The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-07-31

to convene the Legislature in Extraordinary
: session.
l have the honorto be, &C.,
w. G.. BRowNLow,
Governor Of Tennessee.
This dangerous organization of ex-
rebels now Families almost every part
of the eleven States that once CONSTITUTE
ed the Southern Confederacy, ard has
already grown into political engine of
oppression so powerful and aggressive
as to call forth in opposition several no.
table military orders. Organized upon
the same basis, and having the same
dark designs in view, that found fit
elimination in Booths assassination of
Abraham Lincoln, it works in secret,
mid signs, symbols and passwords,
Matching plots to scatter anarchy and
disorder wherever it may have an eX-
istence. The influential portion of the
rebel press in the South hail its advent
as q propitious circumstance. OF its
purposes / need only extract from the
constitution of one of the clubs of its
order. captured by the police at Mem
phis, the following declaration:
The object of this organization is for the pur.
pose of protecting the people Of the South from
| the band of murdcrers and robbers now prey
ing upon them, even to the last resort-assasSi-
nation--and we pledge ourselves one to the
other that nothing shall be allowed to deyiate
us from this noble object.
Here we have assassination declared
as a legitimate object of this lawless
clan. That it is equal to its purposes is
cxcmplifed in the assassinations al
ready committed in our own State and
other Southern States. l recommend,
most emphatically, that these organized
bands of assassins and robbers be de-
clared outlaws by special legislation,
and punished with death wherever
found.
| call upon members to speak and
vote in the Halls of Legislation rs they
themselves and their constituents have
spoken to me in private letters and pc
ttions calling for the militia to protect
them in their persons and property
True, it will take money to furnish a
military force, but loyal men residing
in rebellious counties are entitled to
protection, without any regard to what
it may cost in dollars and cents. If
am expected to protect them J. must be
allowed a sufficient clerical force to eX-
ecute my orders promptly, and funds
to meet the necessary demands in car
rying out these orders. Gentlemen are
here from the counties partially in re-
bellion, and it is for them to say wheth-
er military force is necessary to afford
protection and quiet among their con-
stituents. You will also pardon me for
my plainness of speech, as have been
complained of as rather tardy in my
movements to protect loyal men,
Therefore it is that if our people are
H., ,lo -, l,lnDI hn
cd population are intimidated and driv-
en- from their homes and tie ballot-boX,
/ intend the responsibility shall rest
with the Legislative, and not the Exec
utivc department Of the State Govern
mcnt. Ii am regarded as extravagant
and violent, | shall be gratitied to have
the Legislature designate some other
person to take the entire control OF
this branch of the public service.
| again repeat, gentlemen, that you
are fresh from the people, familiar with
all the recent outrages complained of
and it is for you to apply the remedy
for existing evils. Should you con
clude to order out the militia, OF por
ton of them, it will be yoiV duty tt
protect them by law forall .proper act
done under orders, or in the line of du
ty. Otherwise they will be annoyed
, by malicious prosecutions after they ar
mustered out Of service.
!, propose next, to call your attention
e to the subject of our State Finances
r Near the close of the late session, yo
l created Financial Board, consisting o
I five members, viz: The Governor, Sec
rotary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer
!. and the President of the Bank of Ten
nessee. regret to say that from tn
time of the organization of the Boar
until the present, there has been grea
II want Of harmony in its councils and &C
> ton. Very soon after the Board Oh
g ganized, the Secretary of State and TIL
= Comptroller sent in their resignation
o as members of the Board, as did ais
!. the Secretary Of the Board. The re
n naming three members immediatel
$. convened at Knoxville and re-organiz
l. ed, electing S. Watson, Chairman of tn
le Board, and Hon. w. Bosom, permanent
il Secretary. l offered resolution, whic
e, was adopted, to the effect that we hat
IS no authority to accept the resignation
= of the persons before named, and alleg
II ing that their designations should b
he rendered to the Legislature, tho powe
ID by which they were constituted mem
80 bers of the Board, as the only bod
Il Il competent to receive their designations
- AT the same meeting, we effected all til
preliminary arrangements deemed nee
essary to provide for meeting the Jul
T. interest. and the Chairman of the Boar
was constituted an agent to 60 to Ney
York and carry out our plans. Wha
~ these plans were the report of the Boar
will show. Closely following the &C
% ton recited, some members of the Boar
g who had rendered their designations
d opened most unprovoked and need
!. less newspaper war upon the newl
If elected Chairman and the policy W
|, had adopted. The effect of this con
J. troversy was to distract our councils a
d home and injure our credit abroad
It One member of the Board went so ia
b.. as to say to another member, that h
d was in favor of making publication
10 setting forth that the State was unabl
:. to meet the interest upon her bonds.
y For the honor and credit of the State
=, l trust no member of either House O
IL the Legislature will give countenanc
is to such an idea. Pride of character
s. the dictates of patriotism, and decen
ID regard for the opinions of mankind
u should lead us to frown Indignantly up
~ on ANYTHING looking toward the reDudi