Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-06-26

we quote again from the opinion of
the Court ;fIo The same erteat that
persons can not be deprived of their
lands and chattcls or rights and fran
chises of any Kind, otherwise than by
due process of law is it true that
without due process of law they can
not be deprived or Invested Of the mu-
niments which evidence and estab-
fish their titles and rights, such as
deeds, bills Of sale, bonds, promissory
notes and the like, and the certificate
Of registration and right to cote ady
be1yoperly included in Tie category.
Here the question is placed beyond
the shadow of doubt, and the broad
doctrine laid down that The certificate
of registration and the right to vote
are as much proteo cd by the law as a
deed TO tract Of land and the owners
right thereto, and a man can no more
be deprived Of one than of the other
except by due process of law.
But what is meant by "due process
Of law?p Does it mean an act of the
Legislature, which declares mans
right TO be forfeited ? BY no means.
We quote from Judge Smiths opinion
again. "Due process of law undoubt-
edly means. in the due course of legal
proceedings, according TO those rules
and forms which have been estab-
lished tor the protection of private
rights" No man, then, who holds q
certificate issued by the Clerk of the
County Court can be deprived of his
right to vote except by due process of
law-d suit IN Court--than he can be
deprived of his horse or tract of land
except by due process of law. ud
Such are the principles determined
by our Supreme Court, and we again
say, get up your old certificates issued
by Maj. Newell If you have lost
them, go to Mr.. Oneal, the present
Clerk of your County Court, and get
his certificate that you are one of
those to whom Maj. Newell issued u
certificate. You have a clear right to
vote under the law, and we call upon
every citizen who holds such certifi-
cate to maintain his right, which has
been clearly defined and declared by
the highest judicial tribunal in the
State. Even Brownlow had not the
cheek to take theposition assumed by
the Patriot, for in his recent letter to
the public he says: "Thc Supreme
Court of Tennessee, court of our
own choosing, has recently restored
to the ballot, by its tate decision, about
tcenty thousand rebels, among whom
were some of the active leaders of the
rebellion, who had been excluded
thercfrom by the Franchise Law"
Judge. McLain, one of the newly
elected Judges of the Supreme Court,
as we understand, recently decided
that the holder of County Court
Clerks certificate is q legal voter
Hon. John Hugh Smith, the Judge
of the Criminal Court of Davidson
county, has made like decision. In
fact, we think no candid man of suf-
iicient intelligence to comprehend the
question, can have any doubt of it.
The Patriot seems to labor under the
strange mistake that the Supreme
Court in the Ridley-Sherbrook case
held that certificates issued by Clerks
Of the County Court were void. That
case decided no such thing. The ques-
ton recently decided at Brownsville
was not before the Court in the Rid
ley-Sherbrook case, Judge Ridley,
who was one of the parties to that
case, had never been registered, either
by the Clerk of n County Court or
any other Commissioners of Registra-
tion--hcnce no such question arose or
could arise in the case.
The Patriot seems extremely anx-
ious that everybody should yote--is
much distressed that every one can
not; but thinks that it would be a
bartesQue on the Franchise Law to
permit party who holds a certificate
equal in law to a deed to land to eXer-
else the elective franchise. That jour
nal can witness the administration of
the Franchise Law by Bunker, who
opens his office but three hours in six
months-who refuses certificates to
men clearly entitled TO them, on the
ground that he Is out of blanks, and
yet be SO prolific in blanks that on
election day his colored friends can
hand them out by the armful with the
delectable Bunker's name signed to
them. The Patriot sees no burlesque
in such an administration of the law
as that, but thinks it would be mon
strous burlesque on the law if a man
should be allowed to vote who holds
the certificate Of recognized officer
of thelaw. Womust confess that we
are unable TO feel any respect for any
such position.
sH-ar--H----=-
HENRY j. RAYMOND, cditor-in-chief
of the New YorllTimes, died suddenly
on the 18th inst, He was u promI-
nent Republican, and a man of talent
and fine social qualities.
The Chicago Times, in n sketch of
Mr.. RAYMOND, saws; ellis journal