Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-16
FERMENTATION By ihe aaFeInOr.

LEVJl&nA&ttVu W SlsO WeF~fn~As
WHEREAS, For several monshs past, Al organization
Of considerable extent has existed ia this State some
times called the Ku-Klux-KB, and at others By SINH
lar unusual and significant which organizaton ?
ooneprng il and setting in the darkness Of mid
night against the peace and welfare 81 the state y
whipping. Aspglns shooting dsfsnsels's' and moi
Tending loyal citizens and
wurrEAs As the result Of this lawless violence hun
dreds Of eoorsd msn have been driven from their homes
their families and crops to take refuge in cities and
camps from this prevailing terrorism aud
WHEREAS, In several counties IN Middle aud West
Tennessee loyal citizens white and olorsd haTe been
compelled to leave their respective couass, while of
those who remains many driven to The necessity Of
hiding out IN the woods aud cuonsss te sscaPe apPrs
hended outrage and cruelty; and
wzERzAs, This violence, backed up constantly and
vigorously by infAmusiy inosndiary speeches from for
er civil ard military officers In the late rebel Govern
uent and also by frequent nhammatory and insured
onary newspaper articles is largely the increase and
WHEREAS, To meet this emergency, recently con-
vsned the General Assembly in extraordinary session
and the members thereof have after careful survey Of
ali the facts in the and upon good and reliable au-
thority, with something Of unaminity enacted law
whereof the ubjoned is copy, and 10 which respect
fully call the attention of all the citizens of Tennessee
both those psacably inclined and those who are tuba
lent, viz:
An ACT 10 ENFORCE TIE LAWS OF TIE STATE.
WHEREAS There exists this eate awIess bandit Of deg
peradoes who setting defiance civil law By threats
Of violence forcing many Of our citizens TO leave their
wzERE1s In certain localities it is entirely impossible
civil officers enforce thereof; in
der that the supremacy Of the law may maintained and
ss pace sGa 0s@ss my e RsS Ga T. Of The STATE
TH That the Governor be and he hereby sathOr1sd
empowered to organize equip and call into active
vice bis discretion volunteer force to be known as the
rersnts from each psTct Of he State
vded always that said Tennessee State Guards shall be
posed loyal men, who shall take and subscribe oath 70
support the Constitution Of the United and the Con-
stitution of the State of Tennessee.
lied under the provisions shall be governed
regulated in ali respects BY the revised Rules and Rgula
SEC g. Be further enacted, That the Comptroller Of the
State shall issue his warrrnt upon the Treasurer payable to
the Governor actually necessary for the organization equip
GSard not 70 eScood the sum Of ATTY thousand dollars At
me and the same shall De paid out Of any funds IN
drawn from the Treasury to be replaced as hereinafter pro-
SIC L. Be further enacted That whenever full repre-
sentaon made the Governor from any county
ties by the Judge and the Attorney General Of the Circuit in
county situated and the Senator and Repre-
sentayes and ten Union men Of good moral character o.
and that the citizens Of that county counties cannot be
protected in their Just rights account Of rebellion in
Of law and order the Governor be and he is hereby empow
cred to declare martial law in county counties of the
and furthermore as it right and proper that peace
SnT @ io s ~ snS iant ct ~ cS tpr
buen communities it shall be the duty Of the Governor to
said Estate Guards so employed out Of said county or
ties declared under martial law, as provided for IN sec
entitled An act to amend act for the protection Of her
IFS, &C.
SIC. further enacted, That upon the application of
the statement Of ten more unconditional Union
men Of good moral ShsTaeter Of three Justices Of the fas
cannot be enforced in such county, and that the
without the aid Of the military authorities 1t shall be the
duty of the Governor 70 furnish such number Of troops
may be necessary to enforce tho laws and protect the citizens
SIC G. Be further enacted, That all laws and parts of
laws in conflict with this act repealed and that this Act
shall effect and be In force from and after It's passage
Passed September 10th, 1865 ,.
Speaker Of the House Of Reprsssntatiyes
Speaker Of the Senate.
l. AHDRLW j. ELErCHEa Secretary Of State State Of
Tennessee do certify that the foregoing copy Of An Act
an Ac to enforce the laws Of the State, the original Of
which Is now on file In my ONCE.
In testimony whereof have hersunto subscribed my on
C 1sd the Great Seal q the state q At
~ day Of September, A. D. 1853.
A. J. FLETCHER,
Secretary Of State.
Now therefore, I, WILLIAM @. BzowNLov, Governor
of Tennessee in pursuance Of the provisions Of the fore
going Act do call upon the good, loyal and patriotic
peopewhite and coloredof every county in the State
proceed, without delay, and raise companies Of loyal
and abebodied men and and report the to me Of
Nashville.
Whether any of the companies-white or eolorei- so
organized will be actually called into the field win de-
pend entirely upon the conduct Of the people, them
selves, in the several counties.
earnestly hope that there will be no occasion to call
out these troops but that the efforts of all the citizens
to preserve and maintain the peace will succeed and thus
Obviate the necessity Of this stern resort
But if unhappy, better councils do not prevail and
order is not restored, and am compelled to meet
armed marauders by force, purpose to meet them with
such numbers and in such manner the exigency shall
demand, whatever may be the consequences will not
be deferred from the discharge of my duty herein by
threat of violence from rebel speakers rebel newspa
pers, nor by any other means of intimidation.
When companies are made up and reported to me and
am compelled by outrageous exhibitions of criminal
laWlesness as before reced to put them in the field
will have competent officer to inspect and muster them
in The pay Of Officers and men, therefore will not COM
mence until they are mustered into service.
And here again, take occasion to repeat the hope
that may not find it necessary to put rtO the field
single company, and earnestly invoke the corporation
Of all citizens of the State in the endeavor to maintain
Claiming the right to select and commission the off,
GERS of the State military, viii say, once for ALL to gen.
tlemen who undertake to make up companies, that if
their commands are received by me and they themselves
are commissioned must have satisfactory evidence that
they are prudent thoroughly loyal and competent men,
The companies proposed to be raised shall be infantry
and shall consist of not less than eighty nor more than
one hundred effective in each company
Those desiring to form companies proceed at once
to do so, under warrant Of this proclamation without
other or further correspondence with me on the subject
Aware that pretext win be gerly sought by rebels
who bitterly hostile the elevation of the cooed
man, to precpitate of races and desiring to avoid
all oecason-evon the least-for such pretext and not
at all as doubling the courage Oldiery abilities Of the
eoored man, shall first call into the field If found ne
cessary, only white troops, holding the eOored COM
panies, when organized corps to be called
out If 1T shall be found necessary suppress insurrec
ton If the two shall be found unequal to the work
will call on the United States Government to assist I'M
til armed resistance against the State authority shall be
entirely overthrown.
Since writing the foregoing Committee of the Leeis
aturs Of Tennessee has arrived at Washington and held
conference with the President Of the United States the
result of which as follows
WAsHEGroE, Sept. 18th, 1853.
70 ne ErcsAency, W. q. BTolloW Miss accom-
Phshed The President viii sustain the civil authorities
UdeTs issued to Department Commander to sustain nd
aid the civil authorities and sufioient force viii he
nlshed to accomplish such purpose
W. H. WIsZsER,)
IA IA aaa a.H COMMITTEES.
should the Department COMMANDER be furnished with saf
he4snt force 70 aeep order n cbSsray cooperate WITH
him and IN hst event the State Guards may aos be ossa
INTO service And again cypress the hope sincerely
that neither tb, Irnitad a4.4.. .x... -. 49, ''