Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-04

| no nuch purpose VITA otnere. w PRIV
nose dutiful subuiusion 10 the laws ant
al lawful authority. We believe q land
90 favored BY nature should be tenantet
|by AZ united and contented people, and
We are before you to pledge our hones
and beat efforts 10 secure this end. We
will not presume 70 advice course o.
legislation, but We are here with honest
hearts, aud IL Il be the thought oy ANY
one of your committee that we can imparl
any light or information desirable 70
you, ~ are ready TO make honest en-
swers 10 the questions you may propose,
Colonel Prosser--I answer In behalf OF
the committee that we meet you In the
same spirit In which you came here-as
| soldier 10 q soldier. But u must not
be Lost sight Of that, as members oil the
Legislature, we must see that the laws
are respected, and that loyal people
are protected in their rights. We have
| duty to perform that we cannot
escape, even IL we would. l speak
the views of this committee when l
say that our object Is TO preserve peace,
Impossible, without calling out the militia.
We desire no collision; we do not want
10 make Use OF tyranny our sole aim Is 70
see the prosperity Of the State advanced
This was the feeling with which the Legis-
lature had assembled. But what are we
to do when leading men, having wealth
and influence, preach throughout the
country resistance to the laws and the
overthrow Of the State government !
When oatrages are being perpetrated
night after night on loyal men, who are
driven from their homes, beaten and
hung2 What assurance can you give
us that these proceedings will bestopped,
for they must be stopped The govern
ment must be sustained at all hazards.
deprecate resort TO force as much as
any man, but hope that will never be
found Sinking my duty. Show us how
we can peaceably reach the results for
which we have assembled, and we VIII
cheerfully accept your suggestions IN
good faith.
Gen. Cheatham-I think The Colonel
is right; / kno,o he is right The laws
must be obeyed. Since ! came back in
1865, with my parole in my pocket, l
have honestly endeavored to observe its
conditions, not only by deed but by coun-
sci. mean 10 talk plain, now that am
about it. All this trouble has been
caused by the "home Generals" You
know who l mean, so need not call any
names. Their course 10 1861 is well
enough remembered, as we'll as the noise
they made in the rear, when we had
to 20 South. They never did any
of the fighting, and never intended
to do any from the very start. We
hope to give you absolute proof to-
morrow that we are able to ac-
complish what we propose. 1t is
expected that at least thirteen Confede-
rate generals will assemble here for the
purpose which has been already inti-
mated. These men commanded nearly
all the Tennessee soldiers who fought for
the South, and they are coming here for
the purpose which brought me--to main
tain peace in Tennessee. / am ready to
lose my crop--to travel for months in the
furtherance of that vital object. We
pledge you our honor to carry ont faith
fully the programme that will be indi-
Gated. / tell you, gentlemen, that the
men whom we commanded will listen to
us instead Of to these takers and home
generals.
Mr.. Medlin Representative from Madi-
son)-I am proud and glad to have met
with these good and true men, but even
the Confederate Generals-Campbell for
instance--have lately made speeches
which we're certainly of very threaten
ing character. General Jackson used
very inhammatory language in speech
delivered not long ago in our part of the
country, and / heard that General For
rest had said at Humboldt that if the
militia were called out to prevent the dis
fraachised from voting in the Presiden-
tial election, be would assemble his old
army aud crush them out. In my own
county of Madison the course of the
Democrats has been such as to make me
seriously fear for my life. An election
con not be held in Madison next Novem-
Der unless some steps are taken to secure
the safety of loyal men.
Mr.. Roach Representative from Car
roll) Some ten days ago / was very
much depressed in my mind as to the
state Of the country. Ny heart ached for
q CLEAN of light, and now ! feel that
have got il at last. Many of the boys in
my section served under Gen. Chatham,
and his influence with them is very great.
If be would pnt his whole heart into this
peaceful work he could accomplish any
thing with them. ! do not suppose it is
to be done by positive orders, lGen.
Cheatham--" OF course not" but by
private advice and example. thank
these gentlemen with gratitude for the
limitations they have given. see a
bright prospect for the future, and firmly
believe that by their efforts peace can be
permanently restored in the State.
General Bushrod Johnson--It is first
to be understood that we are honest men
and honest in the views here set forth
What we have to do relates not to the
past but to the future. Tomorrow will
tell how far we can succeed in breaking
down asperities. II is only, at any rate,
a matter of time. With the plan which
we hope to iRaugurate every part of the
State can be reached
General W. j. Smith Senator from
Shelby)-I, too, thank you, gentlemen,
for coming here. / feel that you have
come as honest men; that you are here
with an earnest desire TO avert trouble.
Your Objects peace-peace. We desire
no conflict. We have not come here to
raise force with which to overawe and
devastate the State, but to counsel to-
gether in the kindest spirit No man has
admired more than have the chivalrous
courage Of Confederate soldiers during
the war, nor their conduct since its close
mean, of course, the honest, fighting
soldiers who believed that they we're en-
gagged in just cause, however mistaken
they may have been. | believe, with
Gen. Cheatham, that to the compare
lively few who are staying at home may
be attributed nearly all the present trou
bic. II, gentlemen, the programme you