Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-03
THE REGIsTRATION-GOV. sExrE X

those who set the laws at defiance.
THE REGIsTRATION-GO SENTER
Gov. Senter has pledged himself.
that there shall be fair and full
registration of all in the State en-
titled to vote. When called to ac-
count by Stokes in his speech at
Athens on the 18th of June, for re-
moving registrars, he said he had
removed registrars because they
refused to administer the law
in q fair and impartial manner,
and that he would remove every
registrar who refused to register
citizens entitled to vote The peo-
pie Of the State applauded Gov.
Senter for this bold and manly de-
claration, but it did not please Mr..
Stokes, who has gone so far in his
speeches in East Tennessee as to
advise registrars who should be re-
moved to appeal to the courts for
injunctions to prohibit the appoin-
tees of the Governor from assum-
ing the duties of the Office. Of the
manner in which Gov. Senter
treated this advice, the Greeneville
Union of the 1st inst. says:
When speaking here, Gov Senter, in a
manner not TO be mistaken, told Stokes
and the obstructionists, that he wished
them to understand that he was Cover
nor, and, as such, he intended to exc
cute the laws of this STATE and if Stokes
and his friends did not cease counselling
resistance to the franchise law, and the
action of the Governor Hereunder, he
would have the Attorney General prose-
cute them lie knew, be said, that in
many of the counties of the State, the
provisions of the law were not enforced
and that the commissioners would regis
ter only those who would vote for their
candidate. Whenever a case of this
klUu Cdulc W Ills huO"lCNEC1 pACbEIll
registrar would only be permitted to re-
main in Office while he could select an
honest and faithful officer to fill the
place. By the recent Brownsville deciss
ion of the Supreme Court, he said, all
were permitted to register and vote, who
would make oath that they would have
voted in the election for President and
Vice-President, in November, 1864, or
the February and March elections, 1868,
if the polls had been opened in their
district This was his view of the law,
and the registrars must act in accord
ance with it, or give place to some one
who would. There are, said he, four
companies Of militia in the field, and if
they are not enough TO enforce the law,
he would call out as many more as would
be necessary, if it took every able bodied
man in the State"
In his speech at Clinton on the
3Oth ult., Gov. Senter said in reply
to Stokes, that he should remove no
registrars except for failure to dis
charge their duties. This is all that
has been asked of Gov. Senter by
the people. We have been cursed
with set of registrars throughout
the State, with here and there an
exception, who would register only
such men as suited their whim, I'M
less it was sure they would vote the
Radical ticket. There are thousands
of citizens in the State this day
who are clearly entitled to registraN
ton under the franchise law, but !
have been unable TO secure a certi- |
ficate solely because they are not |
Radicals. 1t is commendable in |
Gov. Senter that he can rise above |
the instincts which controlled his |
in regard to this matter. |
He has clearly enunciated his views
of the franchise law, and his oath |
of office makes it his dnty to see
that this as all other laws shall be |
faithfully executed. lie has right
to require this of registrars, and
where they show an unwilliugness
10 execute the law impartially, the
should promptly remove
them.