Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-26
THE STOKES ORGAN DEFINES
HIS POSITION. a

HTS POSITION. d.
The State Journal (Stokes or
gam says we "wholly misrcpre
sent its article of Thursday on
the registration question. It's adj
vice was as follows: ..a..i %. Seas
"Our friends, or the commissioners at
tempted to be removed, can apply at
once to the proper court or Judge, and
have the new commissioner enJOlned
from issuing any certificates or exercIs-
ing any other official authority. This
course should be promptly adopted
throughout the State, if any such at
tempts are made to manipulate the bal
lot box in the interest Of the acting Gov
ernor." H#Es 8st t..F
We regarded this as an attempt
to prevent such citizens rs are en-
titled to vote under the franchise
law, but who have been heretofore
refused the privilege of registering
by partisan registrars, from doing
so now, under the reasonable sup
position that such men will not vote
for Mr. Stokes. This position is
fairly deducible from the text we
have quoted, for while u punish
ment for fraud is provided III the
franchise law, there is no such rem
edy as that suggested by the State
Journal. 1t may have been an un.
fortunate use Of language, and our
mother tongue at that, on the part
Of the State Journal, but it is no
fault Of ours If our contemporary
should clothe its ideas in words
which convey the very reverse o.
what it means. The State Journa
now defines its position AS follows
I'VE advise applications to be made L
the courts TO prevent frauds, and to pre-
vent the ballot-box being made the cor
rupt machine of the Sentrr party BE
You'd this We care not
We trust We do not misappre
hend-we never misrepresent-
what our contemporary is driving
at. 1t IL afraid that Gov Sentel
will make votes by the change o
registrars, and advises a resort t
the courts for injuuctions to'preycn
frauds" only. But why adopt thl
unusual course? Why stop the reg
istration of citizens fairly emitted t
vote until suggestion Of fraud ca
be investigated? The franchis
law declares EseetiOn l3) "tha
every wiIlful and Intentional vic
lation of this act by the commits
sioner of registration is hereby dc
clared 20 be misdemeanoT, AN
upon conviction, he shall be re
moved from Office, and shall pay
fine of not less fifty dollars, 70 tn
use of the State ;" and (section II
that every violation Of this act
hereby declared TO be misdemcaI
or, and punishable upon presen
ment or indictment, and every pc
son participating IN such vlolatlr
shall, upon conviction, be hn'
not less then ten nor exceeding Oh
hundred dollars, and may be N
prisoned ut the discretion of Il
court" This is the only meth'
provided by the law itself for VI
olations of the act, and 1t
certainly comprehensive enou3
t. cover every case, but u
State Journal advises that reg
trars suspected of fraud be " c
Joined from issuing any ceruhcal
or exercising any other Official 4
thority.' Whether tins unuSu
method is intended to prevent "a
zens who will not vote for Stok
from registering, il will certain
operate that way We suggest
our contemporary that it advise
friends to rigidIy enforce the ira
chme law canrst all who wIlIin
violate lis provisions, AS the sur
way TO prevent the ballot l.
l.;no made a corrupt machine.