Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-02
puov,s,oNs OF rmr uIIrrIA BILL.

OF THE MILITIA BILL
The bin enrolling the militia Of this
State and the formation Of State Guard,
provides in section FIRST for the immedi-
ate enrolment Of all able-bodied male
persons between the ages Of eighteen and
forty-fye with theexception Of idiots, luna
tics and eonvicts The officers for this
duty are To be appointed by the Governor
and the enrolment is to be renewed m
October Of each year SETON second
provides, That the Volunteer State Guard
of the State of Tennessee shall consist O
one regiment Of cavalry or infantry or
panized of volunteers from the enrolled
militia in each Congressional District rep
resented in the Congress Of the United
States. half Of which regiment may be
COMPOSED of colored men IL more than
one-third of the enrolled militia Of such
district shall be colored men and no
person shall be an officer, or private IN
said volunteer State Guard who shall be
disqualified for, or exempt from, enroll
mant in the enrolled militia, OF shall ever
have voluntarily borne arms against the
United states or shall have voluntarily
given aid. countenance, counsel or en-
couragement to perfons engaged in armed
hostility thereto, or shall have sought, or
accented. or attempted to exercise the
functions Of any Office whatever under
any authority or pretended authority IN
hostility thereto or shall have yielded a
voluntary support to any pretended
government, authority, power or constr
tuition within the United States, hostile
or inimical thereto
Section third provides that the organ'>
cation shall take place by companies,
each member of which shall swear and
file the regular, Retrospective, pluperiect
loyal oath. The companies are author
lied To elect line officers, and form into
regiments, brigades and divisions Their
elected officers to be commissioned by the
Governor. who is made commanderIn
chief with the power TO appoint an Al
iutant-General as Chief of Staff, with
| the rank Of Brigadier-General, and also
full staff
Section fourth provides that the period
Of service in the State Guard shall be
for three years. This force is placed
under the immediate command Of the
Governor, who has power to order all OIL
any portion Of it to any point IN th'
State He ia only subject in bis dlsPosi
ton OF it. 10 the control of the laws II
regard to it passed by the Legislature.
The ensuing sections Of the bill to tn
t0enty-second pertain to the details OF thu
organization That section and the re-
mainder makes it the duty Of the Cover
nor 10 use this force in execution OF th'
laws when the civil authorities are, from
any cause, inadequate TO repel invasion
and suppress insurrection against thu
State or the United States 10 organic
the volunteer State guard for the protec
ton Of the peaceable people Of the State
and 10 bring to Justice all outlaws, muir
derers. robbers, thieves, and other Of
Tenders, when the civil authorities refuse
neglect, or from any cause fail to do so
and to protect the well disposed people
against the violence Of those who hay'
been in rebellion against the authority
and laws thereof, made and provided fo
the government Of the peaceable an'
well disposed citizens, it shall be th'
duty Of the Governor to withdraw tia
troops as soon as it can be done will
safety to the well disposed citizens of SAT-
county or counties, in order to relieve tn
State as far as possible from any tax tina
might be otherwise oppressive.
This is the substace Of this desPoti
scheme of the Radicals to set aside Law
and substitute military force in the gov
eminent of Tennessee II will entai
millions of expense, and produce, in ter
fold degree, the trouble which it IL pr'
tended az a means Of preventing. 1t
the most mischieyous proposition eve
offered in the Legislature 1t has nothin
but evil in it, The pretexts upon whic
a il is urged are uniounded The rea
object is the retention of power in tn
! hands of the Radicals lf enforced,
! will beget troubles that will outlive tn
: generation in which they take their ris'
and will exert upon the prosperity of tn
State a most pernicious influence