of November, 1868. The Governor in his message in reference to the State Guards, said, that soon after the return of the Legislative committee from Washington, General Thomas had inquired in what localities troops were needed; that he had furnished the names of twenty-two counties, and Federal troops in sufficient number had been sent to them. Hence the State Guards had not been called into active service.

The most important measure considered and passed, was an Act on the 23rd of February, 1869, requiring commissioners of registration in the various counties throughout the state, on the fourth Thursday in May, 1869, to open and hold elections in their respective counties for Judges of the various courts of the state, and for Attorneys-General in all the Circuit and Criminal Districts. This was the first step towards restoring the Judiciary to its former status.

The Governor's proclamation of September the 16th, calling on the able-bodied, loyal men to join military companies, had not met ready response. He followed it with another on the 20th of January, 1869, again calling "upon all good and loyal citizens to enter the ranks of the State Guards, be mustered into service, and aid in supressing lawlessness." This had a better effect. On the 25th of January, Brigadier General Joseph A. Cooper issued "General Order No. 1," dated at Nashville, assuming command of all the Tennessee State forces in the field. On the 20th of February the Governor issued his last proclamation, in which he stated that there were then 1,600 State Guards in Nashville; proclaimed martial law (the effect of which he declared was to set aside civil law, and turn the offenders over to the military, who would try them, and upon their conviction, dispose of them in a summary manner) in, and over the counties of Overton, Jackson, Maury, Giles, Marshall, Lawrence, Gibson, Madison and Haywood; and directed General Cooper "to distribute these troops at once, and continue them in service until we have unmistakable evidence of the purpose of all parties to keep the peace."

Governor Brownlow, having been elected to the United States Senate for the term commencing March 4, 1869, on

the 25th of February, retired from the executive office, and the Speaker of the Senate, D. W. C. Senter, of Grainger County, was duly inaugurated. The Legislature itself adjourned sine die on the 11th of March.

But, for reckless extravagance, for indifference to the object and extent of expenditures, the Thirty-fourth General Assembly elected by general ticket, February 22, 1865, and holding until October, 1867, stands without a peer. As

The

suming the half currently reported and generally believed to be true, the majority of its members were looked upon as knowing nothing and caring less for the financial condition or necessities of the state, and many were regarded as directly approachable corruptly for their support of measures. state's aid, in bonds, to railroads and turnpikes, was upon a scale of liberality unheard of. All that seemed to be required was the presentation of a measure or bill, and it would go through without regard to its purpose or merit. The lobbies of the Capitol swarmed with persons who were employed to secure legislation, by presenting pecuniary arguments to members.

Before the close of the last of the four sessions of this Assembly, a moral stench seemed to rise from the state Capitol. Many of the well disposed persons elected on the general ticket, who were present in April, 1865, failed to answer to roll-call on the 11th of March, 1867. Of this class there were twelve Senators and thirty-two Representatives, whose places were filled by less worthy men. The first elected Comptroller (Hackett) seemed to be entirely incompetent and inefficient. Until about the beginning of 1866, all business of the state was transacted with a looseness and a general lack of attention to systematic methods, that could not fail of disastrous results. When a new Comptroller of sense and integrity was found, he was hampered by the financial legislation, which, against his remonstrances, continued to overwhelm the treasury with burdensome appropriations and increasing bonded obligations until December 7, 1867, when it culminated in numbers of grants to railroads, known as the "Omnibus Bill." They were equally unfortunate in the selection of a treasurer (Stanford). His depositary of

part of the school fund, a bank in Memphis, controlled by a man named Rutter, inflicted a loss of above a hundred thousand dollars. The penitentiary became a prey for private profit at the expense of the state. The warden, a carpetbagger, (J. S. Hull) was suspended by legislative resolution, for corruption in office, and a month later was allowed to resign. An Act was passed on the 12th of May, 1866, to lease the state prison and the labor of the convicts. The lessees threw up the contract and the institution continued a leech upon the treasury. Many railroads, aided by the state, defaulted in payment of interest, and were placed in the hands of receivers, who instead of running them so as to pay current expenses and fixed charges, were as far as previous managements from relieving past obligations. Every interest of the state was suffering either through incompetent or dishonest agencies. The Thirty-fourth General Assembly manifested supreme indifference to everything touching the state finances. The increase of their own per diem and mileage forty per cent. above their constitutional allowance, was made without hesitation. Their expenses during their service, with printing bills added, amounted to $421,496.88. Its successor, the Thirty-fifth General Assembly for legislative expenses, including bills for printing, is charged with $338,508.37 from the treasury, the two "Brownlow Legislatures" aggregating in "Legislative expenditures" $760,005.25. During the first period, from April, 1865, to October, 1867, the Governor had a staff about him, which, together with the Adjutant General's office, cost the state $31,878.62.

