Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-30

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under the recent Brownsville decision Of
the Supreme Court. His majority over
Stokes would have been somewhere be-
tween thirty and forty thousand. Now,
had Gov. -Senter been strong in intellect,
as he was originally good in intention,
he would have continued to the end to
spurn any improper alliances with the
enemies of Republicanism, or to resort
to any foul or unlawful means to secure
his election. The prestige Of the Re-
publican organization was with him. Eve
ry member of the Grant Tennessee cleo
toral ticket, with :one exception, was
with him. Of the eight Republican
members of Congress, only three were
positively against him. OF The four
daily Republican journals in the State, |
three were warmly for him. The very
necessities Of the situation would have
compelled the whole body of the Demo-
Gratis to vote for him, without his making
single overture to them. In short,
had Gov. Senter been a strong man, he
had it in his power not only to secure his
own election upon strictly Republican
basis, but to eliminate the Democratic
party from the politics of Tennessee
secure the ratification of the fifteenth
amendment, and make himself a reputaS
ton as widespread as the good results
Of his action would have been manifest
and great. But he was weak and he
fell. And this was the occasion of his
fall:
at will be remembered that, in 1868
and 1866, the Union men of Tennessee,
under the leadership of that wisest and
best Of Tennessee Republicans, Samuel
NJ. Arnell, SO changed the organic laws
Of the State that the more malignant
enemies of the national government as
we'll as of the new State government,
amounting altogether to about 300
were excluded from the ballot-b box
Under the operation Of the law Tennes
see has remained Republican; has cheers
fully acquiesced in all the requirements
| Of the general government, and (spite of
what Democrats may say) has, in all
material respects, fourished remarkably
well. By the terms Of this franchise law,
| no one can vote unless he proves, to the
satisfaction of the registrar of his
county, by the testimony of at least
two known and unconditional Union men,
that he had nothing to do with the rebel
lion, nor aided or abetted it in any way,
and he must also make oath to the same
effect. To any such, and to no others, tine
registrar Issues certificates. At first this
law was 30 administered that about Is, 900
men obtained certificates that were not
entitled TO them, and the Legislature
authorized the Governor to set these
fraudulet registrations aside, and annul the
certificates. This was accordingly donr.
1t is believed, however, although on ex-
ceedingly insufficient grounds, that the
recent decision of the Supreme Court at
Brownsville entities these $1,000 persons
to q registration and vote.
"There are 81 counties in Tennessee,
and when the present political campaign
commenced, there was in each a Republi.
can registrar, an appointee of Gov. Brown
low. There was no possible reason why
one of these should be removed, except he
should refuse to register young men ar.
rived at age the present year, or such o.
I the above $4,000 persons as might be in
his county. There was little danger that
any of the registrars would refuse this, al
many of them we're favorable to Gov
Senter, and anxious that he should get al
the legal votes possible; and all of then
with three or four exceptions) were hon
| est and conscientious gentlemen, willing
and anxious to do their whole duty. Re,
collect now, that of the 50 900 ex-rebels
. | originally excluded by the franchise laW
from the ballot box, only 5000 were per
+ haps admitted by the decision of the Su,
| preme Court, while the remaining so ,0OI
we're still excluded.
b Scarcely had Gov. Senter commenced
2 the fight with Stokes, when he commenced
the work of removing registrars and ap
pointing others in their places. This a
first excited little or no alarm. 1t wa
;, supposed that the persons removed wer
| heated partisans Of Gen. Stokes, who woul
a not register all that were legally entitle
I to certificates. 1t was soon regarded a
ominous of evil, however, that IN maxim
2 these removals Gov. Senter did not consul
p with his Republican friends, but with eS
Rebel citizens, who We're themselves non
T voters under the organic law OF the Stat'
q | If there were any Republicans who secure
his ear, they were a few reckless an
: INSCRIPTIONS young man, as devoid
: Judgment az of principle. Men wei
, removed in several cases from tn
i reeistrarships who were firm frienC
of Gov. Senter. Their places wer
not tunfrequently filled with ez
L rebels and Democrats. Remonstranc'
j from Republicans did no good. Aud at La
it became evident even TO those still di
u posed to hope, that Gov. Senter had weak
q and utterly succumbed to Democratic il
huence and advice, and that Gov Brown
lows Republican registrars were beln
q removed, not because they would NJ
r. gis,er those legally entitled 10 vote, bl
Z because they would not tramPle under foo
s the constitution and laws of the State, an
violate their own osths by giving certif
= Gates to the fifty thousand ex rebels, who
: until the organic law was changed, had n
more right to the ballot than the dwell l
beyond the sea-"
u 1t should be borne in mind tina
e up to the time this fellow left her
only about two weeks ago, he dc
Tended in Gov. Senter through tn
columns Of tho Press and Times
what he now denounces not alOn
i as wanton outrage, but violatio
of the law he had sworn TO supper
. He defended Gov. Senter as long a
he was paid to do so, and as soon a
he lost his situation on the Pres
and Times, he turned upon him an
!, seeks to infict injury upon him By
= that species of malignant misrep
u resentation with which he ha
i pursued what he is pleased to tern
the 'sRebel element" in Tennessee
for years.
D NEW NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.