The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-09-09
The Hitch In Mississippi.


the Constitution and laws Of the State
OF Mississippi conform to the condition
OF its relations with the Federal
Government hereafter, proceeded so
smoothly and expeditiously to the con
summation Of its work, that it seemed
as though no further difficulty need be
apprehended, at least not before its
representatives should appear at Wash
lngton for admission to Congress.
! Governor Sharkey throughout has
manifested 8 desire TO restore the State
to the Union upon such a basis as to
remove all objections; and whatever be
the result, we believe him TO have
acted in good faith. But while doing
this from a sense of obligation to the
! general welfare, he has not omitted to
| consider the local welfare of the people
! for whom he Immediately administers
government With view to repress
! existing disorder, and put down the
lawless men who, singly and in squads,
were roaming about the State. robbing.
pluHdering and numbering, he pro
posed, as civil magistrate, 10 call out a
constabulary force. This he did under
the militia law, directing that this |
force be taken from the rolls of the mi |
litia, to the extent of two companies |
for each county This body was to be |
organized simply for the preservation |
of peace The Constitution of the 1
United States declares that "a we'll /
regulated militia, being necessary to /
the security of a free State, the right /
Of the people to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed - And Governor
Sharkey did not exceed this constitu.
tiOnal right in calling out the militia
for 'the security Of a free State" There
was no other force, unless he called in
the assistance of the Federal troops,
upon which he could rely for the TeS
preston OF the disorders so detrimental
to the peace and security of the people
This was, perhaps, what General Slo
cum desired, and probably what he
thought should be done. For he issued
an order directing that no such militia
ny organization shall take place any
where in the State, and commanding
all persons in the State to at once come !
forward and surrender all arms in their
possession to the officers of the United
States. General SlOcum may have been
moved to this by apprehensions that
the military organization proposed by
Governor Sharkey would be used for
other than its declared ohjects-possi-
bly, for insurrectionary purposes, or ,
with view to resist the execution Of ,
Federal laws in the State The action
OF the State Convention and the char
acter of Gov Sharkey should, however.
have assured him that no such thing {
was contemplated. There was not a
member Of the convention, and there is /
not an intelligent man in the State of !
Mississippi, who does not admit the 7
criminal folly of any such enterprise. q
Without means, almost without arms,
without supplies of any kind, without
lines of communication, all her strong
posts guarded by Federal sol,
diers, the people longing for peace and +
q return to industrial pugsuits-Gener- t
al SlOcum must have had his apprehen- Il
5iOns worked upon by influences not q
apparent at this distance, if he suppos- &
ed Governor Sharkey designed organiz- G
ing the militia for other than the en-
forcement Of order and tranquility in =
the State. 1t would seem to be rather
beneficial than otherwise, that those in
trusted with the work of civil reorganiz G
alton should be encouraged in setting a
The wheels in motion.
General SlOcum, however, thought {
and it was plainly evident Y
hat he must give way or the Governor d,
must resign. 1t depended upon the
course the President would pursue in
deciding between them. 1t is notice
lble, in this connection, how eagerly
certain Northern papers, ON the pre- Il
sumption that the President would sus- Il
ain the military rBther than the civil a
set up u clamor for the re- 7
noVal of the Provisional Governor. He q
vas going too fast He was likely to
discharge his duties, and get the State =
rack into full communion TOO soon. y
The military surveillance must be main L
aimed, even after all visible occasion q
or it was gone. What would the Pres OIL
lent do2 i.-'s Il
The answer to this question was b
iven in the letter Of President John o.
on to Governor Sharkey, published in
ull in the Commercial of yesterday, r
nd it would seem from this that the :,
call for an organization of !"
he militia was prompted from Wash VI
ngton. ut is believed says the Pres M
dent, that there can be organized in al
ach county q force Of citizen militia, to OF
reserve order and enforce the laws Of q
he civil authorities of the State, and Of | A
he United States, which would enable the i.
FEDERAL GOVernment 10 reduce the ar
~, and to Withdraw, to a great extent, -
he forces from the State, thereby redu-
ing the expenses Of the Govern pr
lent' Evidently, the President is not O.
fraid Of the people he has amnestied, tn
nd does not share the opinion of those ON
tho have clamored for Governor Shar- i.
icy 8 removal, that he is moving too
ast" And the President proceeds to ~
ay, that if there was any danger of the h'
buse Of this organization of the mill M
ia, by converting it into an instrument Sc
f insubordination, there is a military tn
Jrce at hand sufficient for its immedi in
te suppression One great object of W.
alling out the militia, in the manner b.
roposed by Governor Sharkey, says -
ne President, is to Induce the people
D come forward in the defense Of the u
tate and Federal Government" and III
bus to hasten their return to a peace to
ii condition in the bosom of the Oh
Jnion. The people, says the President, or
and the words are full Of faith in the co
onesty and integrity Of the people, d,
hen not misled by bad men "the PEG ~
le must be trusted with their Govern
lent and if trusted, it Is his opinion
hey will act in good faith 70
This is another of President John "
pa s experiments, or rather it is 8 VI
art Of the experimental policy com
lenced by him, and which he will car di
? out successfully if the other States act in
] the same spirit that directed the re- an
snt Convention al Jackson. Ii is,
therefore,, very evident, that until Gov :,
rnor Sharkey shows a disposition 70
Sc the organized militia for other than 81
dice purposes, neither General SlO- Do
I'm, nor any other military officer, ap
i'll be permitted TO interfere.-CiH re-
Jm. az
OrnadO on the RITer Baggage and ia
Freight Blown overheard. 'h