Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-09

men should be allowed to hear the truth
from one Of their own people, and at once
determined that the meeting should be
broken ND. One John Bliss, an unprin-
cipled white Radical, the proprietor OF a
store in the place. appeared to be most
active in his efforts to draw away the
crowd.
In about fifteen minutes, the drums, flies
and banners were brought out, the long
roll sounded, and everybody turned their
ewes for a moment to the centre Of the
square, where the musicians stood. Part
of the crowd Immediately started away,
and in little while commenced forming
as if for procession, taking their cue from
the whites and setting zap yells for Brown
low.
The friends of Williams fearing trouble
appealed to the remaining members Of the
League to protect him. A colored man
said 10 Col. JnO. M. House, Mas John.
dey're all gwine to take him down"
No." said the Colonel, they will not, if
we all stand firm. 1t is only some low
white men who are interfering. The col
ored people want to hear him speak. Col
House called upon the Conservatives not
to interfere with the black men, who were,
he said, in no way blamable.
The Colonel then started toward Bliss
who at once commenced moving away, but
being called upon to halt, he stopped until
Col. House came up. A conversation fol-
lowed, in which the Colonel was insulted
by Bliss, and promptly resented the insult
by Shaping him in the face.
Bliss walked rapidly back to the Leaguers
and Col. House went to his store, from
whence a message was Immediately trans
mitted to Williams asking him TO cease
speaking, that further trouble might be
avoided. This request he complied with,
and came down from the steps and went
over to the store of Col. House In the
meantime, Bliss, stung with his treatment
at the hands of the enraged Colonel, was
calling upon the league to go for him"
and was drawing some of them after him.
One Of the colored officers asked "Who
are you going to kill?" Some one replied,
"John House" 81 can't do any such
thing" said the officer; hes my friend
he never did me any harm; let Bliss do his
own fighting"
FORMING OF THE LEAGUE.
This appeared to excite some division,
but the drums continued beating, and as
Williams had ceased speaking, all the
members Of the League gathered at one
| point, and formed in column for marching,
displaying their banners conspicuously
| These banners bore the inscriptions
Treason must BE- made Odious, and
| Traitors Punished -
NJ Policy Played out :"
=" Remember Fort Pillow ighea you cast
yo,s rote :"
THE Radicals Build, the Conservatives
Burn our SchoOlhouses and Churches"
andy can't control Congress-"
g Vote The Radical Ticket"
In addition to these plain flag, bearing
the names of Brownlow, Trimble, Elliott
Bean and McFall, was raised
The word was given, and the darn
column, numbering about two hundred
Leaguers, all black men, moved off Or
arriving at the hotel, they were stopped
and addressed by Mr.. Elliott who i'm
I plored them to do nothing that would LEAD
10 a disturbance.
| At the store of Colonel House a small
| party of his friends had assembled, armed
with shot guns, as his life had been threat
ened and some of the Leaguers had beer
drinking pretty freely. An old coloreC
woman had come to him, saying that the
Infatuated mob had determined to take his
life that night, and that he might look foI
trouble
! When Elliott closed his remarks, the
| League marched over TO the store Of JohI
Campbell, where they were supplied witt
twenty or thirty muskets, and then again
moved on.
1ha tam tafot NO
| large numbers Of the people had hocked Il
their windows and doors, or collected upOr
| the streets. At the house of DIR. d. B
Clifie, corner of Main and Cameron streets
| the League halted and were addressed by
John Trimble and several other persons
white and colored, who appealed to them
to be quiet and orderly. They cheered fol
| Trimble, and in a few minutes marched of
] to Academy Hill, in the outskirts of the
/ town, where they stacked arms, threw out
picl,eis, and were addressed by Mr.. Elliott
ana D. M. Clifie, the Registration Commits
sioner, both Of whom urged them to g
quietly home.
Bliss and his party, however, seemed t.
have the Leaguers under complete
control, and as they were marching back t.
| town, some one asked, " Are you vel
loaded p" I'VE are all ready, was til,
reply" Then, said the first speaker
| "when YOU come TO Houses corner, fire
into it. 1t makes no difference who yol
kill it's dark and no one viii know who
you hit"
1t was about half-past eight when tn,
League again reached the square. Jus
! before il had arrived at Houses corner
| Allen Williams, an'infmential colored man
| came to the back door of Houses store
| where the Colonel and a small party o
| friends were standing, and where they hac
| been called by the noise Of the drums. III
] asked TO see Mr.. Sam House. Col. Houst
| stepped forward and asked If he (the Col
onel) would not do as well. William
said Yes" He then said, We're no
| going TO have any fuss; we're going Il
break up 90 Pm very glad, Allen, replied
! Colonel House, that Is Just what we want
all good citizens want peace"
THE LEAGUERs OPEN FIRE-KILLIEG OF
CODY AND DISPERSION OF THE RIOTERS.
As the conversation ended, Allen Viii
| liams walked of toward the column o
leaguers, who had by this time moved al
to the store and come to front face. HI
/
sharp crack Of a musket sounded from tn
left center of the column, and a minnie
ball struck Mr. Michael II. Cody, Jr., VIII,
was standing at the door of the store, will
his hand resting upon the muzzle Of
double-barreled shot gun. Mr. Cody stag
gered little, but quick as thought raise
his piece and discharged both barrels stimuli
taneously into the midst of the leaguers
In moment afterward he was dead, AM
his body removed to the inside of tn
building.
Both sides then poured in a vigorou
FIRE, the wounded of Col. Houses part
being carried into the store as fast as the
fell. A large number Of citizens hearin
the firing, rushed to the place, thirty o
forty of them joining Houses party. Thu
reinforced the little garrison at the ston
charged the League, which al once CAV
way aud retired, taking their wounded wit
them, and the conflict ended.
Joe. Williams and Alfred Newsom, whel
the firing commenced, were standing on
side the store. NewsOm received NUN
Der of buckshot in his ear and side, bu
was not seriously wounded. William
having heard that there were parties in TIA
| League who had sworn to kill him, d'
| A. N,-h-sll, Tina rauftnv ia