Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-23

and Times, dated July S, Mr.. Bliss saws
" The colored league cried out, show us
the man that struck Mr.. Bliss, and some
OF them commenced shooting in the
air. In all this it is not shown that
any demonstration was made calculated
to provoke breach Of the peace by any
Conservative, except Mr. House, who,
supposing that Bliss was melting the
people to disturb Joe Williams" slapped
Bliss in the face. But when Joe VIII
liams, in his speech, began to bear
down pretty hard, the Radicals became
restless some used insulting language
and threats, and others went away"
The Radical speakers had been treated
with the utmost courtesy, and not an
episode had occurred to mar the occa
sion. Joe Williams had been urged by
Radicals to speak, ana the result shows
a premeditated intention to create dis
turbance The league had previously
armed a portion Of their members at
least others armed themselves that day,
and the testimony shows that runners
must have been sent to the country to
notify members of the League that a fight
was to be had with the Conservatives,
and that they must come armed, which
they did; and the testimony shows that
the leaguers exhibited the widest pas
sions, that they were parading the
streets in a menacing attitude, and so
excited had they become that they were
shooting in the air, and their conduct was
threatening 1t would be wonderful in
deed il, under such circumstances, the
Conservatives had not made hasty prepar
alton to resist what seemed inevitable, an
attack by an armed Infatuated mob,
for into such the report of Capt Walsh
clearly shows the league had degener-
ated.
We append the deductions of Capt
Walsh, which show the guilt of the Rad
ieals and the effort to criminate the Con-
servatiyes The Captain says
"On a review of the whole case, impartial
justice compels me to censure both parties
most severely. The carrying of loaded guns
in the procession should have been prohib-
tied at the beginning of the day. The hon
orable gentlemen should have declined
either to speak to, or to countenanee citi-
zens in the procession, until they had put
away their guns. They had no need to
carry them in self-defense, and if the state
of society was such in Franklin that a peace
able procession could not march unmo-
Tested, the gentlemen should have post
poned their meeting until proper protection
could have been obtained. But the guns and
pistols were not only carried about all day,
but they were employed in a threatening
manner. On several occasions they were
fired off by men who exhibited signs of
passion and restlessness.
"The disturbance of Joe Williams meet
ing was another outrage. Some of the
colored Radicals had urged him to stop and
make speech, and in compliance with
their request did so, and he said nothing up
to the time he was shouted and drummed
down, to warrant breach of the peace.
Mr.. Trimble and Mr.. Elliott had been
respectfully listened to during the day by
Conservatives and Radicals, and Williams
should have been permitted TO finish HIS
speech. Liberty of speech is a sacred right
which has been purchased for the col
ored people at a great cost, and it was
sad spectacle to witness in the very first
campaign in which they are permitted
to participate, a colored orator shouted
down by colored audience, while white
men, lately shareholders, are standing BIZ
importuning the disorderly crowd to give
him hearing. The colored people Of
Franklin, who ho0ted and yelled down Joe
Williams, demonstrated that they had not
yet been educated up to proper standard
of Republican morals. Liberty is a holy
thing, not a blessing to run riot upon. A
true Republican is not staggering, boast
ing, betting bully, always spelling for
fight. Freedmen of Franklin should learn
that such fellows are the enemies of human
liberty.
"The banners carried during the day
were of very exciting character Was it
expedient in Franklin, where the colored
schools have never been mOlested in the
slightest degree, TO haunt il the faces of
the people this: Radicals build our school
houses, Conservatives burn them Or in
community where perfect security to life
and property had been maintained ever
since the close of the war, without the aid
of a soldier, was it expedient to say, Re
member Fort Pillow when you vote {?
Such banners as these could have no other
effect than to stir up bad blood. And is it
not to be lamented that white men, politi-
cal leaders, should not seem to be able to
comprehend the peculiar condition of
things in Tennessee? Three-quarters of
the white citizens are disfranchised. do
not complain of this, for it is perhaps right
and necessary, but it is an irritating fact,
nevertheless to these parties. On the other |
hand, votes are put into the hands of the |
former slaves of these disfranChised whites. |
The blacks possess the whole political |
power of this portion of the State. Every |
impulse of manliness should prevent them |
from insulting and tantalizing the disfran- |
chised whites, and every interest which |
they possess demands it. 1t is essential to |
the prosperity of the colored race that they |
maintain a good understanding with the |
whites, and those politicians who go about |
throwing frebrands into communities, |
kindle flames which never can reach them,
but which will scortch their colored sup |
porters, deserve the seyerest censure.
But, if the conduct of the colored |
league at Franklin was highly censurable,
what shall be said ofthose intelligent white |
men who deliberately planned and as de-
liberstely executed what was intended to
be a wholesale massacre Grant that they |
had been tantalized and insulted by their |
former slaves, even that does not palliate,
much less excuse, the cowardly crime of |
lying in wait TO commit murder. II any |
colored men had violated any law, why did |
not the authorities arrest them2 All the 1
officers Of the town and country are Con-
servatives. Why did those authorities per-
NIT a body of armed men 10 be in ambush |
ready to pour a deadly volley into the /
backs Of men and boys marching in pro-
cession? The men who melted this deed, |
and the men who pe1petrated it are as
sassins and murderers, and deserve to be
e1ecrated by every lover Of his country"
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PEACE CLUBS.
The citizens of Columbia, earnestly |
desiring continuance of peace, have