Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-29

We present an important document below. The
Governor prepared the first draft of Proclams-
tion covering the whole ground in this matter, tie
week before this Congressional document was re-
ceived. He is pleased however, TO be backed up
in his views and purposes with such document as
this. The late militia Act, reducing the pay of
privaLes and officers so low that men could not
serve it is not the purpose of the Governor 10 call
out troops under said Act, but to call out otherwise
and 10 rely upon the loyal people of The State 10
sustain him:
WAsHIEeToN, ID. C., April 2lst 1858.
DEAR Sir AS constituents identified with you
in the success of your administration, beg leave
TO call your attention 10 what cannot have escaped
your notice, the disorders prevalent in certain To-
calities of our State. Lawlessness and violence
have attained alarming proportions. Peaceable
citizens are terrified BY threatening missiyes; the
ssnctty of their hemes is invaded, often in the
hours of sleep; their property is consigned TO the
famesi some are seized End scourged ana otherwise
cruelty mistreated others are shot dead, or heng-
ed or subjected to some other form OF murder ana
assassination. Punishment rarely follows and IN
most instances no form of legal redress is resorted
TO. On the contrary, the victims of these outrage
are maligned and their characters DETAINED by the
perpetrators, whose conduct finds many to eonnlve
at it, and not s. few openly to justify 1t.
fcer of the State devoves the duty, under the Con-
stution and the laws of seeing these disorders sup
| pressed. Not the Statute Law merely, but the
Common Law, even without Legislative enactment
clothes you with very high powers. You do not
bear the sword in vain. The safety of the people
is the supreme law; and nothing less than the ex-
ercise of all the physical and moral force OF the
State by summOning to your aid, if need be, ali the
good people of every age, sex, color and condition,
will satisfy its imperative requirements
| The community must be protected at ali hazards
and at whatever cost. Happily for our beloved
State, the exercise of this extraordinary authority
has seldom been required; so rarely, indeed, that
| some are possibly unaware Of its existence we
refer to it, therefore, not only by way of admonl-
ton 10 evl-doers, but 10 shield you, so far as our
counsel can do it. from the imputaton OF transcend
ing your Just and legitimate powers, IN taking all
necessary measures to suppress the maladies sact-
ing the people.
We respectfully suggest the propriety of organi-
zng and arming, under the recent act of Assembly,
small militia force with judicious and competent
officers TO be stationed at points where the civil
law is found the least efficient to repress and pun
/ sh high-handed crime. We know your indisposi-
| ton to impose unnecessary burdens upon our peo-
pie, already oppressed with debt and Impoverished
| by war; and have the utmost confidence that you
will exercise your great official powers within the
limits of necessity as defined by the demands OF hu-
mainly. While we hope not to see our State gov
eminent driven to dependence upon National pro-
lection, We at the same time hope soon to see the
moral influence of the National government ex-
erted n its behalf and against its enemies.
We have the honor TO be, very respectfully, your
obedient servants,
HORACE MAYNARD,
l. JOHN TRIMBLE,
SAMUEL III. ARNELL,
W. B. STOKES,
! JAMES MULLINS,
f. r. BUTLER,
JOSEPH S. FOWLER,
| D. a. MUM.
! His E1cellency VIM. g. Brownlow, Governor Of
! Tennessee.