The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-31
PROCLAMATION BY the Governor.

wurpr.a. A number Of highly respected
and influential citizens Of Eastern Tonnes .
goa have memoralized the Executive 10 is %
s,e this Proclamation, calling upon return
inc FasaraI soldiers and citizens, IN that
section of the State, 10 cease, "undor q
sense Of personal or political wrongs TO re-
sort 70 the inhicti0n Of violence upon the
rersons Of others who sympathIsed with
he late rebellion" and also 20 cease threats
against persons who nave returned under
parole 10 their homes, agreeably 70 the
| tcrms accorded % the armies Of Lee ana
| Johnston" and, whereas, the memorallsJs
represent that in "soveral instances at
tampts have been made % take the lives
of s1rh ners0ns, or mon who are under
stood. while remaining at home, to have
heen uufrieudly 20 the Union ana further,
they cali for al good citizens 20 rairsln
from acts oflawless and personal violence
nov. therefore, J., WILLIAM G.. BROWN
Low. Governor of Tennessee, do issue TINS,
nv Proclamation, calling upon the civil
magestrscy and the courts 70 repress all
improper indulgence of private or political
revenge: and I call upon all Eggrleyed clJl-
rens % apply for the redress OF their wrongs
and tho punishment of any parties who
have personally injured them, and are
puiltv OF ofenses against he State or Ma
ton. TO inc NANh hNNA - "-N~ go 49, -
I'M most parts Of tho section where these
outrares are being perpetrated. Should tho
! guiItv be shielded by the c~urruptIons Of civil
! or judicial officers, or justice 10 the injured
| he refused by the courts, 1t Will then be
! Impossible 70 prevent the injured and op-
pressed from taking their remedies IN their
own hands. p
when The Federal soldiers who survive
after an absence Of three years Of hard
lighting, return 90 their homes, from which
they we're driven, sud find their homes
dcsolated, find their wives and children
have sunk into poverty and starvation, or
into untimely graves, or find them Ia rags
and sickness, crying for bread-when these
wan and weary men, many OF them them
selves crippled for life, or reduced in health
with their constitutions broken, and their
p~Dsrects ia life blasted, I am not among
those who would restrain their vengeance
against their opprCssOrs, 30 long as their
vengeance is kept within ouuds and
sought through legitimate channels. But
those agents ia the bloody drama who were
themselves UsiCiltng agents, should be
treated with charitable consideration, and
"a 20 them We should drown the r~ecollcc-
Tons ct the past in the dark waters Of OBJ
rviaul while those leaders who notified
Union men, 81 the beginning OF the robel-
lior. that but one party could hereafter live
IN Easteru Tennessee, and drove them from
their homes, would set wisely b quietly
and forever withdraw from tho country!
Intelligent, influential men OF wealth
wb, iufiirated this rebellion-who seized
aud imprisoned Union men, sent them by
bppsreds and thousands TO the grave-auc
then. 10 crown their work Of IuiBmy, de
priyed heir helpless families Of all they
haH-haye forfeited all right to protection
and life. and merit the vigorous and indy
lug opposition Of loyal men. bui the,
@ must be punished in a legitimate wFy AM
b M The Judgment Of he Executive oil thi
state, the disposition manifested ny many
? Of ctr loyal citizens to shiCld from JUSTICE
the chief sectors in these revolving scenes
IS cuuso of serious alarm. LenIency, with
q cut a distinction between loyalty and trea
con, is moro certain 70 subvert the Govern
ment than is Z bsllion itssf. Clemency, q
the sscrIAce Of Justice, is the abandonmen
u OF Government. and the overthrow OF ls'
and order. Tue treason Of she rebellion }
e @ crime sEalasl law. liberty and humsn-ty
They who are rollty Of IL have forfeited a.
= rights 60 citizenship. snd u life itself. ky
cry ueld OF carnage, every rebel prison
every Union mans grave unite with q VIC
lated law ana demand the penalty, and
tho courts do not administer it, an outrage
people viii.
! call upon al rebel robbers, bushwhacs
ers and gUerrIias 10 cease their woke
ways and betske themselves to honest pun
# suits.
, 7 call upon all rebels who hsvo stole
horses, mules, cattle, and other property
3 snd who have committed other outrage
e upau Union men or Union families, forth
with 90 restore the stolen property % ID
true owners, and make repatriation 90 q
loyal men Tor tho wrongs they have don
{ them aud their oppressed families.
n I call upon those who have carried @
the moneys archieves, and property Of tn
State, ana the property OF the raiirosd con
- psuies, % forthwith return all they toe
away, or ali these offenders shall have Z
rest while I am in office. And ] warn a
q who refuse 90 return TINS property, OF mai
4 q lust reparation, 70 leave lie State OF Y
y main out Of her borders.
And 1 call upon all returning rebel so
3, diers to cease their thrests of violence, sue
d Is. thai they are not whipped, and are on.
resting with q purpose 10 hght asal
Such threats car only bring or trouble, 81
result in the shedding Of biooc.
e In testimony whereof, have hereUn
d set my hand, and caused the Great Seal
90 he state 20 be affixed, at the ID
p III. $. partnent In Nashville on thls, q
If -- thirtieth day Of May Auno Don
. mi, one thousand eight hundred snd siNt
five. WILLIAN &. bRoWNLe"-
A. F.. FLETCHER, Secretary Of State.