Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-09-04
In reply TO demands by parties in
Tennessee for federal troops to aid in
the work Of tyranny, the Secretary of
War makes the following reply:
~ ue-r VAN DEPARTMENT,


ii 90. dy 1e1r VAN DEPARTMENT, 4
,v WAsUINoToN CITY, july 30, F0S. !
The inclosed communication from Hon.
Isaac H. Hawkins, NJ. q from tennessee,
referred this day by the President TO tie
Secretary OF War for consideration ana re-
port, IL respectfully returned to the I'resi-
dent with report that the military forces
now stationed in Tennessee, aud those sta
toned IN the adloiming states hnY oi MnTse
arc bolieved to be sufficient to suppress any
instruction against the tovefnment Oh
said state, or any combination formed to-
oppose the execution of the laws OF the
The troops will Mt all timeSbe In readi ness
to act when an emergency shall arise, which
under the Constitution and laws of the
United States may make 1t lawful Tor inc
President to employ the military forces OF
the United States, To suppress instruction
OF 10 cause tho laws to be duly executed.
tSluuedl j. NJ. SCHOFIELD,
Secretary OF War.
Tho Secretary's answer would be
all right were there an uncalled for
resistance to constitutional govern
mcnt. But we ask the Secretary if it
Is just and right as applied to the state
of things in this commonwealth ?
The fact can not be disguised, that the
bogus government of Tennessee is in
instruction against the rights and
liberties of its people, and that the
militia are IL part of the machinery
by which that insurrection is to be
strengthened and the oppression ofan
unofiending people accomplished ac-
cording to the wishes of u most heart
less and corrupt set Of tyrants. ..i
Neither the President nor the Sec
rotary of War indicate amy remedy for
the wrongs, present and future, OF
those who are theyictims of a lawless
usurpation and Unsuitable ambition
and malignity. Should the militia
prove competent to the work marked
out for them, neither the Governor
nor the Legislature will seek the in
tervention of federal troops, and MUIR
ders and robberies, by armed banditti,
will be all right because done by or
der of dc .foct0 government and the
federal authorities will look on with
stolid indifference and justify their in
action on the plea that the tortured
masses can make no authoritative APP
peal for aid. This is the attitude as
stunned by the Secretary Of War--both
he and the President forgetting that
calling out the militia in time of peace
is In violation of the Constitution,
and that il is their sworn duty, under
that instrument, to dispense that mi
litia and protect the people against
murder and robbery as contemplated
by that armed band of maraudcrs.-
The Constitution il not allowed to
impose any check upon the bogus au-
thOrities of Tcnncssce, no matter to
what extent they may press violence
and usurpation; but if the people,
forced to exercise the right of self
preservation, take up arms, then II
becomes constitutional for the Presi.
dent 10 employ United states forces
10 aid the miltiaiuit discriminating
raid against the rights, property ant
lives of thcintclligcnt and substantial
majority.
Thus it will be seen that the gooc
peoplcof this State are placed between
two fires aud are expected to endure
the scorching without complaint, be
cause IL il tho sovereign will of t
handful ofdemouted tyrauts that they
shall suffer- not rs punishment fo
crime, hut that the said tyrants may
enjoy the grateful spectacle and pro
long their helish rule Over majority
shat can crush them Mt blow. lie
Brownlow declare martial law ant
quarter his militia upon the people
and hcmay find, when too late, tina
We of Tennessee are not n pcntup few
who can he slaughtered at his pleas
utc, AMI that he has kindlcd liam,
Ill all are Involved in n common seen,
of dc,ulation, Death has few terror
Tor mon who must meet it or live dis
honorcd, This alternative is bcinl
forced upon US, aud not with us vii
rest the responsibility for the tcrihl
consequences.
We would gladly see thisgreat out
rage avortcd. 1t is wauton and I'm
provoked. Without II peace is assur
ell; with It collision sccmSincvitabl,
Bloodshod is the object Of its authors
andhepce their determined opposition
Ia every effort at peace, If nothin
hut blood will satisfy them, let thci
osvml s the first and last that the
look upon, Having to deal with hru
tai tyrants and bcsottcd fools, the tim
bH ivasoning has passed. and if the
ferc Us to strike for lite, liberty an
property, let the blow be prompt AN
deadly; the will iufleXihc, and IN
object, victory or death,
ON the first page We publish On
ValclIctory of Mr., O'SullNmn, lat
editor ct the Nashville Gazette. W
regret to part with one of the fHtcl
nifty who has been So indiciouS i'm TAX
ing his positions and 80 fearless D
maintaining them, We hOpt-t+---
hi~ retirement viii hr of short dura
tim and that he will resume the tr
Ind With hi wuntvi zeal and Nlgul