Three (3) Civil War era documents, including a Tennessee 1865 Franchise Act broadside, Civil War Surgeon letter from Nashville, and an 1858 slavery related pamphlet. 1st item: Broadside copy of "An Act to Limit the Elective Franchise", William Heiskell, Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, Samuel Ramsey Rodgers, Speaker of the Tennessee Senate, passed June 5th, 1865. The act barred ex-Confederates from voting for 15 years, with ex-Confederates defined under Section II as "all persons who are or shall have been civil or diplomatic officers or agents of the so-called Confederate States of America, or who have left judicial stations under the United States or the States of Tennessee, to aid in any way in the existing or recent rebellion against the authority of the United States, or who have been military or naval officers of the so-called Confederate States above the rank of Captain in the army of Lieutenant in the navy, or who have left seats in the United States Congress, or seats in the Legislature of the State of Tennessee to aid said rebellion, or have resigned commissions in the army or navy of the United States and afterwards have voluntarily given aid to said rebellion, or persons who have engaged in any way in treating otherwise than lawfully as prisoners of war persons found in United States service as officers, soldiers, seamen, or in other capacities, or persons who have been or are absentees from the United States for the purpose of aiding the rebellion, or persons who held pretended offices under the government of States in insurrection against the United States, or persons who left their homes within jurisdiction and protection of the United States, or fled before the approach of the National forces and passed beyond the Federal military lines into the so-called Confederate States for the purpose of aiding the rebellion, shall be denied and refused the privilege of the elective franchise in this States, for the term of fifteen years, from and after the passage of this act". Housed in a plastic sleeve. 2nd item: Civil War era letter written by Doctor John G. Brown, a Surgeon in the 4th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, Union Army, written from Head quarters Detach…Edgefield [East Nashville] TN and dated Feb 1st 1865 and addressed to his brothers Charles and William Brown. He writes "Dear brothers, I take this opportunity of writing to you to let you know where I am and how I am…I have only a small detachment of men here of sick and convalescent. The main part of the regiment is at East Port Miss. where our front is at the present. How long I will remain here I do not know [I] have been expecting orders to join the regiment any day. I have not been able to learn anything very definite from upper echelon since General Burnbridge's expedition though from what I am able to guess the Rebels have no regular force nearer than Bristol our front is at Strawberry Plains and the country between is infested with scouting parties and guerrillas killing a good many of the citizens at there [sic] homes…I recon [sic] the Copperheads have all gone into their holes not to return since they see the people have sustained Lincoln and the War. I hope he puts a collar around there [sic] necks before long and bring[s] [them] into the Army…I do not know but think a rigorous campaign with Sherman's destruction of South Carolina will make the Rebels willing to make peace at any terms if they do not they will not only lose their Negros [sic] but their lands and lives for the government is determined to conquer if it become necessary exterminate every rebel in the land…". Housed in a plastic sleeve with typed transcription. 3rd item: Slavery related Pamphlet, "The Kansas Question", Speech of Hon. Thomas S. Bocock of Virginia, House of Representatives, March 8, 1858. Speaking out against the refusal to admit Kansas into the Union under the Lecompton Constitution, the second constitution drafted for Kansas Territory that permitted slavery, excluded free African Americans from living in Kansas, and allowed only male citizens of the United States to vote, Bocock states "I do not know what will be the effect of a refusal to admit Kansas under the Lecompton constitution. I am not authorized to speak the views of Virginia…But I will say this… although hand join in hand to prevent, the destiny of Virginia, for once and for all, for now and forever, is indissolubly united with that of her sister States of the South". Housed in a plastic sleeve. American, mid 19th century. Provenance: all acquired from the estate of Harry Brown of Western Greene County, Tennessee. See other related lots to the Brown family, lots 539 and 570. CONDITION: 1st item: Minute foxing spots, scattered on surface of sheet. Toning lines along sheet creases. Paper tears, largest 3/4", edges of sheet. 2nd item: Areas of toning, largest 3 1/2", surface of sheet. Paper tears, largest 1 3/4", creases and edges of sheet. 3rd item: Areas of water damage, largest 4 1/2", surface of sheet. Areas of insect damage, largest 1 1/8", surface of sheet. 7 1/2" tear along paper crease.