Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-01

VlOlaClOn Oh the cOnSlllubiOu, oFcTA
denounced Brownlow's usurpations.
If they did not defend him, and it
is more likely they did, they en-
joyed the manner in which the as
tendency of their party was thus
made secure. AS long as Gov
Brownlow kept along in this track
of usurpation and utter disregard
of law and of the rights of Cit
zens, John Trimble and his
co-signers to this documentsupport-
ed him, and if Gov. Senter had pur-
sned the reckless course Brownlow
did, they would have supported him
with, the same cordiality they did
J Brownlow. The evidence of this
! is to be found in the fact that o
considerable portion of them con-
tinued to support him until he rose
above the petty instincts of the par
tisan, and recognized the citizens of
the State regardless as to whether
they were Radicals or Democrats.
The secret of, this attack on Gov
Senter is to be found in the third
section of the preamble, where it is
declared that 'great danger now be
sets the Republican party of Ten
nessee, and the State is threatened
with Democratic rule" There is
where the shoe pinches. 1t waste
prevent this very condition of af
fairs that the franchise law WIS
passed and repassed in still more
restrictive form as to white men.
1t was to prevent the happening of
this contingency that Gov. Brown
low removed registrars who were
honest enough to register Demo
Gratis who were entitled to vote un-
der fair Interpretation of the
franchise law. 1t was to prevent
the happening of this contingency
that Brownlow set aside the
registration of whole counties
where too many Democrats
had been registered. And honest
John Trimble and his cO-signers
applauded Gov. Brownlow for the
prompt action he took when the
State or district or county was
"threatened with Democratic rule"
The franchise law was intended to
keep the Radicals in power and the
Democrats out, and Brownlow ap-
pointed as registrars men who were
INSCRIPTIONS enough to conduct
the registration business solely with
this view, and where he made a
mistake as to his men, that mistake
was promptly corrected by the re-
moval of the registrar and the set
ting aside of his registration. And
John Trimble and his co-signers ap-
plauded the Governor for the nerve
he exhibited. We have here the
testimony of Radical as to Brown
lows registrars. The Press and
Times of yesterday says:
"a Tennessee letter to the Cincinnati
| Gazette says that there was little danger
that any of the registrars removed by
! Governor Senter would refuse to grant
certificates to young men who had just
come of age. 1t is notorious fact that
the large majority Of the registrars did
refuse to issue such certificates. In Ds~
wilson, Sumner and most other counties,
young men who were minors at the close
Of the war, and who had never aided the
rebellion, could not get certificates
Sometimes a solemn promise to
vote for the registrars candidate Sc
cured the certificate. And if two
Republican candidates were running, the
applicant was sure to be refused if he
was for the candidate whom the registrar
opposed. Such was the corruption Of
registration. It is well known
that certificates were given out in blank
last year by the registrars in this and
other counties, to be filled up for the use
Of DISTINGUISHED persons who would
promise to vote for certain candidates. No
"Rebel" who would so agree TO cast his
vote had the slightest difficulty in getting
certificate"
The facts here stated were pat
ent to every man who had the per-
ception of a goose, yet honest John
Trimble and his co-signers did not
| go to the newspapers to denounce
this corrupt and partisan execu-
ton of the franchise law, nor did
they go into the highways to pro
claim their detestation of the cor
ruption of the BroBnlow registrars;
on the contrary, they "winked at
it," We respectfully suggest that
men with such q record as we have
shown Mr.. John Trimble and his
signers have touching the execu-
ton of the franchise law, are in no
condition to criticise and condemn
the action of Gov. Senter, even if
he were guilty as they charge.