New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-09
TVF LAST FRAY IN TENNESSEE.

We are i'm the frequent receipt OF both public
and private complaints from either faction In
Tennessee Of the outrageous and sangunary
doings of the other Usually, we believe both.
That Is TO saw. We believe the BrownlOw " Union
"istsr are too hard on their Conservative" adj
versaries (who are mainly eX-Rebels) where
they have q clear local prcpOnderance; and we
are very clear that the Conservatives" are at
least as outrageous where hey have
tbe uppor hand. The State this day ought TO
be under Military rule, with Gen. Thomas full
" authorized and empowered to do whatever
shooting and killing may be necessary She
was restored to self-gOvenmcnt altogether too
soon, though we thought otherwise at the time
We do not justify or excuse the UniOnists
when they do wrong; but it is very clear that
the massacre at Franklin last Saturday was OF
Conservative" or Rebel origin. Look at the
facts Franklin is the shire town of Williamson
County, which gave in June, 1861, an aggregate
vote of $40 for Secession to % against IT, 1t
is of course q Conservative stronghold, so
far rs its Whites are concerned.
But it is a very fertile county, and had
large slave populaton-12,3 1867 slaves to 11,f6O
free persons in 1860. Being in the Nashville
candidate for Congress, held n meeting at
Franklin, along with the Radical candidates
for the Legislature The negroes were Of
course on hand. 1t is said that many of them
were armed it is very certain that they needed
to be- 1t is not pretended, even by the "Con-
"scrvatiyo" bulletin, that they used their arms
till attacked, nor is any prOvOcation for firing
on them asscrtcd.-NOw look at the iaiIer ac-
count Of the collision:
Last evening a fearful riot occurred at Franklin
A procession OF colOrcd men had been out to listen
70 addresses from their candidates for Congress- State
Senate &c. in the afternoon. Toward evening, there
| being much excitement the cOl0red men marched
10 the music OF c and drum out TO grove, where they
| were addressed by Union citizens, who urged them 10
march back 90 their headquarters and from there as
pcIsc They agreed to do so. II being now DARK ana
had nearly reached their destination when Il volley
from n dark corner poured into their ranks that
brought down eighteen OF their men. The colored men
returned the fire. and Killed and wounded eight
| more"
Now scan the more Conservative bulletin :
"ohn Trimble candidate for Congress, and two can
dlacs for the State Legislature oil Radicals had nm a
poinment TO speak yesterday at Franklin Williamson
County large number Of persons, white and black at
tended among the latter members OF Loyal League,
about 80 in number who paraded the streets In regaa
I
firing salute The candidates heard without in
terrrption, tho speaking lasting until about u o'clock
subsequently however Trmbc. when not present, was
denounced tho public square. aud ono Of
the Legislative candidates badecrcd for some
thing he had said. Much excitement arose.
and symptoms Of III feeling between some Of the
whites and colored Leagues were developed. The
Inaguers retired in bad humor 10 grove, where they
were followed by OF Dr. Clfe. Who in cOnclhatOry
address advised them TO dispersc They agreed 10 do
this and marched back TO their han. by this time. night
came on and after storing away their reala, &C. they
left the hail and returned the public square, where
collision Immediately occurred. II is alleged that they
ycs a man named Cady, lyerystable keeper. firing
the first shot The fire instantly returned. The A.
filr lasted but fow moments half minute, perhaps
There appeared 10 Dc voey In attack and scattering
reply resulting IN CIc death 81 Cady who WAS shot
through the heart and the wounding 81 eight whites
and eighteen blacks. Three Of the latter are MORALLY
wounded. Some OF the wounded blacks C0nserya-
lives"
We defy any fair man to compare those
two accounts and say that ." the Conservatives
were not wanton and unprovoked aggrcssors.
The meeting was none of thers-they had
free choice to stay away or attend and behave
themselves. They did neither; but attacked
the Radicals murdcrousy and without excuse.
They fired volley," to which there was
ga scattering repy'-net result 4 killed and
90 wounded, most Of them Blacks, and nearly
all Radicals. Cannot such butchcricS loo stopped
in Tenncsscc7