Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-12
WHY HAMILTON OPPOSES RE-EN-
FRANCHISEMENT.

FRANCHISEMENT.
One Of the noisiest and most insulting
Of the members Of the Legislature on
the day that the memorial Of the citizens
Of this city and county asking thai steps
be taken to re~eniranchise the white men
Of the State was presented, was Mr.
Thomas A. Hamilton, one of the Repre-
sentatives Of the county of Shelby. 1t
was supposed from his extreme and over
bearing demeanor that he had always
been a "loyal man, and that he was
prompted to the course hs pursued that
day as much by his devotion to "the best
government the world ever saw" as to a
want Of courtesy to those with whom he
may differ What must be the surprise
Of the men who witnessed the dis
play Mr. Hamilton made Of himself that
day, when they learn that he was not
only not "loyal, but that he was an ac-
tive participant on the Rebel side in
the earlier days of the late rebellion
The Memphis ApaldncAe charges that be
was a Confederate officer; that he seized
sugar and cotton as an officer Of the
Confederate government, and for which
many Of the citizens Of Memphis now
hold his receipt as such Confederate offs
cor; and that he did various other acts
in Memphis and on the Mississippi river
in the name Of the Confederate States
government This man Hamilton fol-
lowed the Confederates in Jane, 1862,
upon the occupation of Memphis by the
United States troops, and afterwards de-
serted and went to Memphis. Hamilton
is now candidate for Congress from the
State at large, and on the 18th of April,
1865, took what is known as the candi-
date : oath, as laid down in the franchise
law, in which he swears that he "neycr
sought or accepted any Office, civil or
military, or attempted to exercise the
functions Of any Office, either civil OF
military, under the authority or pre- tend
ed authority of the so~callcd Confederate
States Of America" and that he has
never given voluntary support to any
such government or authority In this
connection, the AoaldRche makes this
grave charge against this Rebel Radical:
GLOW will he reconcile this oath with his
acts when, az an officer Of the Confederate
government, he commanded the steamboat
Parallel No , and when, az a Confederate
officer, he seized sugar for the Confeder-
ate States, gave his receipt "A an officer Of
the Confederate government, hid it in Mem
phis, then, after going within the Confeder-
ate lines, returned a dcscrtej,, and sold the
sugar "A his own. Now, under section fifth
of the franchise law, we call upon Judge
Hunter If he has not already given il in
charge of the grand jury of the Criminal
Court of Memphis, to obey this fifth section
of the franchise law, and give the violation
of the above oath by Hamilton or any other
deseter, specially in charge 10 the grand
jury in the words Of the act. And we call
upon the Prosecuting Attorney of the
Criminal Court to file his indictment for
perjury against this Hamilton, or any other
man who violates the oath prescribed TO
embraced in section three Of the
franchise law. And respectfully request in
behalf of the people Of Shelby county, that
if the Prosecuting Attorney fails to dis.
charge his duty in this behalf, the Judge Of
the Criminal Court, for the honor of the
people, will instruct him to file the indict- |
ment. And we pledge ourselves TO make |
good the proof Of perjury against him. |
Men who lived in Memphis five years ago |
are not all dead. And five years has not |
20 bloLed and blurred the signature Of |
Thomas A. Hamilton, Confederate officer" /
hat Jury Of honest men will not now re-
When large number Of our old and
most respected citizens men whom Tens
lesscans had delighted to honor when
We had q republican government in this
STATE, and some Of whom had been Union
men all through the war, appeared at the
ar Of the House Of Representatives to
ly before that body a respectful petition
skiing that steps be taken looking to the
omoval of the disfranchisement and
disabilities imposed upon hundred
white men in Tennessee, this
IAN, with such record as is here
lown, treated these venerable and hon.
red citizens with the most supercilious
rrogancc, and opposes the re-enfran-
lisoment of the best citizens of the
tate the taxpayers who furnish the
eans which sustains the very govern
cnt that gives him the place he occrs~
cs, for it is only through the proscrip-
IN of white men that such creature as
amilton could get place.