Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-19

our friends are going TOO fastin THIS mat
ter. II seems to me that il ever Their
was time when we should look befor
we leap" it is now.
NY object in writing this is to call thu
attention of the disfranohised and thsi'
true friends to trap that seems to b
set for them.
Governor Senter and ether Radicals
who have announced themselves as candi
dates for Office in Tennessee, tell us thai
they are in favor Of giving us the right
to vote and hold Office, etc. Governor
Senter says, if he is elected Governor at
the next election, he will recommend to
the next Legislature to take steps to-
wards amending the Constitution o.
Tennessee, so as to "give universal suf-
frage TO all except such as the judgments
of our courts pronounce Infamous" +.
Now, let us see how and when amend
ments to the constitution can be made.
Article IL, Section 3, of the Constitu-
ton Of Tennessee is as follows: Any
amendment or amendments to this Con-
stiiution may be proposed in the Senate
or House of Representatives; and if the
same shall be agreed to by majority OF
all of the members elected to each of the
two Houses, the proposed amendment or
amendments shall be entered on their
journals, with the yeas and nays thereon,
and referred to the General Assembly
then nert TO be chosen, and shall be pub
lished six months previous to the time OF
making such choice. And it In the Cen
eral Assembly neat chosen, as, aforesaid,
such proposed amendment shall be agreed
to by taoo-thirds of all the members
elected to each House. then it shsll be the
duty of the General Assembly to submit
such proposed amendment to the people,
in such manner and at such time as the
General Assembly shall prescribe. And
if the people shall approve and ratify
such amendment or amendments by a
majority Of all the citizens OF the State
voting for Representatives rotinS in their
favor, such amendment or amendments
shall become part of this Constitution.
When any amendment or amendments
to the Constitution shall be proposed, in
pursuance ofthe foregoing provisions, the
same shall at each of the said sessions be
read three times in three several days in
each House. The Legislature shall not
propose amendments to the Constitution
oftener than once in sir years"
Now, let us calculate the length of time
those who are disfranchised can be held
in bondage by the Radical party upon
Governor Senter's plan. The last amend
ment Of the Constitution was made by
the Convention which met in Nashville
on the 22d of February, 1865, and six
years will not have elapsed from that time
until February %, 1871. And the Con-
stilution expressly provides that the
Legislature cannot propose amendments"
to that instrument oftener than once in
six years." So Governor Senter's recon-
mendation to the nsxt Legislature can do
us no good, unless the Legislature will
adjourn over and hold special session
for that purpose after six years shall have
elapsed.
Then suppose the Legislature shall,
sometime in the spring or summer OF
1871, propose such amendments as may
suit us, then the next step will be to enter
the amendments upon the journals of
each House, end refer them to the
General Assembly nsxt to be chosen"
which will meet in October, 1878.
And if tsoo. thirds of all the members
elected 10 each House shall agree to such
amendment, then it is the duty of the
General Assembly to submit the proposed
amendments to the people for their rati-
fication. Thus, you see, 1t will be at
least four and half, if not five years be-
fore Gov. Senter's plan can be of any
benefit to US.
But the question may be asked, what
shorter route can we take or get to reach
enfranohisement2 ! answer: While the
people of the State Cannot amend the
Constitution within six years from the
time the last amendment was made, they
have the inherent and inalienable right
to call Convention for the purpose Of
forming new Constitution at any time.
This can be done BY the people, regard
less of the Legislature, and ct any time.
Or the Governor can cali Convention,
and the people respond. Now, If Gov.
Senter is in earnest, If be is really desi-
rous TO enfranchise all the people of Ten
nessee, let him show his faith by bis works
and call Convention, to meet in Nash
Vile next fall, for the purpose Of making
new Constitution, and this will
make a square issue 10 the pres
ent canvass, and leave no room
for political trickery or lodging.
Or if the people, by holding primary
meetings, shall call Convention for that
purpose, will Governor Senter alloy that
Convention To be held , or will be do as
GoverRor BrownloW no doubt would have
done, dispense them with his militia
There is fine opportunity for Governor
Senter to show that be is in earnest when
be makes such lavish promises.
There is another mode he can adopt
aud aid rs greAtly IL gaining our en-
franchisement He can, under tbs late
| DECISION of the Supreme Court Of Ten
nesses, instruct his Registrars to disre'
gard the present Jaw that DISTINGUISHES
so many of the people, to look upon it az
an un6oustitpiionsl sct Of tie LegIsla
ture, and not past of the Gonstitrtior
of Tennessee, and register every citizen
that is twenty-one years old and has re-
sided in the county six months. i
Stokey plan, as suggested by him, wal
adopted, OF least tyo-thirds of the dis
francbised conld purchase tssi5 enfrsn'
chisemsnt from the Legislature 10 lesI
than fOGr years, provided always tina
that body vas shaped after the style o
Stokes himself If or paople gill sfgnC
off until Governor Senter comes az il
such q manner as to prove that he il
really jn favor Of our enfranchisement
we may gsis nuch; but if we trust hin
and don't get any bsne6ts noe. we ma,
l L. loo.;vod haya Iano ain. laarna,