Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-02
THE MILITIA BILL.
Meeting of citizens of Nashville to
: Protest Against its Passage.

| Ju0It w uitWOrtus Cuuiluhu Vi tho
committee appointed at the previous
meeting, having first declared that he,
with all his friends, was acting in the in
terest of all, and not that of any party,
presented the following protest at the
meeting Of Saturday last:
| 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 acquiesce in, but
which must be read to be understood 1t
is as follows; ~ g
SECTION l. Be il enacted by the Gene.
raj Assembly of the State Of Tennessee,
That the Governor be, and he is hereby,
authorized and empowered TO organize,
equip und 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 the Constitution Of the
State of Tennessee.
SEC. 2. Be IL further enacted, That
the State Guards authorized under the
provisions of this act shall be governed
BY the revised rules and regulations of
the United States
SEC. g. Be IL further enacted, That
the Controller Of the State shall issue his
warrant upon the Treasurer, payable 10
the order of the Governor, for any amount
in the opinion Of the Governor actually
necessary for the organization, equip
ment, 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 ap-
propriated, the amount so drawn from
the Treasury to be replaced as herein
after provided.
SEC. 4. Be IL further enacted, That
the Governor be, and he is hereby en-
powered to declare martial law in any
county or 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, in such numbers as may be
necessary for the preservation of peace
and the protection of the lives of citi-
zens thereof; and, furthermore, as it is
right and proper that the peaceable and
law-abiding citizens of the State should
not be held responsible or suffer loss for
the violent acts of such turbulent COM
munities, it shall be the duty of the Gov
ernor to assess and collect sufficient
amount for the full payment of said
State Guards so employed out of said
county or counties declared under mar
tal law, as provided for in sections 3 and
a, Of an act passed February l, 1868,
chapter 80, entitled "An act to amend
an act for the protection of sheriffs.
Sec. s. Be ii further enacted, That no
member of the State Guards, called into
service under this act, shall be deprived
of bis right to vote in any or all cleo
toss in which be shall be entitled to vote,
and that it shall be the duty of officials
commanding regiments, battalions or
companies, to open and hold elections in
their camps, as in the manner as is now
done by commissioners of registration,
and report the same to the Secretary of
State. .y,
SEC. 6. Be 10. further enacted, That
all laws and parts of laws in conflict with
this act are repealed, and this act shall
take effect and be in force from and after
its passage.
The passage of this bill through the
lower House by foriy-seven TO sixteen,
has produced among our people a pro-
found sensation. The contamination of
the measure in the Senate will produce
results of an alarming and deplorable
character. The overthrow of our State
credit, and the utter prostration of all
kinds of business, will certainly follow
the passage of this measure. But these
are not the evils dreaded, however de-
plorable they may be. The evil Of this
measure, dreaded by all good men, is the
certain disturbance of our present peace
full condition.
To point out the many provisions of |
our constitution which are infracted or |
violated by this bill would be as appro-
pirate on occasion Of this kind as it would |
be feasible, were it not that the measure,
if carried out, is fetal subversion of the
constitution.
A measure which gives the Governor
power to declare martial law, TO raise,
equip aud put into actual service an
army without. limit; to collect for the
support Of that army any amount OF
money be may want, and to take it from
the general treasury or to force its collec-
ton from such portions Of the people as
he may name-with an unlimited num-
Der Of secret detectives paid large sums
Of money to report our citizens, as one
Of the amendments TO this bill coniem-
plates, together with the power which
had previously been given the Governor,
Of saying who shall vote-without any
exsggeration Of language is total sub
version of our written Constitution aud
the establishment in its stead of that
form Of government known as an dbso
lufe monarchy, and which is practically
a military government OF a government
of force.
Judging from the past as well as from
the auimus Of those who are pushing this
measure through, il cannot be doubted
that the power is TO be exercised, aud not
merely held in terrorism over the people.
The committee TO whom was referred
By former meeting the important mat
ter Of preparing this protest have in vain
tried 10 discover some palliating circam-
stances for the introduction OF this
measure. The committee vOnld gladly,
II theoco1ld, rest the measure upon the
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