Page:Disunion and restoration in Tennessee (IA disunionrestorat00neal).pdf/40

 *matic office under the Confederate Government, or who had held military offices above the ranks of captain in the Confederate army, or lieutenant in the Confederate navy, also for those who had resigned from the Congress of the United States, or the army or navy of the United States, the term of disfranchisement was for fifteen years. For all other persons from whom the suffrage was withheld the disfranchisement was to last only four years.

The first election to occur after the passage of the Arnell Franchise Law, was the congressional election of August 3, 1865. All the candidates were Union men, but one set represented the conservative element which opposed disfranchisement and tests oaths. The Radicals felt perfectly confident of defeating the Conservatives, if the provisions of the new law were carried out. But it soon became evident that the Radicals had much to fear both from open violation of the law, and secret intimidation of the voter. Governor Brownlow, on the 10th of July, issued a proclamation declaring "that all who had banded together to defeat the franchise law would be dealt with as rebels."

The election passed off without violence. On the 10th of August, before all the returns were in, Governor Brownlow requested the clerks and sheriffs to give him information as to illegal voting. On the information thus received, he cast out the vote of twenty-five counties. Notwithstanding this action of the Governor, four of the Conservatives were elected.

The August election demonstrated to the Union party the necessity of enacting a more efficient machinery for executing the election laws. On January 19, 1866, a new franchise bill was introduced in the Legislature. It made the disfranchisement of the ex-Confederates perpetual. It also established the office of the Commissioner of Registration in each county, and required that certificates of registration issued