Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-08
TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE.
House of ReDrescnfatiyps.

FRIDAY, Aug. :, 1S6S.-The House met at 10 A.
Nc. Speaker Richardson the chair, and sixty-twO
members present.
AR. Thornburg recorded his vote in favor of
the adoption of the resolution offered by Mr..
Taylor of Carter and johnson, as passed last
Wednesday.
Mr.. Woodward recorded his vote against the
adoption Of the sameresolutOn.
Mr.. PrOsseT, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported the following bill, with the
recommendation that it be adopted in lieu of all
others which had been referred 10 the commit
tee:
An act to enforce the laws of the State.
Whereas, There exists in this State lawleSs
bands and deSperadoes who are setting at def
ance civil law. and by their threats and acts of
violence are forcing many of our citizens TO
leave their homes; and
Whereas. In certain localities it is entirely
impossible for civil officers OF the State to en-
force the laws, in order that the supremacy of
the law may be maintained, ana that peace and
order may prevail: therefore.
Section /. Be it enacted by the General As
sembly OF the State OF Tennessee. That the Gov
ernOT OF the State Is hereby authorized and en-
powered, when he shall deem it necessary, to
organize. equip, and call into active service
volunteer force to be known as the Tennessee
State Guard" to be composed of one OF more
regiments from each Congressional district of
the State.
Sec 2. Be it further enacted, That the said
force shall be organized, armed. equipped reg
ulated and governed by the Rules and Art cles
of War and the revised army regulations of the
United States, as far as applicable, and shall
receive pay and allowance according to grade of
rank, as provided for the United States army
while in sctual service, to be paid out of any
money in the treasury not otherwise apprOpri-
ated.
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That all Der
sons, singly or collectively, who shall disguise
themselves for the purpose of disturbing the
public peace or intimldating any of the citizens
of the State, and all persons, either singly or
collectively, who shall enter the houses of pri-
Yate citizens without proper authority, for the
purpose of disturbing or mOlesting the persons
or the property Of such citizens, shall be de-
clared outlaws. and on conviction shall be pun
ished by imprisonment not less than three
years, nor more than five years, in the State
penitentiary.
Sec. 4, Be it further enacted, That all laws or
parts Oflaws in conflict with this act. are here
by repealed, and this act shall take effect and
be in force from and after its passage.
The bill was adopted in lieu of all tOhers, in
accordance with the recommendation of the
committee, was passed on its second reading
and referred back to the committee for further
action.
Mr.. Bosom presented petition from many
citizens and electors OF Rutherford county, pro-
testing against any action on the part of the
members of the General Assembly from that
county in favor of calling out the militia, and
urging the Immediate repeal Of the franchise
law.
Mr.. Ryder moved to refer the memorial to the
Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. eagle moved to lay the motion on the
On motion of Mr.. Ryder, so much of the me.
mortal as related to the militia was referred to
the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Bosom offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Military Committee take
into consideration the subject of calling on the
United States authorities 10 furaish as the
emergency may demand. to the State of Ten
neSsee military force to aid the Governor to
preserve peace and afford protection to the per-
sons and property of our citizens, and report to
this House their deliberations. Adopted under
a suspension of the rules.
Mr.. McFall drew the attention Of the House
to the following statement which appeared In
the Press and Times yesterday:
Last night cOlOred man named Walker
Wilson imped into our Office with his heel shot
off, a fugitive from Williamson county. He was
working on the farm of HaTrick and Tom Will
son, he says. five miles beyond Brentwood, and
on Tuesday evening, at about quitting time,
while five of them wero picking peas in field.
they were attacked by a squad of fifteen or
twenty ku-klux, drapet in white, with red caps.
Pistols were fired among the working negroes +;
they started away from their work; the ku-
kluX pursued them, firing al the time. Two
of the Workingmen were killed. one of them
being n cousin of Walker Wilson, our informant
A pistol shot caught Walker in the heel and took
it off. They scattered in the woods the only
means left them to save themselves. Walker
got into town without cent in his pocket, and
is now stopping with cOlored woman near the
trestle work"
When he read this az Franklin, Mr.. McFall
continued he was literally thunderstruck. He
felt that If there really had been such an
occurrence in his county, the militia should be
sent down there. and he Immediately set about
investigating it. From several cOlOred men
who lived on the farms mentioned. and who had
come to see him at Franklin, this morning, be-
fore the train lett, told him that there was not
3 single word of truth in the whole statement
that II was fabrication as black the smoke
stacks of hell. They had been at home ali the
time, and not a single accident had occurred to
interrupt the quiet which rcigned in that sec
ton of the county. Wilson had not been on
either of the farms named for several weeks
having run off to avoid arrest for stealing some
clothes. Several gentlemen at Brentwood with
whom Mr.. McFall had cOnverscd, while the
train stopped at Brentwood, assured him that
the story in the Press and Times had not the
slightest foundation. We're we living in the
dark ages Had men become as regardless Of
the truth that they could close their eyes, hush
their voices, still their heart and stop their ears
to every principle Of justice, in order that they
might have the savage satisfaction of looking
out upon a carnival of blood and listening to an
ocean tone OF woe and despair 1t bad ben sug-
gested that the story was fabricated by the ed
itOr of the Press and Tines, for the purpose of
frightening certain cOlOred men from going
from here to the County Convention at Frank
lin tomorrow.
The House adjourned to 10 A. NJ. next Monday.