The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1869-12-17

IF 40 Ilnou mar "A n
nand;i.ts so, Goyernnr Gnv Scntcr ana Hon
W n StnL ~ rsr, ,;vsi irants for ,b;s nom;,
,'o,;o,, IL ;s assn,,s1 H. sor Tho Iattor INA
~, ' ~ io,,st1; da,,;od h., +ho fo,mor tbat boI
,ha conyort;on or,, .;ssi and rrotceded 70 nor
Ithc;r cbnice wm,,d have fallep anon Mr. Stotas
] i,.sh,, r;o,a,,s asd mrh,,,sat cirjnct rotect.
! H, tIe b;rbest d;.crrdit mon tbe narties re-
so,,s;IIa fnr al tho Co,vant;H,, tya. brol,n,, nm
a,l, d;,nors al yithou, maxim, d ,tor;pat,bn
| II n mt nro,oscd m fix the fesponsibilitv for
,hss. soonda,ons ,roceed;nos, NOR, tc jec;Ie
which ne ,hn ssn;rants had tbe s,ner;or claims
mon tho sunport Of the Rcnublican noytv.
| pnth had hoer grs.tlv bonored and trusto1 Lv
the;y Marty and hotb self.irpuclIed pnd st;mr-
ntad hy tie;r resnrct;ye adberents. hecnmc.
eapdiaStps vithout N nomination md npuealed
~ The ,,artv for sruport. AT this time their
90. annarcntlv no ;s.ue het ween them exccnt
,o.ro n'rsonaI merit4 ma dsitness to, .le resnol.
ssi,,s aic to \ bii.h NAV aslJircag n = IS ~ X
Es,lv IN the canvass Governor sonter do.
cja,ed for universal suffrage. which meant in
III, case. the admission of the rebel population
| "a the ballot-box. This he hp-l pcrtuct right
to do, and no COMPLAINT Ia made. Upor dis
| ;ssne hc was likely TO receive the entire DEM
ocratic vote of the State and not a few Repub-
licans who thought the time had at length ar
rived when their personal safety 10 longer re-
quirei the restrictions which prudent regard
to it alone had imposed. All this was lcgiti
mate and fair, and could he have been elected
all would have acquiesced in the result, howey-
er unfortunate and much to be regretted they
might have deemed 1t.
But as the canvass proceeded, IT became cVi-
dent thai the popular 'rurciSioh wouiu DC adverse
to Governor Senter, uh,esS some new element
| WAS lntiOuuCch lHiO NilS Nou'tb's hh' H'AO
and now began one .. uIe s'osSes' Nio'"'ions o'
law ,hat ever was Su.e'eu y! a., nvu ptotiSv,
reaching VI o'.1' w. '',,s Wy ''"' WV
Ihl'orous n,o, 1'nus ill.,. VI !"ya' ., ,.tocor
II mas oco sGmn '"'' ~ u %" ''e ~ ro
e'nol mo f1"N' 81 pn,is,.at;o', t,a oH-
'''oNo a', os,;r,;, ~ ttoi.
~, fisat;n%e TH'o.e nd annontoG to bniI elections
H., ,n,,or LoJ hean exorci .cd first md last.
,nnorfs halfa dogen timos and In ench instance
prnn n cose made ont Governor Senior. in
| T.rcgora of ,vhot be wcu know was the true
| / tent of the law. mo ,eeded, Without cause or
nrctcxt. to remove the whole boly of Commits
sioners and TO substitute others in their places.
| Tne oficprs so removed were mostly men
of character aud admitted qualification. II
the object was to supply their places with
Others, who secretly in structed or other.
d wise. would 4 srrCard the law and set all its
provisions at naught, the otjrct was skilful-
ly ACCOMPLISHED in the appointment OF their
successors They issued certificates Of reg
istration to oil who would apply, or on
whose oehalf application was made, with
no regard tv age, residence or o,her qualif-
cation and when no application was made,
certificates were sent by them to persons no
torivusly not entitled under the law TO re-
eeiye Ia, m, Instances are not wanting in
which their lawlsssness was rebuked ty
men of fself.respect and regard for the law,
i returning theig erstuitnus missives and
4 refusing 20 exrfcista privilege to whicn they
knew they were not leg lily entitled. Ger
tfcates, in blank under the name of the
Commissioner, were issued without number
10 be filled M and used by any one into
whose hands they might chance to fall. In
violation of law. they delegated to others tne
functions sppertaining by virtue of office
to themselves alone, and their subordinu,es
were. If possible, mere reckless than the
principals. In nearly every instance the
new appointees were democrats, sometimes
rebel conscript officers and men whose
names npperr in the criminal prnctIce of the
court. Not a few of them wko never assumed
the obligations of the official oath. Ia many
cases no registration was made and no record
pretended to be kept Of the persons to whom
certificates of registration had been granted
In short the registration laws of the State
were openly. universally and ostenta,iously
s.t esiie iv the apnniniees of Governor
Senter. and under circumsmuces winch com
mel the belief that /, was done with his
lnowledge and eonnivance nrobably I'm
obedience TO his express Instrutions, As
these things went ON and the canvass took
shane IL became evident 10 The oeople that
the Governor was in accord with the Democ.
rncv of the Stnte-those who bad in, olyed
II, in the rebellion and. the consequence
was that the democrats rallied 10 man In
bis supno,t having no candidate Of their
lawn. and the Republicans were almost as
lunited in the support of his oppoaent.
Tho Lcrilatiye canvass however took u
different shane. A set of candidates had
taken the field rs "Senter Republicans,
conservative Republicans uSuiTrage Re-
publicAn,.' onnsi' ouahGed gentlemen, who
naturally expected the same support as their
Header. in ecd had promi,e to that effect
But the Democrats. In every in,tance II II
believed. abandoned them for candidates
dtstinctIyely their own. The Sen.er Repub-
licsn candidates disappeared from the
contest carving with them votes enough
some,imrs to def,at the real candidates of
the marty.