New-York tribune., 1869-06-16
ryE cIYTASS IN TENNESSEK.

THE CANTASS IN TENNESSEE.
We ask those who favOr-On whatever
eround-the continued prescription and dis
lranchscment of those who participated in the
late Southern Rebellion to consider the aspect
now presented by Tennessee. The facts are so
instructive that he must be blind and deaf who
ran mistake their purpOrt.
Tennessee was the last State to plunge into
the Rebellion, and her Eastern division never
lully succumbcd to it. When the State was
finally voted out of the UniOn-June 9Th, 1861
after one attempt had been ANONYMOUSLY de-
leated-though the Middle and West gave SIX
Tor secession to one against it, East Tennessee,
On a full poll gave more than two votes to
one for "No Separation" The Rebellion for
a time overwhelmed her, and treated her
l,nionists cruelty; and that part OF the
state was not recovered till late IN
1863 The strife was here hand to hand
and knife to knife, and almost every survivor
mOurns relatives or near friends who Tin his
view were murdered by the adverse combat
ants. The State reconstructed herself on a
loyal basis while the war was at its hight and
of course disfranchsed all the Rebels and fast
ened them down by a stringent Registry law
Thus they have remained; and no one can
lawfully vote or hold Office who ever favored
The Rebellion. A full third of the Whites, with
all the Blacks are loyal to the core; and these
have the political power completely in their
hands If any State can maintain itself on a
basis of persistent Rebel disfranchscment, that
state is Tennessee.
Hon. ID. w. c. Senter is, by virtue of Gov
Brownlow's resignation, acting Governor of the
state, being President of the Senate. He is an
East Tennessecan, and naturally shares the
feelings of the UnOnsts of his section. He is
a candidate for election as Governor, opposed
only by Col. VIM. b. Stokes, also Unionist
In his address to the people, just issued, Gov
Senter says
'The question which most interests the people OF Ten
at the present time, and which, In Itself Is per
haps pressing and important than any other the
elective franchise on this subject am free 10 say that
ID my Judgment the time has come, and Is now when
the limitations and disabilities which have found their
way into our statutebOORs. the result Of the war;
should be abolished and removed: and the privilege OF
ihe elective franchise restored and extended so as 10 en-
In other words am in favor Of so amending the const
tuition and laws OF the state that the present dsfran
'hsng clauses and provisions shall be made 10 disappear
from the same ana the privilege OF e elective Iranchlse
made to rest upon the facts and conditions OF the present
instead OF the past and upon principles OF impartaliy
equality aud justice For fellow citizens Whatever may
have been the suggestions OF prudence perhaps the die
Of imperative necessity Immediately after the
when the greater portion oi the dsIahchsed people OF
The fresh from the support and service Of the
co9federacy, 10 which they had ackno%edged
and paid willing allegiance, when IN TACT many
= not most OF them were parOed prisoners
u war and when the disposition and pur-
pose of the General Government toward them had not
been made kuOwn-beiOre civil government IN the state
had been fully reOrgnzcd and restored and before the
peaceful disposition oi the majority OF the lato teDeOus
PEOPLE had become apparent-hese reasons amply sur
iCcnt them cannot be urged now, when the civil govern
ment Of the state las been fuly restored ana hrmy
established. when now the General Government has
& Ie agd ana When i6e mass @ M o the dfrn
,iscd people o the state can have no longer hope or
,uits OF life bearing fully, and the most part cheer
July their share OF the burdens Of the Government
with Their enfranchsed neighbors and such as
When now the power Of the General Government has
been placed firmly IN the hands OF It's
that OF enfranchsemen, and not Of Acknowledgement
'DisfrauohtseDent was adopted as only temporary
necessity growing out OF the needs ana situation OF the
tms. and with expectation that would be long con
nued and there can be no reason Tor Us further oontn
uAnce except in selfish partisan ambition 10 gain
office, selfish partisan fear oi losing H. Dlsiranchlse
ment necessarily produces lesessnesS ana di'Gonteh
aud. have all seen engendefs anlnosics dsc0fd
snd strife. -,-.,-. ,..,.,.-,....
lies which have 80 long divided our people and bring
concord, peace aud prosperity 10 the state while AT tho
cipes OF our republican form Of government and with the
declared policy and purpose Of the party In power"
- Gov. Senter further proclaims himself a
hearty supporter of the XVIII Amendment, Of
Common Schools, and of Gen. Grants Ad-
nnstration. He is supported by Gov. Brown
low, NOW l.. S. SenatOr) and 10y the leading
Republican journals, and it is morally certain
that nearly all the Democrats who can vote at
all will vote for him so that he now stands n
fair chance of election, even though Col.
stokes should likewise declare for Impartial
suffrage. SO Disfranchisement in Tennessee
must he near its end.