Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1865-08-04
STATE OF TENNESSEE,
ExEouTIvB DEPARTMENT,
Nashville, July 2sth, 1865.
TO WIiliap J. Andre,os Rsq,

TO William j. Andretcs, Rsq,
Mayor Of Columbia, Tennessee:
Sir am in receipt Of your letter of the 2stt
inst and hasten to reply. You assure me in brie
that you have given your influence TO upholdine
the State Government; that General Order No. 8, is
sued by Major General Thomas, suspendiug you
from performing the duties Of your Office was based
upon misrepresentation made to the General and
you call upon me to secure for you fair hearing
You will observe from the letter of Major Gener.
al Thomas in the city papers of this morning, that
martial law Is still iu force in Tennessee Our re-
belious people have not yet given sufficient assu
RANGES of returning loyalty to the General Govern
ment to warrant the withdrawal of the military
power or the abandonment Of military courts. II
is not strange that the authorities should dstrust
people who for four years have applied every means
at their command TO destroy the nation Indeed, il
is a great concession on the part Of the General
commanding TO declare that The military will 'sus
tain the civil government and never assume il
functions except in in which prompt action is
necessary TO ensure the public safety" Neyerthe-
less until our people have given conclusive evidence
of their intention to obey all our laws both State
and National, you, and l. and all citizens are alike
liable to be arrested and tried according TO the forms
of military procedure .t,..t.... r.r
1t is extremely important that all conflict between
the civil and military authorities should be avoided
For, as we are now situated just out of rebellion,
till they were forced TO do so ct the point of the
bayonet, the civil government iseply allowed tc
proceed by permission Of the military. Hence
deeply regret the occurrences at Columbia, but the
high character Of Gen. Thomas for prudence justice
and patriotism warrants in assuring you that he
will gladly receive and impartiatly consider any tes-
timony you may wish TO present in your behalf
You are accused Of using your official pc 9er in
the oppression of the freed people of Columbia and
in preventing their instruction in the art of reading
etc. While IL is true that our past habits and life
long prejudices apt TO betray into acts Of the
kind attributed to you, still the wrong is a very
great one. For II combines cruelty to the weak
and dependent, and ingratitude to those whose I'M
requitted toll we have enjoyed for generations past
whatever you and may think of slavery or its alb
clifton, the negro is innocent Of both. Whatever
we may think of the merits Of the late rebellion,
we must recognize its results. The relation of mas
ter and slave Is at end The legal obligation,
well as the legal rights Of the master no longer ex-
ist The negro, poor and illiterate from long en-
sayement socially ignored and still denied the rights
of citizenship Is cast upon our hands for social and
political treatment our plain practical duty as chris
tans and as citizens is not to Cypress him treat
him with contempt, but to instruct him in religion
and civilization. ..t .....
And by every means in our power TO qualify him
for the exercise Of these civil rights which are prObA
bly, in reserve for him. The protection Of their mas
ters Is Withdrawn and they must be protected in
the future as we are, by the Government. And n
the civil tribunals refuse that protection we must
not complain If the military authorities come 10
the rescue. Such is supposed to be the object Of
General Order No, 8, Of which you complain. And
sincerely hope you may be able TO show that there
was no necessity for any interruption in your case
You are suspended from Office, not deposed and will
no doubt be further heard. The charge being made
upon information deemed sufficient by the Major
General commanding, it is eminently proper that
you should in the meantime refrain from the per-
Torrance Of official duties.
Jam, your obedient servant
w. @. BRowSLow,
Gov. Of Tennessee.