The total expense of the "Tennessee State Guards a military force wantonly authorized to be enlisted, and needlessly called into active service-was the sum of $668,650.33. As an evidence that these "troops of horse and foot were unnecessary at the first call in 1867, it need only be stated that $175,284.83 were paid out for state prosecutions that

and for the next year, $160,681.37. These facts expose the falsity of the allegations of turbulence and disorder in defiance of the courts, which served as a pretext for outrages, designed for entirely different ends than for those claimed.

But why detail these items of extravagance? It can be as

well understood by saying that, during this four and a half years $9,024,183.70 passed from the people into the treasury, and only $28,649.42 remained as cash balance September 30, 1869; and against this small sum were $297,815.71 warrants on the treasury outstanding and unpaid, -a deficit of $269,166.29,-or a total expenditure of $9,293,349.99; thus showing the amount expended under this reign to be more than double that expended in the same length of time preceding or subsequent.

Besides this expenditure of current revenues from taxation, during the carnival of extravagance, an additional bonded debt was created in aid of railroads and turnpikes, and funded interest, mostly on their account, of $16,565,046.60. It is part of the financial history of Tennessee that many of these 6 per cent. bonds were sold for ruinous prices varying from seventeen to forty cents on the dollar, and for greenbacks, then greatly below par.

As may well be conceived, the Legislature which commenced its session in October 1869 received a legacy of debt which worried the people and its successors for thirteen years before it was settled on a permanent basis.

Once rid of Brownlow's presence, and that Legislature not to assemble again, unless on special call of the Governor, the prospect was more cheerful.

A Governor and Legislature to be elected in August, began early to occupy public attention. The Republican nominating convention was called for the 20th of May. The leading aspirants for the nomination, were Gov. Senter, the incumbent, and Col. Wm. B. Stokes, the gentleman who acted as substitute from Brownlow in the canvass with Ethridge in 1867. When the convention assembled in the state capitol, it was a heterogeneous mass; a considerable number of negroes, who were quick to assert their political rights, and a discordant contingent of whites whose cross purposes and diverse aims were unconcealed. The contest was doubtful. The friends of each of the aspirants tried to control the organization. On this contest, the convention was irreconcilable, and split into two parts. Each fraction of the convention met in separate places, and each nominated its favorite, Both

Senter and Stokes were thus made Republican candidates for Governor. No one was put forward by any other party. The difference between them consisted of an issue on the franchise question. Gov. Senter declared that " 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."

Col. Stokes thus defined his position : "When the killing of Union men ceases, the hellish organization of Ku-Klux is disbanded, and the laws are observed, then I am willing to entertain a proposition to amend the state constitution so far 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 neighbors." This was the principal issue from Carter to Shelby. To the people the candidates appeared as "Hyperion to Satyr."

On the 5th of August the ballots showed a total vote cast of 175,369; of which Gov. Senter received 120,333; Col. Stokes 55,036-majority 65, 297.

The surprising number of votes polled is accounted for largely by a decision of the Supreme Court in May, State vs. Staten, 6th Cold: 235, from Gibson County declaring unconstitutional the Acts of the Legislature authorizing the executive to set aside and annul registration of voters in which he might discover frauds and irregularities. This restored the franchise to a very large number of voters whose certificates had been annulled by Governor Brownlow.

The Legislature elected at the same time, containing some of the leading minds of the state, met on the 4th of October. A constitutional convention was called by popular vote, regularly authorized by law, and the delegates elected on the 18th of December, assembled on the 10th of January, 1870. The state was now truly "reconstructed." There was no further disorder: The troops were of no further service; and the state entered upon a career of peace and prosperity which has since been uninterrupted.

IRA P. JONES.