Year: 1866

tied, An "Act TO Limit the Elective Fran


chise," passed June 8, 1865.


SECTION 1. Be Il enacted by the Gencrs
Assembly of the State of Tennessee, Ths
every white male inhabihsnt of this State, Q
the age Of twenty-one years, a citizen of th
United States and resident of the count
wherein be may offer his vote, six month
next preceding the day Of election, shall b
entitled to the privilege of the elective fran
chise, subject to the following exception
and disqual6cations, TO wit:


First, Said voter shall have never born,
arms against the Government of the Unitet
States for the purpose of aiding the late re
bellion, nor have voluntarily given aid, com
fort countenance, counsel, or encourage
ment, to any rebellion against the authorit,
Of the United States Government, nor aided
counteuanced or encouraged acts of hostility
thereto.


Second, That said voter shall have nevel
sought or voluntarily accepted any Office
civil or military, or attempted to exercis,
the functions OF any Office, civil or military
under the authority of the so-called Confed
crate States of America, of any insurrection
ary State whatever hostile or opposed to thu
authority of the United States Government
with the intent and desire tn aid said rebel
lion or insurrectionary authority.


Third, That said voter shall have nevel
voluntarily supported any pretended govern.
ment power or authority hostile or inimical
to the authority of the United States BY
contributions in money or property, by per.
suasion or influence, or in any other way
whatever. Provided, That the foregoing
restrictions and disqualifications shall moi
apply to any white citizen who may
have served in and been honorably
discharged from the army or navy Of
the United States since the LIST day Of JAN
uary, 1862, nor to those who voted in the
Presidential election in November, 1854, on
voted in the election for Qualification or Re-
lection" in February, 1885, or voted in the
election held on the 4th day of March of the
same year for Governor and members of the
Legislature, nor to those who have been an.
pointed to any civil or military Office by An
drew johnson, Military Governor, or VIM.
g. Brownlow, Governor of Tennessee, all OF
whom are hereby declared 10 be qualified
voters upon their complying with the reqire-
ments of this sct. Provided, That this latter
clause shall not apply to any commission is
sued upon any election which may have been
held.


SIC. Q. Be It further enacted. That the
Governor of the State shall, within sixty
days after the passage Of this act, appoint q
Commissioner of Registration for each and
every county in the State, who shall, with
out delay, enter upon the discharge of his
duties, who shall have full power to admin
lister the necessary oeths provided by this
act. The said Commissioner, before enter
ing upon the duties of his Office, shall take
and subscribe an oath to support the Consti-
tuticn of the Uunited States and the Consti-
tuition of the State Of Tennessee, and
to faithfully discharge the duties Of his
Office, and also the oath prescribed in Sec. 3
Of this act, which oaths shall be filed in the
Office Of the Secretary of State.


The said Commissioner shall keep his Office
at the county seat of the county, and It sh all
be his duty to take the proof required by
this act and to register the names OF each
and every qualified voter. and to issue q
certificate that each and every qualified voter
Is entitled TO the Elective Franchise, and he
shall preserve and keep the necessary rec
ords of his Office, and shall receive from the
Treasury of the State the sum of one hun
dred dollars, to be paid upon the warrant oi
the Comptroller of the State; and said Com.
missioner shall make report to the County
Court at each quarterly session thereof
showing the number of votes registered pre-
vious to said quarterly session! provided
that all sums Of money paid by said Com
missioner for the United States Revenue
stamps in the discharge of his duty, shall be
credited and paid out of the County
Treasury.


SEC. 3. Be II further enacted, That said
commissioner shall issue certificates of regis
tration to every white soldier who may have
served In, and been honorably discharged
from, the army or navy of the United States
since the said first day of January, 1852,
upon the production of the proper certificate
Of such service and discharge, or legal evil
dence Of the loss of such discarge. Said
commissioner shall issue certificates Of regis
tration TO all those who voted in the said
November, February and March elections,
upon production Of the poll books Of the
election at which said voter voted, or a GER
tilted copy, under oath, Of such poll book in
case the voter may have removed to another
county, or upon the affidavit of two enGan-
chised citizens, known to the commissioner to
have been unconditional Union men
throughout the rebellion, In case said poll
books may be lost.


And he shall issue certificates of registra-
ton to those citizens of Tennessee who have
been appointed to Office by the said military
or civil Governors upon the production of the
commission showing such appointment or
the proper certificate of the Secretary OF
State, that such commission was issued, in
case of loss. But every other person claim
ing to be entitled to the privilege in this act,
shall, before he obtains q certificate thereof,
prove by the evidence of two competent
witnesses known to the commissioner to have
been themselves at all times unconditional
Union men, that they are personally ac-
quainted with the person so claiming, and
that they verify believe that he has not been
guilty OF any of the disqualicatons herein
before specially mentioned, which proof shall
be taken upon affidavit, subscribed by said
witness and filed In said Office Of said COM
missioner and said applicant shall also take
and subscribe the following oath before the
commissioner of registration.


do solemly swear that have never vol
unfairly borne arms against the Government
of United States for the purpose or with the
intention of aiding the late rebellion, nor
have, with any such intention at any time,
given aid, counsel, or encouragement 10 said
rebellion, or TO any act Of hostility to the
Government Of the United States. further
swear that have never sought or accepted
any Office, either civil or military, or attemp'
ted 10 exercise the functions Of any Office
either civil or military, under the authority
or pretended authority of the so-calIed Con
federste States of America, or Of any insur'
rectionary State hostile or opposed to ths
authority of the United States Government
with the intent and desire TO aid said 70
bellion; and that have never given vol.
untary suppo,t 10 any such Government ol