Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-04-29

Tillman, be threw out and refused
to count the vote of this county,
which was fee hundred and .Jftig-
tour for Sheafe and fire for Till
man, because, forsooth, the election
in the absence of a Registrar, and
with the positive refusal of the
Radical Sheriff to do his duty, the
Coroner under an order or direc-
tons Of the County Court held the
election, and the return of the re-
suit was made by him. All the
registrations in this county, save
that of John Carey, have been de-
clared null and void, for alleged
Irregularities and fraud. We haz-
ard but little in expressing the be-
lief that there was more irregular
! ty, fraud, disregard and violation
of law in John Carey's official con-
duct as Registrar, than in all the
others combined.
At the election, February %,
1855, for the ratification Of the
Constitutional amendment, there
were polled in this county (l776)
seventeen hundred and seventy
six votes, and it is known that
numbers voted in other counties
i all white men and citizens OF the
United States, and under the fran
chise law legally entitled to regis
tration, and the right of suffrage.
At the election held March 4th,
1865, for Governor and members
of the Legislature, there were
Ipolled in this county (1190) eleven
hundred and ninety votes, every
one of which was cast for w. G.
Brownlow for Governor, and was
a greater number of votes than he
received in any other county in
the State, except the county of
Knox.
The number entitled to registra-
ton and the right of suffrage by
reason of having voted at the cleo
tions in February and March,
1865, with the young men who
have arrived at the age of twenty.
one years since the close of the
war, and who did not participate
in that war, upon O reasonable
estimate, there must be somewhere
between tsceaaty-taeo and tacenty.f flee
hundred oUhite men In this county
qualified voters and legally entitled
to registration under each and eve
ry one of the three franchise laws
passed by the Legislature. And
yet there are only some fire haso-
bred registered white voters in
the county, and they, or the most
Of them, by the special grace and
favor of John Carey.
At the March election for coun-
ty officers held March 4th, 1866,
then were polled in this county,
under the registration by the Clerk
of the County Court, who had the
poll-books of February and March
elections in his office, 1897 votes,
all white men. The negro had
not then been enfranehised. At
that election Neehf, the Radical
candidate for County Trustee, re-
ceived three hundred and thirty
thee (333) votes Steelnan, the
Radical candidate for Sheriff, re-
ceived three hundred and sixty
nine 1861 votes. This was before
the poll-books were stolen, or the
negro efnranchised.
At the State election in August,
1867, after the negro had been
enfranchised and organized into
Loyal Leagues, the poll-books of
the county had been stolen and
John Carey appointed Registrar,
w. G. Brownlow received seven
hundred and eighty (7S0) votes;
EN-. Etheridge received two hun
dred and sixty-seyen (267 votes
for Governor.
1t was the result in this and
other counties, in 1866, that In
duced the stealing of poll-books,
annulling registrations, enfranchis-
ing the negro, and the appoint
ment Of such creatures as John
Carey, Registrars of voters.
BJ The Radical State Conven-
ton, at Nashville, on the goth