Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-29


Gen Cooper, in his late manifesto says
reliable information has been received
at his headquarters that the disloyal
citizens, or outlaws backed up by the
aforesaid disloyal citizens, at or near
Franklin, Hartsyille Gallatin, jackson,
and many other portions Of Middle and
West Tennessee, have been threatening,
and in many instances have used vio-
lence to drive loyal and law-abiding citi-
zens from their homes" And this is
made the pretext for mastering ont no
more Of the loyal militia We desire
to call attention to some facts here. Gen
Cooper says he has reliable informa-
ton" that loyal citizens in various por-
tons Of Middle and West Tennessee have
been driven from their homes by dis
loyal citizens, who used violence in thus
eiecting them. Now does not General
Cooper know that these are crimes not
only against "loyal and law-abiding
citizens" but against the peace and
dignity Of the State, and that the guilty
parties should be arrested and brought
to trial and punishment 1.-THE civil au-
thorities refuse to per form their duties
in the premises, Gen Cooper has the
" loyal militia at his command with
which to arrest and hold all offenders
until they are tried, and he confesses
that be has reliable information as to
who these offenders are and where they
are to be found Instead Of quietly
ordering their arrest and holding them
for trial, he promulgates a wordy bonn
bastic order advising those who have
been threatened or driven away to
bring civil suits for the wrongs and
grievances done them, and promising
the assistance Of the loyal militia to
aid in arresting and holding the offenders.
Gen Cooper gives offenders, if there
be any SUCH fair warning to clear
out and avoid the consequences
of an arrest and trial If Gen. Cooper
were a Conservative, or what he is
pleased to term disloyal citizen,
and had issued suce an order as that he
has just promulgated, he would forthwith
be charged with aiding end abett.ng the
escape of criminals This shows the
fallacious character Of Gen. Coopers
reliable information Beside, the
agent Of the Freedmens Bureau in this
city, as we are advised; has heard moth
ing of the outrages to which zen. Cooper
refers, and if outrages have been com
mitted they must then have been con-
fined exclusively to "poor whites as
the Bureaus wards have no complaints
to lodge with that institution. The
loyal militia were placed at the dis
posal of Gen. Cooper when, in his opin-
ion, the safety of life, property, liberty,
or the faithful execution Of law,
require its services He declares
upon "reliable information that the
lives and liberty eff "loyal and law
abiding citizens Of this State have been
put in jeorardy by "disloyal citizens, or
outlaws backed up by the aforesaid dis
loyal citizens, and not single arrest
does he make, but instead, rushes into
print with an order which sounds very
much like some Of the pronunciamentos
promulgated by Mexican revolutionists
1t savors Of an utter disregard of law
and of the rights Of political opponents,
for turn it and twist it as you may, it was
leveled at the opponents of the reigning
dynasty, as a part Of the machinery by
which this State is to be kept subject to
that dynasty, and not for the purpose of
restoring peace and harmony. There is
nothing that shows the spirit of the pa
triot in this order it is the imperious
command of the tyrant, who feels that
the powers he exercises are usurped
Let us whisper a word into Gen Coop
ers ear Cease your misrepresentation
of the people of Tennessee, every man
of whom is your. peer, through these pro
nuneiamentos make no more threats of /
quartering your "loyal militia" upon
who oppose your masters
and deal with offenders,
if you know of such, as becomes a man
and General Talk less and act more,
if there be "rebellious and seditious con.
duet on the part of any portion of the
people, and you will then entitle your
self to the respect of men who
can honor the manly conduct Of politi-
cal opponent The civil authorities will
cooperate with you, and there will not
be a crime committed in the State that
they will not readily punish, be the Of
fender whom and what he may
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