Early Governors' Papers

At the Election for feild officers at Severvill on the second Day of the Election I was informed that the Doore was shut soo that the peaple Culd not Get in to Deliver thar tickets thare was a liklyhood of a Grait insirrection among the peaple I was asked to assist to brak open the Doore I Consented to the business & went to [affshenate?] in the same but when we came the [doore] was open how long the Doore was shut I Cant tell but all tickets are opened and Red I beleave however my and all that I saw was opened and Red Publickey I painted myn out Distinkley apart but Cold not be Rese^d with thay ware opened and Red

John Rains

Swoorn to & subscribed to this 20^th Day of august 1796

John Clack

At length part of the People, irritated from a Just sense of such scandalous pro =ceedings, combin'd together, and were determined to break open the door, and was preparing for the same; but before they could execute their purpose, the honoura= ble Gentlemen thought proper to Open it themselves. - Many came forward [page damaged] their tickets should not be Opened; but the Judges paid [damage] and therefore they declin'd voting. ~

[damage] stated, at any time be confirm'd by the testimony Of a Number of good Man, of respectable characters; as also one of the Judges. Many more exceptions might be adduced to prove the absurdity of this (as we may say) unheard of election; and sho^d the same be confirm;d as it now stands, I humbly conceive that such a Precedent in its Operations, would be a violation of the liberties of the People, a stagnation to Patriotism, and at last might probably throw us into a State of Anarchy and confusion.

However, these are only hints dropt as my Own Private Opinion. Now Sir, as the facts above stated can be well ascertain'd & properly Authenticated, [I?] shall leave them to your deliberation and discretion; not doubting but upon in[damage]ting the promises you will detect error, maintain the rights of our consti[damage] legal and Just Priviledges; and [damage]tion you can now decide on this Occasion; should thank [damage]

Ihave the Honour to be, with respect, Y^r Honours, Mo. ob. Hble serv^t

John Clack.

Augus [sic] the third third 1790

-State of Tennessee Sever [sic] County this is thare [sic] fore aserted [sic] by me John Clack one of the first [?] Jugges [sic] of an alection [sic] for the Carolina in S^d Countey [sic], that Joseph Evans was duly Elected Captain and William henderson lieutenant and Robert henderson [Cornate?]

Sertifyd [sic] Bey me John Clack

Leave to inform your Excellency that he has paid the fine of fifty dollars aforesaid and all costs incedent [sic] on sd Indictment. And though he now feels sensible that he acted rashly at a moment when his passions were greatly agitated against said E[rvin?] in consequence of some Slanderous reports which were raised and propagated by him in the neigh bourhood of your petitioner- Yet your petitioner and those whose names are here unto answered & who join with him in the statement of the aforegoing facts as will as the following prayer, do believe that sd Judgment is over rigorous in its punishment. The premises duly considered pray the Clemency ^of this government through the medium of your Excellency that you would remit that past part of the punishment which relates to the Imprisonment the whole of the ballance [sic] being satisfied, and your petitioner with due submission will ever pray &c

B. M. Mayfield A. Black James Perry John Clack George Baumgardner John B. [C?] John M^cCracken E. [R.?] Bailey William Rose T. M. Yancey H. [Hagren?]

Jno Wallace Lell [B?] Tho^s Smith David Phillip [Lnye?] [S H Steele?] V [illegible] Thomas M^cKissack Elisha [Elan?] William Woods Jo.^s [Strottir?]