The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-08-07
FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 7, 1868
The Peace Movement.

The Peace Movement.
Elsewhere we publish the result of con-
ference of Confederate Generals held at
Nashville on Saturday last, in the interest
Of peace within the borders Of the State, at
which our old leaders adopted and present
ed to the Legislature. in spirit of concili-
alton, memorial asking for the repeal of
OdiOus laws, accompanied with pledges to
use tleir influence to quiet the excited
state of the public mind and obyiate the
necessity Of an organ 'zed militia force to
harrass and Cypress the people. So far as
Giles county is concerned, her people have
already ratified. unanimously, the action Of
the conference, as explained to them by
their distinguished fellow citizens aud for
mer leaders, Generals Brown and Gordon,
as will be seen from the proceedings else
where published Of a meeting held here
last Monday. Since these articles were
prepared. numerous memorials and petit
tions, signed by all classes of citizens thro-
out the State, have been presented to the
Legislature, and appeal after appeal has
been made to Gov. Brownlow. Among
the latter was one from Hon. John M. Lee,
Radical himself, earnestly and eloquently
appealing to the Governor, for the sake OF
peace, for the sake of his party, for the
sake of our State credit and future pros
perity, to recommend the present Legisla-
ture to take some action looking to the en-
franchisement of the white people of the
State. Mr.. Lee submitted an ingenious
plan by which this might be speedily &C
complished by the Legislature. That pre-
cious old scoundrel, out of respect for the
ability and personal worth of Mr.. Lee alone,
had the magnanimity to submit 1t to the
Legislature, with supplementary message.
Up to the time this message was received
the peace movement seemed to promise
good results, but from the proceedings Of
the Legislature on Tuesday, as published
IN the Nashville papers, we are led to be-
Iieve that all The influences brought to bear
upon that body have been futile. The
e5ncessions made and memorials submitted
by the conservative element, seem only to
have maddened the beasts, and they are eV-
en- now more ferocious than ever. 1t seems
that the old Governor had written private
letters to counterbalance the effect his mes
sage might have. In fact, the House did
not entertain it as q message, but only as
friendly letter, and when it was urged that
the message and its recommendations be
treated with becoming respect, Mr.. Hamii-
ton said he was for testing the matter at
once whether the State Government is to
change hands. He had q note from Gov
ernor Brownlow, in which he said ne
would be quartered before he would make
any recommendation at this time with re-
gard to entertaining the franchise. If the
rebels we're To be enfranchised at this time
there would be no further need for radical
legislation. Every law they had enacted
would be swept from the statute books.
Finally, the following resolution was
adopted by a vote of Sd to IA:
Resolved by the General Assembly of the State
of Tennessee, That we don't think this the proper
time to take into consideration the question of the
elective franchise.
Mr.. Proseer, who figured so conspicu-
Ously as a peace man in the interview with
the Confederate Generals, subm tilted the
document prepared at their conference and
recommended that it receive respectful
consideration, but said that his duty to
the State compelled him to say that be be
lieyed the Governor should be clothed
with the means and the authority to carry
out his plans for the suppression of crime
Il e, to Cypress and annoy the people with
his milida) He also introduced IAN act
for the preservation of the public peace
Providing for the suppression Of the Ku-
klvx Khan by Imprisonment for not less
than Eve years and a fine of $1,000, hall
to 90 to the witness whose testimony Sc
cures conviction. Passed frst reading aud
referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
The condition of affairs in Tennessee has