor by vote of %, ,3S8.
AT the same time q sO-called Legis-
lature was chosen by about the same
vote. An examination of this vote
will show how small a portion of the
people of Tennessee were permitted
to take part in forming the so-called
State Government, or admitted the
right of others to do so, upon the ru-
ins of their old Constitution.
La the Presidential election of 1850
Mr.. Bell received 90, ,274 votes against
81, 700 cast for Mr.. Breckenridge and
ii $50 for Mr.. Douglas, making q to-
tai State vote of 145,833,
Not five years after Mr.. Browhlow
is made Governor by less than one
sixth Of this vote, and the fact that
he had no regular opposition, and that
only thirty-seven scattering votes
were cast against him, show how well
and thoroughly the work Of the bay
Onet was performed.
This was the verlest farce of ali eX
preston of the popular will of the
people of q great State which up t.
that time had disgraced our country
The frhil structure thus propped VI
by the bayonet and erected on tht
the power and Legislation of the
State. fl
On June 5th, 1855, the so-callet
Legislature passed what Is knowfi o.
their franchise act. A more outrage
Gus, vindictive, anti-republican mea
sure was never attempted before un
der the Constitution of the United
States, and l might say in no demo
cratic government under the sum-
BY this atrociOtis measure more thar
half of the white men of the State
We're deprived Of the right Of suf
frage, among whom were n greater
part of those who were most interest.
ed in the State by reason of theil
ownership in the real and personal
property thereof and most of those
who by their talents and accomplish
meDts in the walks of science anG
literature had done honor to theil
State in the pulpit, the rOstfum, and
the forum. AT one fell swoOp the
highest privilege Of political man
hood Were swept away, and the State
deprived of the services of thousands
of brave, Intelligent and patriotic
men, who would die to-day that glo-
rious old Tennessee might again live
an honored equal among the sister.
hood of States.
To say nothing of It's illegality and
injustice, one sad effect produced by
this measure upon the prosperity OF
the State, was that it prevented men
learned I'm the art of legislation from
taking part in the action Of any
Legislature. 1t prevents able jurists
skilled i'm the laws from serving on
the bench and giving that interpre-
tation TO law which is sanctioned by
illistrious precedent, the progress OF
time, and the progress of our country,
One may say these men were rebels
Rebels to what? To the United
States, perhaps, which rebellion had
already been suppressed by the force
of arms but not to the State of Ten.
nessee or to her Constitution. Again,
the fact was Illegally assumed that
23,352 men chose certain Cf. Their
number to meet together and declare
four TIMES their number to be rebels
and not fit to vote, and they provide
the machinery for prying into tho
conscience of men and getting at this
fact by u system of checks and Oaths
which would have done honor to tho
inventive geriitis of q Spanish inqui.
sition! This act violated the grea,
fundamental principle Of mo taxa
ton without representation" ant
exposed the property owners Of the
state To d system OF taxation riOst
onerous and oppressive. Since thi'
pretended government was establish'
ed In 1865, the taxation has heen reg.
ulated In the main by men who own
ed no great interest I'm the property
of the State, and the taxes are col
lected Of those who have no voice ii
In their assessment, but Ii Is alleged
without contradiction within my
knowledge that the Legislators thur
assessihg pretend to represent coun
ties i'm some instances where they die
not live, and with less than one hun
drtd votes in some cases.
Such a systeni is perfectly appalling
In the disastrous consequences il has
entailed upon the prosperity, the re-
sources aiid the business of Tennes
see. Such legislators chosen undel