Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-29
THE COMING ELECTION.
Sheriff Winters Prepares to Call
Out 1900 Men.
Col. Beaumont Denies His Author
ity and Warns the Sheriff
to Desist.
Letter from Mayor Lofland Urging
the Revocation of the
Sheriff's Order.

y
ence between number Of well known
citizens and Sheriff Winters relative to
preserving the peace on election day.
The letter to the Sheriff bears the sigma
lures of the following named parties:
A. j. White, ID. A. Shepherd, c. j. Sell
den, I. B. McEwen, j. f. Mckinney,
VIM. Bohlen, John C. Lanier, Eugene
Mageveney, j. j. Murphy, Jno. Johnson,
J. G. Lonsdale, d. B. Molloy, VIM. II.
Andrews, J. +. Frank, John S. Toof, r.
p. Walt, Geo. Winchester, Jno. d. Coffee,
S. P. Read q. p Bowles, M. j. Wicks,
Newton Ford, M. L. Meacham, VIM.
Bowles, John B. Robinson, D. 7. Porter,
Michael Mageveney.
In reply, Captain Winters stated that
in compliance with their request, he had
instructed his deputies to summon fifteen
hundred men forthe purpose designated
He comludes And hereby request
the cooperation of the Metropolitan
Police of Memphis, and all other peace
officers Of the county Of Shelby, TO aid
me in maintaining peace, quietness,
order and freedom Of the ballot box, and
to assist, should it be necessary, in the
capture and dispersement Of all opposing
forces "
This action of Captain Winters has
elected two cards-one from Col. Beau
mont, Superintendent of the Metropolitan
Police, and another from His Honor
Mayor LofandA Both depreeate Captain
Winters course, and the former exhibits
considerable bitterness in his reply.
Colonel Beaumont's card, or order, is
as follows:
To the citizens of Shelby county:
With q sincere desire to prevent dis
turbance at the polls, or at any place
within this Metropolitan Police District,
on the day of election, have labored
Increasingly during the past month to
make such arrangements as would be
most likely to secure that object. In
these efforts / have had the hearty CO.
operation of the chairmen of the county
and district committees of the Conserva-
tive party, the Mayor of the city, and
many other leading citizens of both po-
litical parties. Owing to these energetic
an 1 harmonious efforts, the anticipations
of riot that at one time possessed the
public mind had almost disappeared.
But lust at time when the community
begins to breathe freely, the Sheriff OF
the county is seized with panic, and
orders his deputies to summon fifteen
hundred men to aid him in preserving
order on the day of election. For this
extraordinary step the Sheriff claims to
find authority in law passed June 7th,
1865. The only clause in that act under
which the Sheriff can find shadow OF
authority for his action reads as follows /:
"That the Sheriffs of the several coun-
ties of this State are hereby authorized
to raise posse Of men, not TO erceed
t,cenfu fire in number as a county patrol,
and to aid the Sheriff and all other civil
officers of the county, in enforcing civil
law and order and further, the Sheriffs
of the different counties in this State
shall, in all cases q emergencies. have
discretionary power to summons, in ad,
dition to the power granted by this act,
as many mere men as will, in his judg-
ment be sufficient to either capture or
dispense ali opposing forces.
Under this TACT, the Sheriff chad not
subsequent "act been passed, pro.
viding for the police government of
Shelby county, could raise "a posse of
men not to exceed twenty five In number
as county patrol, and in case of an
emergency-such, for instance, as the
unlawful assemblage of an opposing
T force he might call out sufficient
number of men to capture or dispense
such unlawful opposing force.
But it happens that since the passage
of the act of June I, 1865, another and
entirely different measure has been pro
vided for preserving order in Shelby
county. in IAN act to establish Net
ropolitan Police District, and to provide
for the government thereof" and the at.
tention of Sheriff Winters and all others
who propose to embark in the difficult
and dangerous task Of capturing or
dispensing opposing forces, is called to
the following section of that act
Sec. |. Be it further enacted, that the
mowers and duties connected with and
incident to the police, and discipline of
the said district shall be as hereinafter
more especially provided for, vested in
and exercised by Commissioners Of the
Metropolitan Police composed of said
Commissioners, and by Metropolitan
Police force, comprised Of Captains Of
Metropolitan Police force, Sergeants Of
Metropolitan Police force, and patrolmen
of Metropolitan Police force.
Section of this act designates the
Experimenting Commissioner as the ex-
ecutive head of the Metropolitan force,
and defines his duties, one of which is
that he shall see that the laws of the
State and the ordinances Of the city, town
and other legal authorities of the Metro.
politan Police district are enforced
throughout the district.
Section II provides that the Board of
Metro oolitan Police may, upon any
emergency or apprehension Of riot,
appoint as many special patrolmen as ii
niay deem advisable, and may appoint
as many special Pdtrolmen for serrice
on election day as they may deem neces-
sary, and shall pay three dollars day
to each Of said special patrolman who
T faithfully performs his duty on election
day.
In the face of a law SO clear that even
Sheriff Winters should be able to com
prehend its meaning that officer has the
{ unblushing eifrontery to write me to CO.
operate with him in the performance OF
duties for the faithful discharge OF which
am alone responsible. Should quietly
aecede to such an unreasonable PROPOSE