Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-24
THE wAR.wHOOP OF THE GOV
ERNnR


The Knoxville Whig of the 22d inst
contains the following
PREPARE FOR THE WoRsT.-A portion
OF the Rebel friends Of the late Colonel
Ashby are openly bUasting that the fighting
~ not all over yet, and that they intend
Camp shall bite the dust Camps cause il
the cause Of the Union men Of Knox coun-
~, and, il be shall fall, let the loyal men
OF the town and county fall with him. Let
every loyal man in the town, white and
colored, arm himself and be ready for the
conflict Let our friends in the country,
when they come TO town, come prepared TO
defend themselves. Let them act on the
defensive, but meis out Justice TO their as
sallanis, and to all who contribute TO bring
on conflict. SENIOR EDITOR.
This ~ uttered in his capacity as "Sen-
Tor Editor Of the Knoxville Whig, but
1t is nevertheless the Governor of Ten
nessee who espOuses the part Of a murr
derer-lor, as yet, there is nothing to
show UNSUITABLE homicide on the part of
Gamp-and advises his political friends
to arm themselves and make common
cause with that murderer. The Gov
ernor tancies that the laws are about
to be set at defiance and the MUIR
derer Of Colonel Ashby lynched.
Does he meet this crisis which his
fancy has pictured as living reality as
the Governor Of State should, whose
oath binds him to see that the laws shall
be faithfully executed ? Does he cons
iNre the civil officers of Knoxville and
Knox county 10 be yigilant and prevent
a violation nf the laws Not he. On
the contrary, he assumes the character
Of the hSlly and calls upon his partisans,
both white and black, to arm themselves
and take The execution of the laws in
their own hands He advises has politi-
cal friends ia the country, when they
come to town, to come prepared Tor the
same purpose The Governor of Ten-
nessee has thus virtually proclaimed tho
supremacy Of mob law and placed him.
self at tho head OF a mob To act on the
defensive, and ooolly advises the mob 60
"mete ont justice to their assailants,
and not only to those by whom they may
be assoiled bat TO all who oontri>
butte to bring on a conflict Was ever
more incendiary language used by the
header Of mob Had prominent DE
mocrat used such incepdiarY language as
this has indictmeut would have been
urged by every Radical paper in the
State. And IT he should have occupied
an official position, has impeachment and
degradation from Office would have been
simply question Of time Can law and
order prevail in n State presided over by
Governor who thus advises that the
laws be aisregaried, and that men exc
cited to frenzy by incendiary appeals
shall take the execution of the laws IN
their own hands 70 redress what they
may consider grievances What were
laws enacted for, and what does the Cow
ernors oath Of Office import that he
thus encourages a resort 10 violence
and bloodshed2 What security to life IS
there in a State whore the oath Of the
Governor sits 80 lightly on his conscience
that he would in any contingency advise
that the laws be disregarded and men
avenee themselves not only upon those
by whom they may be assailed' but on all
who contribute to bring on a conflict
Here is a license from the Governor TO
his political friends, in the event Of a
difficulty 20 slay every man Of the oppo-
site party This is the most diabolical