Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-29
Correspondence Between The Mayor
and General Thomas Yesterday.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT UMBER.
LAND, NASHVILLE, Sept. %, 1867-HoH. w.
Matt Bro0n, HoyOr of Nashville: have the
honor to invite your attention to the follow
ing extract from your correspondence, as
reportedin the morning papers: And Gen.
Geo. II. Thomas having notified me
officially, in writing, that he would use
the military power of the United States in
sustaining the Governor of the State in
forcibly preventing a peaceable cleo
ton" etc
Referring to my communication, you will
find that | did not so inform you. / did
say that ia proper Interpretation of Gen.
Grants Geographic orders is to sustain the
State authorities in the execution of their
orders.
| will further say that the troops under
my command will not be used to prevent a
peaeeable election. On the contrary, they
will be used to preserve peace. And, with
that view, the troops are here TO preserve
order, peace and quiet at the polls.
Your obedient servant,
GEO. II. THOMAS, U. S. A.,
Maj. Gen. Commanding
MAYORS OFFICE, II O'CLOCK, NASH
VILE, Sept %, 1S67.-Maj. Gen. Geo. H.
Thomas, Commanding At the hour of
10 o'clock A. NJ, of this day, l received
your communication of this morning, in
which you qnote these words from my
communication to the public in to-day's
paper: "And Gen. G.. H. Thomas having
notified me officially in writing, that he
would use the military power of the United
States in sustaining the Governor of the
State in forcibly preventing a peaceable
election, etc" and add, referring to my
communication, you will find that / did
not 30 inform YOU"
With Difference, | cannot concede the
correctness of this last assertion. The
Governor of the State had issued a procla-
nation in which he had distinctly an
nounced that he would use the militia
placed under his control by the last Legis-
lature to execute the franchise law in the
pending municipal election, and to prevent
the holding Of the election by the Judges
appointed by the Board of Aldermen.
subsequently, by an order directed to
Gen. Jos. A. Cooper, commanding the
State Guards, the Governor directs him to
bring Immediately to Nashville all the
troops, infantry and cavalry you can
command" to enforce the franchise laws"
Immediately upon receipt of this order,
Gen. Cooper, by published proclamation,
"warns all parties to desist from any at
tempt to hold any election in violation of
the franchise law" Thereupon, l, 10 my
official capacity, in order to prevent civil
strife between the citizens of the State and
the militia, applied to the President of the
United States, distinctly stating that it was
not the wish Of the authorities of the city Of
Nashville to prevent the Judges appointed
by the Commissioner of Registration from
holding an election under the charter as
heretofore all questions arising to be sub
mitted to the legal decisions of the courts.
You, General, were, thereupon, sent here
with instructions, such we all thought as
would enable us peaceably to exercise our
rights.
Afterwards, upon some private tele-
grams from yourself to Gen. Grant, with
the contents of which we were not made
acquainted, another dispatch was received
from Gen. Grant, which was not so clear
in its terms. Thereupon, | addressed you
communication az Mayor, copying this
last telegram, suggesting the difficulty of
constituting it, and asking you to inform
me explicitly whether you deem it your
duty under the order received By you, to
uphold Gea'I. Cooper and his militia in
their threatened attempt to prevent the
peaceful holding of the election heretofore
ordered by the corporate authorities of
Nashville" Your answer was in these
words: Gin reply to your inquiry, whether
you Cd deem it your my duty under the
order you U) have received, to uphold
Gen. Cooper and his militia in the threat
ened attempt to prevent the peaceful hold
ing of the election heretofore ordered by
the corporate authorities of Nashville, |
have to say that the proper interpretation
of Gen. Grants Geographic order, is to
sustain the State authorities IN the execution
of their orders"
Now these orders were not merely to
hold an election under the franchise law,
but to prevent any other election and the
object Of our communication expressed in
the clearest and most unmistakable terms,
was to know whether you upheld them in
their threatened attempt to prevent the
peaceful holding of the election ordered
By the corporate authorities. And
your answer is, that your orders are
"o sustain The State authorities
IN the execution Of their orders" We submit
to your better Judgment, whether your
words admit of any other Interpretation
than the one put upon them; and if we
cannot rely upon your better judgment, We
submit the same to the candid judgment of
the public. Instead of undertaking to
keep the peace, we understood You as de-
Gliding that your orders left YOU no disere-
ton.
We cannot think, General, that you
have resorted to the language used for the
purpose of misleading We must suppose
that YOU meant what your words plainly
import. But, General, it is not yet too
late 10 rectify the error, if it be one. You
NAV still permit us to hold our election to-
day, late as it is, or permit ns to hold the
election at future day.
The code of Tennessee provides, section
1873, that the franchises of a corporation
shall not be forfeited or discontinued by a
failure to hold the election at the proper
time. but the same may be held at any
time thereafter, by giving FIVE days notice
in the mode prescribed. If yon, General,
desire to see equal justice done, you have
nothing to 80 but TO notify us that you
will see that We are permitted to hold
such an election, without interference from
the State militia, and we will at once take
steps for holding it. We ask you distinct
ly whether you will protect us in the exer-
else of this right. The election $50 called
which is now being held, is clearly illegal
and void, in the judgment Of the corporate
authorities and the best lawyers in Nash
Vile.
We do not intend to recognize its validi-
ty. All we ask Of you, if we have misin.
terpreted your meaning, is that you now
permit ms to hold an election according tc
law. We think we have the right to ask
to this request, a prompt and unequivoca
answer.
With great respect, your obedlent ser
vant W. MATT BROWN, Mayor.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT CUsfBER
LAND, NASHVILLE, September Is, 1857
HoN. w. MATT BRowS, Mayor, etc-Slr
In reply to your communication OF TIN
date. received at 2 O'Clock P. NJ, have 4
state that did not inform you officially II
writing as stated BY you in your communi
cation to the public, published IN the pa
pers this morning, that | would use TIT
military power of the United States in s1s
tanning the Governor Of the State in toTcl
By prevcnfiag peaceoble election, etc. but
| did state in that communication that tn