Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-02-10
Publication of the Ballot.


The language of Section /, Article 4
OF the Constitution Of Tennessee is az
follows:
Every male person of the age OF
twenty one years, being a citizen of the
United States and resident of this
State for twelve months, and of the
county wherein he may offer his vote
for six months next preceding the day
of election, shall be entitled to vote fol
members of the General Assembly land
other civil officers for the county OF
district in which he resides; and there
shall be no qualification attached to
the right of suffrage, except that each
voter shall give to the judges of cleo.
ton where he offers to vote, satisfac
tory evidence that he has paid his poll
taxes assessed against him for such
preceding period as the Legislature
shall prescribe and at such time as
may be prescribed by law; without
which his vote cannot be received"
Each member of the General Assem-.
bly, before entering upon his duties as
such, took an oath that he would sup.
port the constitution of the State, that
he would not assent to any bill or reso.
luton which shall appear injurious to
the people "or consent to anything
whatever, that shall have tendency
to lessen or abridge their the people J
rights or privileges, as declared by the
Constitution of the State"
This is a solemn compact entered
into by the people of the whole State
and it is binding upon all alike. 1t
can not be violated by the Governor
OF the State or by any mem ber of the
General Assembly without the COM
mission of perjury. II the enactment
of election laws, the provisions above
quoted are observed, it will go long
way towards restoring that respect for
the ballot, iu which it should be held
by a Republican government. A de.
parture from them destroys the conf
dence which forms the basis of good
government.
There are now election laws on the
statute hooks of Tennessee that have.
not only tendency" to abridge the
rights and privileges as declared by the
Constitution of the State, but which
absolutely destroy these rights and
privileges. The truth of this assertion
admits of no question, every body can
see that it is 80. Some of the election
laws now in force are in contrayention
of constitutional provisions, the people
all know it. This accounts for the
disesteem into which elections have
fallen in this State and goes long
way towards answering why "Tennes-
see is the worst governed State in the
Union"
Robert L. Taylor, who holds the
office of Governor by virtue of one of
the most outrageous and thoroughly
wicked frauds ever perpetrsted at the
ballot box in any State, now pretends
that he is in favor Of purifying the
ballot, and he knows of his own knowl.
edge that it is sorely in need of purifi
cation. If he is honest in his profes.
sion, let him recommend to the Legis.
lature to enact election laws, in the
spirit of the Constitution, that shall
have no tendency to 'lessen or abridge"
the rights and privileges" of the peo
pie, as declared by the Constitution Of
the State. If lawmakers in framing
and enacting election laws swear false.
ly and disregard the provisions of the
Constitution that they have sworn to
support, why it may be expected that
partisan election officers will also per.
jure themselves for partisan advan-
tage.
II the Legislature will enact election
laws under which every citizen may
vote, as provided by the Constitution,
abridging or lessening the rights and
constitutional privileges of none, the
people will soon learn to take proper
care of the dirty villains who have
polluted the ballot in Tennessee and
brought the fair name of the State into
disrepute at home and abroad. Give
the people of the State fair chance
without abridging or lessening their
constitutional rights and privileges; it
will do hundred times more good
than to turn the election machinery of
the State over to fraudulent Govern
or whose garments are covered with
the black slime of fraud from head TO
foot.-Knoxville Journal.