TENNESSEE. 



663 



but the views of both sides were presented to 

 the people by the joint discussion of the two 

 leading candidates in various parts of the 

 State. The most important question at issue 

 had reference to the enfranchisement of a 

 large portion of the population still subject to 

 political disabilities. Mr. Stokes was opposed 

 to an immediate restoration of the disfranchised 

 class to the privileges of citizenship, and in- 

 dorsed the policy announced in the National 

 Eepublican platform adopted at Chicago in 

 1868, favoring "the removal of the disqualifi- 

 cations and restrictions imposed upon the late 

 rebels in the same manner as the spirit of dis- 

 loyalty will die out, and as may be consistent 

 with the safety of the loyal people." His 

 views were expressed in a letter bearing date 

 January 31st, as follows : 



"When the killing of Union men ceases, the hell- 

 ish organization of the Ku-klux is disbanded, and the 

 laws are observed, then 1 am willing to entertain a 

 proposition to amend the State constitution so as to 

 allow the disfranchised to come in gradually, by 

 providing that the Legislature may, by a two-thirds 

 vote, remove the disabilities of those who petition 

 and come well recommended by their loyal neigh- 

 bors. This would let in well-disposed ex-rebels, and 

 keep out bad ones. This would not endanger the 

 Eepublican party, for the reason that it would require 

 a two-thirds vote of each House to remove their dis- 

 abilities, and, in my judgment, it will be some time 

 before the Conservative Democracy will have such 

 a majority. 



The idea of amending the constitution so as to 

 place the ballot in the hands of those outlaws at one 

 clean sweep, and at the present time, would be cruel 

 to the Union men. 



The sentiments of those opposing the elec- 

 tion of Mr. Stokes may be regarded as ex- 

 pressed in the address issued by Governor 

 Senter in the early part of the canvass, the 

 following passage of which has reference to 

 the important topic of franchise : 



The question which most interests the people of 

 Tennessee at the present time, and which, in itself, 

 is, perhaps, more pressing* and important than any 

 other, is the elective franchise. On this subject I am 

 free to say that, in my judgment, the time has come, 

 and is now, when the limitations and disabilities 

 which have found their way into our statute-books 

 as the result of the^ war should be abolished and 

 removed, and the privilege of the elective franchise 

 restored, and extended so as to embrace the mass of 

 the adult population of the State. In other words, 

 I am in favor of so amending the constitution and 

 laws of the State that the present disfranchising 

 clause and provisions shall oe made to disappear 

 from the same, and the privilege of the elective 

 franchise made to rest upon the facts and conditions 

 of the present instead of the past, and upon princi- 

 ples of impartiality, equality, and justice. * * * 



Disfrancnisement was adopted onl^ as a tempo- 

 rary necessity growing out of the needs and situa- 

 tion of the time, and with no expectation that it 

 would be long continued ; and there can be no rea- 

 son for its further ^ continuance now except in a self- 

 ish partisan ambition to gain office, or a selfish 

 partisan fear of losing it. Disfranchisement neces- 

 sarily produces restlessness and discontent, and, 

 as we have all seen, engenders animosities, dis- 

 cord, and strife. Enfranchisement will, in my opin- 

 ion, heal the animosities which have so long divided 

 our people, and bring concord, peace, and prosperity 

 to the State, while, at the same time, it is most con- 



sonant with the theory and principles of our repub- 

 lican form of government, and with the declared 

 policy and purpose of the party now in power." 



Mr. Senter then declares in favor of a liberal 

 system of common schools and a reduction of 

 "taxation to the lowest possible point consist- 

 ent with the punctual payment " of the obli- 

 gations of the State. In advocating the rati- 

 fication by the Legislature of the fifteenth 

 amendment to the Federal Constitution, he 

 says : 



Its practical adoption and recognition are the ulti- 

 mate fact and necessity of the Government, and its 

 adoption now will remove much of the division, dis- 

 cord, and danger, which will otherwise disturb the 

 future. Fears have been expressed that, if the dis- 

 franchised citizens of Tennessee should be again ad- 

 mitted to the ballot-box, and to the possession of 

 political power, they would endeavor to use it so as 

 to deprive our colored fellow-citizens of the political 

 privileges which they now possess. 



I am assured and satisfied that such would not be 

 the result, and have taken the position I now occupy, 

 and have said what I have in their behalf, upon the 

 assumption that they would be willing to guarantee 

 to others, without distinction of color, or previous 

 condition of servitude, all the rights and privileges 

 they claim for themselves ; and trust that they will 

 soon so express themselves in the indorsement to this 

 amendment, that all doubts and fears in reference to 

 their position may be removed. 



The canvass was ended by the election held 

 on the 5th of August, which resulted in the 

 choice of Mr. Senter for Governor, by a ma- 

 jority of 65,297. The whole number of votes 

 cast was 175,369, of which Mr. Senter received 

 120,333, and Mr. Stokes 55,036. At the presi- 

 dential election of the preceding year, 82,757 

 votes were polled, of which 56,628 were cast 

 for Grant, and 26,129 for Seymour. 



The results of this election were influenced 

 in no small degree by the important decision 

 of the Supreme Court, delivered in May, de- 

 claring unconstitutional the acts of the Legis- 

 lature authorizing the Executive to set aside 

 registrations of voters in cases of fraud and 

 irregularities. This question arose on an in- 

 dictment in the Circuit Court against William 

 Staten, in which he was charged with illegal 

 voting. On the 10th of December, 1867, the 

 name of Staten had been registered as a quali- 

 fied voter in Gibson County, and a certificate 

 to that effect issued to him. But on the 25th 

 of February, 1868, in accordance with the act 

 of the Legislature empowering the Executive 

 to set aside the registration of any county 

 " when it shall be made to appear to his satis- 

 faction that frauds and irregularities have in- 

 tervened in the registration of the voters of 

 such counties," Governor Brownlow issued a 

 proclamation declaring the registration in Gib- 

 son and other counties null and void. Subse- 

 quently, on the 7th of March, Staten, by virtue 

 of the certificate issued to him in December, 

 and still in his possession, voted at an election 

 for county officers, whereupon he was arraigned 

 for illegal voting. The counsel for the defend- 

 ant demurred to the indictment in the Circuit 

 Court, on the ground that the Legislature, 



