Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-03-01
Tnx militia bill, passed last week,

fhfDAf, MA NJ n..s.v-.---s.-. s>-...si, 1901.
THE militia bill, passed last week,
provides that the loyal soldiers shall
not be armed except when in actual
service. If we understand it, actual
service means armed operations in
the field against an opposing force.
There can be no such service against
unarmed and peaceable citizens, and
yet it is against these that the militia
is iutcnded to operate. Their bust
ness will be to keep from the polls
all who may be suspected of an in
tention not to vote the Radical ticket
and to intimidate the people, gener-
ally, with view to prevent any at
tempt to recover and to exercise their
constitutional rights. The loyal SOL
diers will not attempt to play this
part without arms in their hands,
and since the necessity for arming
them is left to the discretion Of par
son Brownlow, whose evil passions
have consumed his flesh until he is
almost literally, "the devil on two
sticks" it will be readily inferred that
they villa be armed at all times, and
kept actively employed.
1t will be new thing under the
sun, TO see squads Of armed negroes
and far meaner white men, In time
of peace, bullying and driving from
the polls those gallant Tcnnesseans
whose prowess has won them undying
fame on hundred battleHelds; and
the sight will be all the more revolt,
ing when it is remembered by whom,
and for what, the damning wrong is
perpetrated. That it will be patient
ly borue, can hardly be expected
and the dastardly authors Of the
outrage hope for collision, believing
it will be followed by military gov
eminent and that the Brownlow fac
tionwill be confirmed in power. The
game they consider safe, because il
the militia enables them to retain
power, by forced election, it is all
right; but if it fail, through the &C.
tivity and determination of the PEG
pie, then they confidently expect to
be rcinstated and upheld by Congress
and the federal arms.
Matters are progressing rapidly tc
decisive result. 1t is not easy ia
say whether popular liberty is to be
regained through the overwhelming
force Of public opinion, or through Q
revolution, such "a is often provoked
by lawless tyranny, or whether the
people, dispirited by systematic op,
preston, will consent to be slaves tc
handful of beastly despots whom
accident and military tyranny placed
over them. There has been enough
Of bloodshed TO glut the vengeanc,
Of any but tends, and enough O.
wrong and insult to try the patience
Of the most law abiding people OF
earth, At this point, oppression
'hould cease, and justice begin it,
reign. Otherwise, the patience of +,
people whose cause is just, who are
sustained by constitutional law, b.
Judicial decisions aud the great prin
ciples of republican institutions, ma,
be exhausted. History is full of il
Illustrations of the fact, that an en-
lightened minority may wisely rul,
sn ignorant majority; hut ours il
the first instance of cultivated ma
jority being governed by "a small, de
PRAYED and ignorant minority. TIL,
thing is against nature contrary t,
well settled principles Of politica
justice, and it is the sheercst folly
in the ruling faction, to expect Ion,
TO continue their unhallowcd domi
nation, under circumstances so at va
rance with experience and so viola
tive of every principle that control
men in the adjustment Of their polit
ical status.
God, only, knows how all this i
TO end, but it is time for every reflect
ing man TO be considering what eours
should be adopted to meet the press
ing exigency. We proposed, las
Spring, Convention, but the prop
osition fell UNDECIDED on the popula
ear. We deemed il polite to rails
the issue then, and learn, at once
whether freedom could be won b
peaceful means. 1t may be too lat
now, but We still see no other cours
which promises more satisfctor
results. If We do anything now, o