Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-03
MILITIA.
Second Meeting Of Citizens OF
Nashville.
COPY OF THE SO-GALLEB STATE
GUARDS BILL.
Manly and Digniltd Protest.
Against Ii.
Erom the Banner. of sunday ]


At the meeting of the citizens of DR.
wilson county, held at the Courthouse at
ten o'clock yesterday morning, to protest
against the final passage Of the militia
bill, now pending before the State SEN
ate. Mr.. w. r. Ellison was called to the
chair. and the members of the press pres
ent favorable to the cause were appointed
Secretaries.
On taking the chair Mr.. Ellison ssid
that, at a late informal meeting OF a
mum Der of citizens, it had been thought
advisable to call this meeting; that a re-
port had been made which he presumed
was read for the adoption or rejection OF
those now present.
Before reading the report Judge
! WhitwOrth said that as Chairman Of the
! committee appointed at the lnformsi
meeting to draft q protest and resolu-
/ tions against the passage OF the Mliltla
| Bill, he desired TO state this was no
political affair; it was not a political
/ meeting, so to speak. It had been called
| alone to consider q single act which was
now pending before the Senate, in which
every man in this State, either white or
black, or of whatever political eFini1n, IL
" ses.-ea ss "a 176r NLne purpose of announcing
that neither the meeting nor the protest
political party either inside OF outside Of
this State. The paper which he should
present looked alone 10 the great interest
Of our citizens Of every political shade Of
opinion throughout the State.
De then read the following protest:
The bill which the lower House of the
Tennessee Legislature passed on last
Thursday, and which is now pending be-
fore the Senate, is bill which no free
people can quietly scqaiesce in, but .
which must be read to be understood. Il .
is as follows:
SECTION I. Be It enacted by the Gen
erdL Assembly Of the State Of Tennessee, 7
That the Governor be, and ne is hereby .
authorized and empowered to organize,
equip and call into active service, at his
discretion, volunteer force to be known
as the " Tennessee State Guards" TO be
composed Of one or more regiments from
each Congressional District Of the State;
provided, always, that said Tennessee
State Guards shall be composed Of loyal
men, who shall take and subscribe to an
oath to support the Constitution OF the
United States and theCOnstitution OF the
State of Tennessee.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the
State Guards authorized under the pro-
visions of this act shall be governed by
the revised rules and regulations of the
United States.
Sec. 3. Be Il further enacted, That the
Comptroller OF the State shall issue his
warrant upon the Treasurer, payable to
the order of the Governor for any
amount in the opinion of the Governor
actually necessary for the organization,
equipment, transportation and support
OF said State Guards, not to exceed the
sum of fifty thousand dollars at any one
time, and the same shall be paid out OF
any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the amount so drawn from
the Treasury to be replaced as hereinaf
Ter provided.
SEC. 4. Be It further enacted, That the i
Governor be and he Is hereby empOw-
sred to declare martial law in any county 8
Dr. counties Of the State for the protection
and safety Of the citizens thereof, and to
quarter said troops within any county or
counties so declared under martial law, /
n such numbers as may be necessary for
he preservation OF peace and the pro-
ectiOn OF the lives of citizens thereof; 8
md, furthermore, as it is right and proper G
hat the peaceable and law-abiding citi- {
.ens of the State should not be held re- G
ponsible or suffer loss for the violent |,
Icts OF such turbulent communities, il O
hall be the duty OF the Governor to as (
ess and collect a sufficient amount for
he full payment OF said State Guards so c
mplOyed, out of said county or counties a
eclaTed under martial law, as provided v
or in sections 3 and 4 of an act passed G.
l, 1865, chapter xxxiii, entitled y
An act to amend an act for the prOtec- d
lon OF sheriffs,n etc.
SEC. 5. Be Il further enacted, That no q,
nember Of the State Guards, called into n
ervice under this act, shall be deprived s
bis right TO vote in any or all elections "a
0 which he shall be entitled TO vote, and y
hat it shall be the duty of officials com
handing regiments, bAttalions or COM
anies, TO open and hold elections in their O.,
amps, as In the manner as is now done =
2 Commissioners of Registration, and -
spOrt the same to the Secretary of State. ~
SEC. 8. Be IL further enacted, That all T,
.ws and parts of laws ia conflict with y
lis act are repealed, and this act shall \,
Ike effect and be ia force from and after h,
5 passage. 70
The passage Of this bill through the oy
wer House by forty-seven to sixteen, N
As produced among our people q pro- AZ
und sensation. The contamination of n,
10 measure In the Senate will produce to
suits Of an alarming and deplorsble AZ
iaracter. The overthrow of our State hi
edit, and the utter pFostration of all AZ
nds Of business will surely follow the Ca
Issage Of this measure. But these are M
)t the evils dreaded, however deploTa- 10
they may be. The evil Of this meas bC
e, dreaded by all good men, is the GER en-
In disturbance Of our present peaceful Ia
n so;,,t tv
10 point out the many provisions OF our ho
)DsHtpLl0n which are infracted or viO- Ia