Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-11
THE CEY OF AN OPPREssED PEO-
PIE


Mayor, calling upon the citizens to assem-
ble at the markethoufe last night to take
into consideration the present unhappy
condition of affairs in this section, and to
institute measures preventive of further
trouble, about 5000 people gathered at the
place appointed.
Amid round of deafening applause,
Mayor Brown took the chair, stated briefly
the object of the meeting, and introduced
Dr. Jennings, who spoke as follows
SPEECH OF DIR. JENNINGS.
My FELLOW CITIZENS: | am here to-
night by special invitation of the Chief
Magistrate Of this city, for the purpose OF
introducing a series of resolutions prepared
for this occasion. He did me the honor to
select me for this duty because | had borne
the reputation Of Union man, constitu-
tional Union man, throughout the war.
Through all those troubles, never once
swerVed in devotion to the constitution and
the Union-that great heritage left US by
our ancestors, and hope never lost sight
of my duty to the country in which lgrew
up and to the people to whom ! am in
debted for the prosperity have enjoyed.
We hear much talk of sympathy with
the Rebels Well, if the Rebels were in
error, that is all the more reason why they
should have our sympathy. l stood up
manfully in opposition to the course taken
by majority of my friends here, because
believed it would not be to their interest
to follow it, and the event has proved me
right.
Our Mayor has not acted, though there
has been much to provoke him, Who
could consider the occurrences of the past
few days without being disturbed in mind
All must admit that he has behaved with
the greatest moderation, and he has issued
no inhammatory proclamations. wish |
could say that none had come from any
other official did not come here with a
view to influence the vote of any one; but
have read proclamatiOns from the highest
executive in the State, that are not only
infammatory, but in violation of every
word Of the constitution and of the statute
books. In this trying emergency he took
it upon himself TO interfere with the mea-
sures of the military authorities of the
United States, and he received Just such an
answer from the commander of this post as
We might have expected from a military
gentleman of his character and reputation.
Loud applause.
You need only to look at Gen. Duncan.
The first lime | saw him, / in the first
glance recognized in him every inch of
true soldier-the soldier of the old army
of the United States, who does not rely on
mere shoulder-straps for a reputation, but
hat hn hoo iona IL f,,,o-ba yh.,,,S.b
Mexico side by side with Lee and Grant
and Mcclellan and Butler-not Ben. But
tier, bat Gen. Pierce Butler. TCheers.1 |
will make the distinction by saying that
Pierce Butler fell in defense of the flag of
his country, and Ben. Butler was never
suspected of such thing as that. 1t has
been said that the Butler who led on the
Indians at the bloody massacre of Wyo-
ming was an ancestor Of Ben's, and if this
be true, he can trace his barbarity back to
legitimate source.
We have received assurances Of protec-
ton, and these assurances come from a
source W hich should encourage all. Why
should we fear the commander of
the militia? We have no rea-
son to fear, Let every man go on
and firmly perform his duty, and he will
be protected. We had ample proof of this
at Franklin to-day We know that unprin-
cipled men are binding together the freed
men for the purpose of begetting malevo-
lence in their minds, and to excite them to
violence toward their white brethren. They
have been bound by oaths, and arms have
been placed in their hands. As a result of
this the death of man dear to his friends,
his wife and children, and to the commu-
nifty in which he lived, has followed
man whose life was Of more value than all
the politicians in the State. f..
Gen. Duncan, with the true instinct of a
soldier, felt the difference between an armed
mob and the disciplined soldiers of the
United States You all know that his SOL
diers behaved like disciplined troops after
reaching Franklin. 1t has been reported that
the military are siding with the citizens, and
not sustaining the men who brought on the
difficulty. Why, Gen. Duncan was so solic-
itous that all should be done in accordance
with order and law, that he himself accom-
panied his soldiers to Franklin, and deter
mined upon the course of action they should
pursue.
It is noised about that the troops are not
doing justice. They are charged with Sym
pathy." These charges are made against
even men SCARED as is Gen. Duncan. be-
cause it is thought they are not yielding
propersupport to theRaGicaIs. BrownIoW's
men dispatched to make up a deficiency of
troopsl Only think of Summers men going
out to see that Gen. Duncan's men did their
duty
Their department en- leaving this city
was disgraceful. They we're followed to the
depot by hooting and shouting mob. Did
any such exhibition occur when the troops
of Gen. Duncan moved? Colored men and
women shouted and hooted at Summers
mob, and the object of their departure was
applauded. They did not even chirp at
Franklin to-day, because they knew that
the veterans of Glen. Duncan were drawn
up there.
This people loved the old flag once, and
they love it sill. The assurance of this
comes from the hearts of men who never
lied. / said TO one of the Confederate
Generals not long ago-one By whose side
two sons had fallen in battle" General,
would you be willing now to take up the
old flag and cast it to the breeze again %
With that brilliant fash of his noble eye
so familiar to those who know him, he re-
plleu MOulu take up Luhl nag ana
defend it with my life. Ii we had taken it
up and fought under ii, we would not have
been beaten" That man, felloW-citizens,
was Gen. Joel A. Battle, cheers. And this
il the prevailing sentiment. | feel assured
that the mass of the people are willing to
take up that dag again.
DIR. Jennings then closed by reading, in
a voice clear and loud, the following
RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas, This numerous assemblage OF
the citizens of Nashville, of all classes,
orders and races, has been invited hither
for the purpose of taking into calm and dis
passionate consideration certain movements
of recent occurrence in this vicinity calcu-
lated to endanger the public peace; and
whereas various facts have been laid be-
fore this meeting, having more or less cor
nection with the movements aforesaid, and
Of nature demanding formal and dis
tinet expression Of the opinions and senti-
ments Of this much misrepresented and
much misunderstood community, in regard
to matters of the most intense concern to
all truly patriotic citizens; therefore,
De paaolVaH lof That The efffray,c Of