Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-10
RAnICAL RAsCALITY.


1t is generally known that the contest
for Congress in the fourth district
resulted in the election Of Captain c. A.
Sheafe over Lewis Tillman by a very |
handsome majority. The returns made |
to the proper officers show the fact to be
that way, but the Radical doctors have
set to work to defeat the will of the peo-
pie in that district who were not pre-
viously defrauded by the action Of the
Governor in annulling a portion Of the
Lincoln county registration. In order to
do this. and cheat man who was a gall
liant soldier in the Union army, out of
his election to Congress, these convenient
manipulators have only to throw out"
a few hundred votes fairly and legiti-
mately given to the gallant and patriotic
Sheafe. By SO doing, they give his COM
petitora majority Of the remaining votes
and have the unblushing effrontery to
call that the election Of Tillman. The
thing is an easy going one. 1t has been
done before under Radical rule, and,
: under the same reckless and dishonest
ministrations, will be as frequently done
in the future as circumstances may seem
to require or the wounded ambition Of de-
feated Radicals may demand. The votes
thrown OUT embrace those at Winches-
ter 29G Of which were for Sheafe and
, for Tillman, and in one or two dis
tricts in Coffee county. Enough votes have
thus been thrown out'' to give Col. Till
man a majority of two hundred over
Capt. Shcafe. We are not advised by
whom this rascality was perpetrated, but
it forcibly illustrates the utter disregard
Of law which characterizcs the Radical
officials in this State. Judges and other
officers were appointed by the Commits
Sioners Of Registration in all the counties,
and these officers held the election under
the franchise law and permitted no man
10 vote who had not a certificate Of regis
tration. When they made a return Of
the election held by them TO the Regis
trar, the law was complied with, and no
officer in the State is authorized to throw
OUT or 60 behind these returns. IL the
election was not legally held, or parties
were allowed TO vote who were not en-
titled to exercise that right, that would
have formed proper ground for Col. Till
man to contest the right Of Capt. Sheaie
to the seat, and Congress would then de-
eide the matter. But no officer in this
State is clothed with power to tamper
with the returns Of an election, and it is
q monstrous usurpation for any one to do
so. It was predicted before the election
that if Capt. Sheafe should defeat
Tillman, he would be cheated out Of
his certificate by an act of ras-
cality such as has been pcTpetrated,
and we have heard it stated that Colonel
TilIman pledged himself to Capt. Sheafe
not to accept the position unless he was
fairly elected 1t has come to this, so
corrupt have our Radical officials shown
themselves to be, that the people do not
expect justice where political influence
can be brought to bear, and that the sa-
cred character Of the ballot-box has be-
come a cruel mockery. From what we
had heard Of Col. TIlman, we supposed
he would scorn the tender Of 4 ccrtifi-
cate Of election procured under such dis
honest circumstances. Nor are we ad-
vIsod that he is prepared to sacrifice the
good opinion OF the honest men before
whom he appeared as candidate for
their votes. If he makes himsclfa party
to this fraud upon the district he sought
to represent, by a fair election, he Will
have to lose his sclErespcct, as well as
that of every man in the district whose
good opinion IS worth having. Can he
afford to thus link his name with an in
famous transaction? We understand
that in the event Tillman accepts this
election" Capt. Sheafe will lay this
fraud before Congress in all its hideous
dstormity and claim his right to the seat.