Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-05
GOV sENrER AND THE REGIsTRA-

GOV. sENTER AND THE REGIsTRA-
TION.
The Knoxville Wing Of the Sd
inst. contains the following state
ment, which bears the impress OF
having been made by authority:
"Seven-tenths of the newly appointed
registrars are regularly discharged Fed
eral soldiers. OF the other three-tenths;
the majority of them have always been
Union men. We are aware that heavy
complaints have been made ss to the re-
moyal of registrars in such numbers; but
we are informed that the executive de-
partment Of the State has ample vindica~
ton Of the rightfulness Of its course IN
these removals, snd't that in due time it
will traRspire. In the meantime, It
is proper to say, that while
there may have been instances IN
which persons not properly entitled to
certificates have received them; there are
very MANY men who were clearly ensi-
tied to certificates who have been unable
to get them. The latter is just as really
a violation of the law as the former.
These violations, however, in favor of the
Stokesites, have never been bruited by
them nor much by others. Our informa>
ton is that the archives at Nashville
contain the proofs of these violations,
and that in due time they will be pub
lished. Thus, it appears, that there are
two sides to this question, as there are
to most. And when both sides are seen,
it viii probably place those who have
made the most outcry about registration
frauds in Senter's interests in q light not
the most envisble." -a
Gov. Senter passed through
Knoxville q day or two before this
statement was made, and there is
reason to believe that he inspired
it. We are glad to learn that he
has SO strongly fortified himself in
regard to the removal of the ole
registrars. 1t is a notorious fac
that the franchise law was violated
constantly by almost every regis
trar appointed by Gov. Brownlow
and there was no redress for these
violations, by an appeal to either
the Governor or the courts. w
trust the vindication which tn,
Wing intimates will be forthcoming
will be made. We have ever,
reason to believe that Gov. Sente
has acted in this matter from sin
cere desire to have the law faith
fully executed, and that he woul
have removed one of his own ap
pointees for malfeasance in ofic
Just as soon as he would an az
2 pointee of Gov. Brownlow. Unde
7 the old regime the law was SO ez
: ecuted as to keep only Radicals i
office. The law was passe
: for this purpose, and when
r was feared it would not NEE
2 the case, it was repassed in a sti
r more stringent form, so as
= continue the Radical party
? power. And when an honest regis
= trar was appointed, and he went
0 work to execute the law in the spir
: of fairness, he was removed an
his work declared null and vol,
= and the new registrar would refu'
/ certificates to hundreds who ha
e been adjudged as coming within IL
provisions of the law by his pred'
r cessor. When Gov. Senter can
# into power, he promised that all tt
; laws should be faithfully executed
s and he exacted but one promi'
1t from the registrars he appointe
and that was, that they would r
4 gister every man who was clear
&c entitled to vote. Tho Radica
IF made an infamous law, and
N faithful execution has been to the
al the terror of this campaign. The
! invention has returned to plag
n them, and they have felt it all t
a more keenly because it was a pie
Is of their own handiwork. In t
" hands of a corrupt man and /
Ie henchmen, it was lever with viii
in he could hoist all opposition.
as Gov. Senter's sterling honesty a
Sc regard for law, we are indebted
al the fairest registration we nave ev
no had.