The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-28 00:00:00

THE SLAVE TROUBLES IN TENNESSEE.

The Clarksville (Ten nessee) Jeffersonian publishes
the following resolutions, adopted by the Oom.
mittee of Safety which was appointed in that place
to investigate the causes of the recent negro
troubles, and to suggest a remedy
"The committee appointed by the citizens of Clarks-
yille to investigate the truth of the threatened insurreoe
tior of the negroes in this vicinity, to allay improper
excitement, and to guard the community against danger,
I deem it appropriate to the occasion that we should give
publicity to the following resolutions, which have met
our unanimous approval, and we recommend them as
precautionary measures, which, if followed, will, in our
opinion, avert every danger and give perfect security to
the citizens:—
" Resolved—That we recommend to our city and
county authoritiekto suppress for the future all assem-
blages of negroes, under any pretext whatever, at frolics,
balls, benevolent societies, or at public worships where
negro preachers officiate ; and that our ministers of the
Gospel be requested to suspend absolutely their habit of
preaching to the negroes on occasions separate from their
ordinary preaching as ministers of the Gospel. Our
churches are large enough for our whole population,
white and black. We deem all such meetings for negro
preaching alone improper ; that they degenerate into
unlawful assemblies, and are otherwise productive of
incalculable mischief.
"That the owners of negroes ought not to give orders
for their negroes to get buggies and carriages for plea.
sure on the Sabbath, or on any occasion whatever, and
that it is the sense of this committee that the owners of
livery stables in Clarksville ought not to hire horses and
buggies to negroes, even when their masters permit it,
for the reason that such indulgence to negroes promotes
insubordination among the slaves, and stimulates feel-
ings wholly inconsistent with their duty to their masters
and the subordinate position they should occupy in refer.
ence to white people. It is further the sense of this
committee that our merchants and traders ought to
abstain absolutely from trading with the negroes, unless
by the express permission of their masters ; and on no
account ought they to sell them firearms, ammunition,
or other weapon', with or without their owners' consent,
if any should be so indiscreet as to grant it.
" That, in the opinion of this committee, the present
evils that affect us are mainly to be attributed to the
late Presidential canvass, not meaning to cast more
blame on this than that political party ; we condemn
the public discussion of all questions touching negro
slavery, before crowds of people, in the hearing of vast
multitudes of negroes. We further think slaveholders
are guilty of gross folly when they permit their negroes
to go to barbecues and other public gatherings, where
public speakers of the one party or the other discuss
those delicate subjects of negro slavery, the true bearing
of which they do not comprehend, and where they im-
bibe crude and disjointed notions of freedom, which only
imperil the safety of the white and the certain destruc-
tion of the black race.

" That we call upon our city authorities to take strong
measures to prevent negroes passing to and from the
Ironworks, from spending Christmas holidays in onr
town, and especially from staying a single night in the
corporation, unless their masters reside here. In case,
however, a negro's wife lives in town, he will be per-
mitted to stay here, provided he has a pass from his
master, which is recognised or endorsed by the owner
of his wife, and that they increase the day and night
watch in each ward in the city during this period, at the
expense of the corporation. We further earnestly recom-
mend to our whole population in the town and county to
abolish the usage of giving to their servants Christmas
holy clays. It is a rule more honoured in the breach than
the observance, for the reason that it breeds idleness and
encourages dissipation among the negroes, impairs their
health, and corrupts their morals. It would be a blessing
to them to be kept constantly employed, as a protection
against the evils engendered by idleness, and a decided
comfort to us, as affording exemption against the petty
larcenies and the bacchanalian broils that always die.
grace the Christmast week, during which time we hope
additional pains will be bestowed by our citizens to pre-
vent negroes from getting whisky, and that all saloons
and liquor shops will be closed till after New Year, if not
for ever.

"That, though the committee may adjourn from day
to day, it will not disband till we are sure the community
are sale from the troubles that caused our organisation,
and to secure this end we invoke the aid of our city
authority, the strong arm of the law, and the sincere co-
operation of all good citizens.

" That we advise the people of ..every civil district in
the coantry to organise a vigilant patrol of 20 men, under
the command of a captain, who by turns shall patrol their
respective districts by day and night until the present
excitement is allayed. By these precautionary measures
we seek to create no alarm, but to allay it, and if this
advice is followed all danger wall be averred. In caution
there is safety.

"For the future negroes shall not be permitted to
hire their own time, as it is called, under any pretext
whatever, or be sufferedf to remain in town if it is at•
tempted, and we pledge ourselves to enforce the law

against all persons who, in that respect, shall attempt to
evade it. The evils growing out of such practices are too
grave to be tolerated any longer, nor will it be permitted
that captains or other officers of steamboats shall hire
negroes at night about the town, to assist in leading
and unloading their boats at the wharf or landing,
except they have the written permission of their masters.
The negroes invariably return to their masters next day,