Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-09-25
THE MILITIA PROCLAMATION.
The Radical Organization to be Per.
feCted.
East Tennesseans Preferred.
Negroes Held In Reserve.

1t Is announced from Knoxville
|, that the following proclamation has
been issued by the Governor:
PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR.
Whereas, For several months past
an organization of considerable eX-
tent has existed in this State, some
times called the Ku-Klux Klan, and
at others by similar unusual and sig
nificant names which organization Is
a conspiracy in secret and acting in
the darkness of midnight against the
peace and welfare of the State, by
whipping, hanging and shooting de
fenseless and inoffensive loyal citizens
and, whereas, as the result of this
lawless violence hundreds of colored
men have been driven from their
homes, their families and crops, to
take refuge in cites and camps from
this prevailing terrorism; and, where
as, In several counties in Middle and
West Tennessee, loyal citizens, white
and colored, have been compelled to
} leave their respective counties, while
of those who remain many are driv-
en- to the necessity of hiding out in
the woods and Outhouses to escape
apprehended outrages and cruelty
and, whereas, this violence, backed
up constantly and vigorously by in
famous, incendiary speeches from for
mer civil and military officers in the
late Rebel government, and also by
frequent inflammatory and insurrec-
tionary newspaper articles, is largely
on the increase; and whereas, to meet
this emergency, recently convened
the General Assembly i'm extraordi-
nary session, and themembers there
OF have, after careful survey of all
the facts i'm the case, and upon good
and reliable authority, with some
thing of unanimity, enacted a law
whereof the subjoined is u copy, and
to which l respectfully call the at
tention of all the citizens of Tennes-
see, both those peaceably inclined
and those who are turbulent:
(Here follows the militia act.)
Now, therefore, I. William 6
Brownlow, Governor of Tennessee,
in pursuance of the provisions of the
foregoing act, do call upon the good,
loyal and patriotic people, white and
colored, of every county in the State,
to proceed without delay and raise
companies of loyal and able-bodied
men, and report the same to me at
Nashville. Whether any of the COM
panies, white or colored, so organized,
will be actually called into the field,
will depend entirely upon the conduct
of the people themselves in the sew
al 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
viii succeed, thus obviate the neces.
s1ty of this stern resort; but if, un-
happily, better counsels do not pre-
vail and order is not restored, and i
am compelled toput down armed ma
rauders by force, j propose to meet
them with Uith numbers and in such
manner as the exigency shall de-
annnd, mand, whatever .99a m9aaYc Yc aeterfed from
the discharge of my duty herein by
threats of violence from Rebel speak
ers or Rebel newspapers, nor by any
other means of intimidation.
When the companies are made up
and reported to me and am COM
PEELED by outrageous exhibitions OF
. criminal llawlessness, as before recitcd
to put them in the field, will have q
competent officer toinspect and mus.
ter them in. The pay of officers and
men therefore will not commence
until they are mustered into service
and here again take occasion to re-
peat the hope that L may not find
it necessary to put into the field @
single company, and / earnestly in
woke the cooperation of all citizens
of the State in the endeavor to main
tain the laws, and preserve ordel
without military force. Claiming
the right to select and commission
the officers of the State militia, | will
say once for all to gentlemen who un
dertake to make up companies, that i
their commands are received by m,
}, and they themselves are commission
/ ed, i must have satisfactory evidenc,
: that they are prudent thoroughly loya
and competent. The companies pro
posed to beraised shall be Infantry, an,
shall consist of not less than eight,
nor than one hundred effective mel
in each company. Those desiring {,
% form companies can proceed at ono
to do so under the warrant of thi
proclamation without other or furthe
lject.
Aware that pretext will be eager
- sought by the Rebels, who are bit
terly hostile to the elevation of tn
, colored man, TO prccipitate n war O
races, and desiring to avoid all occas
ion for such preteXt, not at all doubt
ing the courage or soldierly abilitie
T. of the colorcd man, / shall first cal
into the field, If found necessary, onl,
white troops, holding the cOlore,
companies, where organized, as Il re
serve corps, to be called out If it shal
be found necessary to suppress instr
rection. If the two shall be foun
unequal to the work, / will call on tn
United States government to- assist
until armed resistance against th
. State authorities shall be entirel
overthrown.
since writing the foregoing, com
hiittee ofthe Legislature of Tennesse
has arrived at Washington, and hel
- a conference with the President of til
United States, the result is as follows
WASHINGTON, Sept. II, 1857
His Ercoiiency, w. q. BroiVni0W
Our mission is accomplished. tn
President will sustain the civil al
thorities. Orders have been issued I
r the department commander to SUI
" tain and aid the civil authorities an
sufficient force will be furnished to n,
complish such purposes.
w. Ii. WIsENER, ST.,
II. \, HAMILTON,
j. III, AGEE,
r. Committee.
nj Should the department command,
's be furnished with sufficient force
n L NON nrilnr- [ will nhnnrlIIllN nn.nnl