Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-11
UPSETTING STATE GOV
ERNMENTS.
Memorial of Radical Congressman
Praying Congress TO Destroy the
state Government OF Tennessee.

PRAYING COnSTcSS 70 DcshfO9 thc
state Government OF Tennessee.
The undersigned, members of the Sen
ate and the House of Representatives,
repreenting the State of Tennessee, in be-
half of the loyal and w-abiding citizens
of the United States in said State, re-
spectfully memorable the Congress of the
United States and represent that the cleo
ton lately held in said State, on the fifth
day of August last past, for the choice of
Governor, members of the General As
sembly, and other officers required TO be
elected in said State, was not conducted
and carried on in accordance with the
Constitution and laws of said State, but
wholly in disregard thereof, in Mis-: that
the Governor of the State, himself a can
didate for reelection, arbitrarily and
without cause, removed all or nearly all
the registers in the State, tie officers
whose duty it was to register tie legal vo-
tcrs and to hold the elections, and in their
places appointed others, who registered
and allowed to vote, persons wholly re-
CARELESS of the Constitution and laws,
with the following among otherresults:
|. That men were allowed to vote and
did vote therein, who were not registered
according to the Constitution and law,
and in contraventiOn of their provisions.
3 That men ineligible uITler the Con-
stitutiOn and laws were permitted to vote
and did vote in said election.
3. That youths under the are of
twenty-one years, in contragention of
said laws were permitted 20 vote in said
election.
/. That false and fraudulent votes
were counted as having been cast in many
counties in excess of the legal voters
therein.
5. That in nearly all the counties of
the State, threats, intimidation and unjust
influence were used to deter, and which
did deter large numbers of good citizens
and legal voters from exercising their
rights at such election.
6. That persons not eligible or qualified
to hold any office under the Constitution
and laws of said State and the United
States, did act and preside as judges of
election in many counties of said State.
7. That the illegal votes so cast were
of such great numbers as to be in excess
of the majority by which said election
was determined in a majority of the coun-
ties, so that by said illegal votes the per
sons and character of the majority Of
members of the General Assembly were
determined, and that such votes were
knowingly, wilfully and purpOsely so cast,
received and counted for the purpose of
electing members of said Assembly, SO as
to control the right of the government of
the United States to legal expression of
the will of the people of the State through
a proper and duly chosen representation
of the State in the Senate of the United
States, which right has been purposely
infringed and set at noUght by said illegal
and unjust election, as before set forth
And your memOrialists further repre-
sent that it became, and was the duty of
said General Assembly, among other
things, to elect a Senator to represent the
State of Tennessee in the Senate of the
United States, and that said General As
senbly has proceeded to elect, and has
elected citizen to represent said State in
the Senate of the United States for the
next Senatorial term, whose election was
made and determined by the votes of
members of the Assembly so unlawfully
and unconstitutiOnally chosen as afore-
said.
And yourmemorialists further represent
that the majority of said General Assem-
bly, of said State, so Illegally and unjustly
elected, have repealed, and are threatening
to set aside the laws passed for the pro-
lection of the law abiding citizens of the
State in their property and civil rights
And your memOrialists further repre-
sent that said General Assembly, so
elected, have passed and are now e'-
gagged in passing and are threatening TO
pass other laws in open violation of the
laws and Constitution of said State, which
said constitution was accepted and adopt
ed by Congress and its safeguards for
the liberty and rights of the people of
tennessee, ratified and confirmed by the |
people as part of the condition of the |
reception of the State of Tennessee into |
the Union and representation in Congress,
after her rebellion against the GOverR-
ment of the United States and attempted
secession from the Union.
And your mcmorialists further represent |
that a majority of said Legislature, so
elcNGO, udNC OlOClCu all ClCCtlOu III AlClC- |
gates to Convention to alter, change and |
abrogase said Constitution under which 4
said State was permitted by Congress to
be restored to the Union which she had |
and to the rights which she had
lost-which said election it is provided in |
the act ordering the same, shall be held
and determined and the votes thereon shall |
be received in violation of the COnstitu- |
ton now protecting the citizens Of Ten
nessce in their civil and political rights
And your memorialists further respect |
fully call attention to the duty of the
United States to guarantee to every State |
in this Union republican form of gov-
and protect each of them against
domestic violence.
And your memorialistsf further represent
hat in the manner before mentioned, the
rights of the good citizens of Tennessee
have been violated and overthrown, and
re being set aside BY the violent proceed
ngs of the mob, (under the form Of
election, but in violation of the Constitu-
-ion) which now has possession of the
Government ofsthe State.
And your memorialists further repre-
Esat that the foundation and pscenca Of