Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-02

/ AtShba ~ athAaLafup. f4tiB MS Wlsn 20 us
thesnildest possible means to accomplish
this. | believe the Legislature will only
resort to moderate means TO bring abou
this result; but, if necessary, they viii
employ harsheT means, even extreme mea
snres 10 uphold the Laws and protect tb'
citizens. ] believe that the cooperation Q
all Glasses viii preserve the peace withou
a resort to extreme measures. The Con.
siihition, which il asod az any of'us, sayi
a well-regulated militia is the surest safe
guard Of liberty, add must be used when
neeessary. ,5sie,-s5f-
I 4 belleFe, gentleme3g you are sincere. -
know you as soldiers, your fidelity and
couraged displayed on hundred battle fields
which, however, much Il may be regretted
Is now part of the eaasaieu history ofoar
country, satisfies me That yon are sincere.
! am certain that j express the sentiment
Of this committee, and The Republican par
", whea say thai speedy bringing about
i be the result70f efIfranehising these people
/ Is desired BY ALL. .an6 the sooner this is
done the better. IL The people in this
State will assist iEa-eaTFying out the laws, il
viii MOI befong before every difficulty IN
the way Of Acknowledgement will be re-
moved. am confident if We ali cooperate
together we can havs peace IN the country,
and every interest liz the State government
can be built up instead Of being broken
d0Ra. Our interests are identical with each
other. The State is large enough and rich
enough, and there is rooFp for Hs all.
l. General Brown said .
Mr.. Chairman: In behalf Of the COM
mittee / represent, tb.snk yoR for the cor
dial manner in which you have received
our address. We will rot stop TO inquire
whether a law is constitutional or not. We
propose TO obey the laws and have them
executed. We intend to carry out the
principles, expressed in that paper. We
| have had free Interchange Of sentiment
to-day. You know, sir, that when nearly
one hundred thousand men are disfran-
chised, they should feel chafed under such
circumstances you would feel 50 yourself.
All we ask you is to give US our rights, as it
is in your power to do. 1t is not the Con-
federate or Federal soldier who is pro-
| ducing trouble and discerd in the State.
Ry the Confederate soldier, i mean those
who stood it out until the last gun was fired.
| Col. Roche, of the committee spoke as
| follows:
/ do not know, Mr.. Chairman, as have
| any thing to say. But / am very much
gralifed to see the turn of things. Ihad
but one object in coming to the Capitol of
the State this time, and that was to preserve
the peace of the country. l believe those
gentlemen are sincere. As was remarked
The other day, we have the word of sol
der. If those gentlemen will assist and
aid us, think the peace Of the country can
be sustained. 1t is not right for these bands
Of disguised men to be .prowling over the
country at night. They are disturbing
quiet and peaceable people. 1t is done in
all parts of Middle and West Tennessee.
But it is not the Confederats or Federal
soldier who is doing this, but men who fol-
lowed the army but when there was any
fighting to be done, would secrete
themselves. If Generals Cheatham, Brown,
Forrest and others could make it conVe-
nient to address the people of West and
Middle Tennessee, / would then feel per
fectly secure and safe, i do not think that
the militia is the best means of resort to
secure the peace. We had that sort of
thing last year, and they did not do any.
good. But the laws must be maintained
and enforced. feel grateful to those men
who have met AIS here on this occasion. l.
think the matter il in right hands, and hope
that much may be accomplished.
Gen. Cheatham said: The gentlemen on
this committee can deihOthing. We are
perfectly poweriess-haye no authority
whatever. We can demand nothing hut
we can advise, and we intend to dOit. We
are going to do all that is in orr power.
What influence We can use wsiare going to,
use ii. Est ~ aa.
Gen. Quarles said I think it is proper.
that l should add few words to what has
already been said We are not RESPONSE
Bile for what is done in the different coun-
ties BY 'lawless mem Lawless men gener-
ally take night time to do their mischief.
Lawlessness can prevail in society when
that society cannot suppress it, 1 have
had much to do with crime as lawyer.
There are Iawless men who cannot be con-
trolIed We stand here to-day as the true
representatives of the people. ] belive we
have come together sincerely. We have
come up like men, We quarreled in the
past like men. We fought like men, and
now let us make up like men. l do not
mean by this that you shah change to a
Democrat, or that | shall turn to a Repub-
lican.
There is bu. one thing necessary IN this
world and that is faith When get the
right TO vote | will vote az much as ] can
until get used to it. believe this is the
dawn of an era of peace and prosperity.
| Let us meet together on this occasion like
men who are. determined to do what is
right. Have we not performed a task far
better than all the calling out of the milf
tia? .-rsrEgl. .s...
General Forrest said; feel il due 10
myself that / sheuld make a few remarks
The only thing that / can give you as a
| guarantee of what | can do, is to refer you
to what have done since the surrender
Ihave never, since ! received my parole,
| failed 10 yield obedience 10 the laws of my
country. ] have endeayored in every way
to have the laws executed. |, at one time
offered TO furnish the Chief of Police at
| Memphis one thousand men, if necessary,
20 keep the peace at the election. | can
call out to-day fifteen hundred men, in the
city of Memphis, to support the laws. j
stand here to-day to pledge myself TO the
Governor ofthe State, to the Legislature
and to you that win give my hearty CO.
operation towards keeping the peace.
We are here in earnest. We mean what
we say dHu We iulCIl W carry II Oubs w Z
do not intend to disobey the laws Of the
country. We arc here to uphold you and
to sustain you in all that you do. In re-
gard to the Acknowledgement of the people
/ have not a word to say-that is with you.
The Southern people do not want any col
lision or difficulty in any manner. Ihave
written many letters to quiet the people j
am satisfied that if You give. us the right Of
/ franchise we will have peace. Abolish
the Loyal League and Ku- Klux Khan. Let
US come together and stand together, and
be as one man in the State of Tennessee.
l had the pleasure of going 10 New York
to the Democratic National Convention,
and met 8 large portion Of the Federal SOL
diers. II was doubted whether / would
be received as a delegate, but / declare
that ! never spent more pleasant week
in my life. / am willing to forgive
all that has been done in the
past. Let Gs go to work in good earnest.
! want to see the best men put in position.
There viii then be no danger. Every man
can go 10 HIS home and be not afraid of
assassination. laid my arms away when
I surrendered and have not seen them
| since.
Capt. Williams said 1t Is perhaps time
a.