Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-18
THE RECENT BREACHES OF THE

sary, in regard to one Of them ut leasli
the affair at franklin, that the anteeedent
circumstances should be stated. Our re
porters in another column, furnish what
we believe TO be a truthful history ofthe
facts concerning the murders
Some six weeks since, a young girl Of
respectable family in Williamson county,
was assaulted and rayished by negro.
lie was pursued, arrested and lodged in
Jail The brother Of the girl, stung with
rage and shame at the brutal outrage on
his sister, assembled his friends and for
chilly seized him from The law, and
avenged her wrongs in the blood of her
assailant A short while afterwards, a
party ofnegroes in company with some
whites, waylaid young Ezell and killed
him, Evidence beyond all doubt having
been obtained, that one Bearlield, a
white man residing in Franklin, had in
stigated, hired, and perhaps participated
in the murder Of Ezel a party of his
friends, some Hnder mask aud others
without disguise, entered the town on
Saturday night last and la turn killed
BearGeld la the melee, negro employed
by Bearicid, but not known to have been
implicated in the assassination of Ezell,
was accidentally shot and killed This,
in brief, is the Franklin affair
The Wayncsboro ARRAY is thus told ON
reliable authority A body Of negroes
at an iron furnace, in that region, had,
for some time, been openly drilling with
arms, aud threatening the peace Of the
community A company Of citizens as
sembled and went to the furnace
for the purpose Of demonstrating with
the negroes against their course, and if
necessary, to dispense them in order to
avert the execution of their threats.
They found that better counscls had pre-
viously prevailed, and no disturbance &C.
Cured. On their return, the Sheriff.
with posse intercepted them, an alter.
cation cnsucd, the Sheriff firing on the
citizens They pursued aud received a
volley from his posse killing three or four
and wounding as many.
This is fair and just account of mat
ters, which happening ut the present time
Of fcverish excitement give reason to
apprehend results still more serious and
deplorable; aud it is the solemn duty of
every good citizen both in and out of
Office, to reflect calmly on the facts before
reaching conclusions, or acting on them
That everything connected with them is
wholly wrong, no fair mind Of either
party will question. The divergence of
opinion will commence with the question
whether they should be regarded and
treated as extraordinary olfenses against
the law merely, or rs possessing political
significance and demanding militia
force as a security to the lives and rights
Of men holding certain political opinions.
Calamitous they are in either sense, but
if The authorities shall regard them in
the latter view, they may lead to. their
repetition on larger and more fearful
scale IL held as outrageous infractions
Of the peace by men deeply stirred with
passion at private wrongs, actual or
threatened, and treated by the ordinary
processes Of the law, aided by the requi-
site cxtemporancous force and backed by
The moral support Of the law-abiding
portion OF the community, :be ends
Of justice can be more surely at
tanned and wholesome correction Of law
lcssuess be effected We cannot, however,
hope to influence the authorities They |
are prone to passion on thissubjcct, and if |
they will persist in treating these coils
sions in that spirit, before Heaven and
mon, they will incur guilt still deeper
than that which now clingS to them
The peace OF the State and the preserves
ton of society demand that the Legislae
ture shall not assemble next Monday
trimming with Radical wrath They
should look at Franklin and Waynesboro
clearly and calmly; weigh well the at
.endaut circumstances and apply the
Judgments Of men clothed with great re-
4
'ponsibiiitv, before they seize them as
oretexts to forward political projects, and
BY rash and incorporate action, still fur
her fan the flames of passion The |
lrillinG of armed bands of negroes full,
threats against the lives Of men,
ho rayishing of women, and highway
are provocations which hui
nan nature cannot bear If force be
larshnlcd to meet the one, and swift and
errihle vengeance follow the other, it
anuot be surprising; nor does it prove !
hat such measures of defense and {
etliation are parts Of a conspiracy to I
yerturn the State government or of a !
olitical campaign to Danish or terrily
o,crs And we repeat it is not the part
f wisdom TO so treat them 1t Is rather c
lind madness Il is wickedncss If it c
rcnches the State in blood, it will be ,
and ineiaceablc i
We DO not defend the actors in the
rankin vendetta Much allowance IS /
be made for human weakness when L
ne soul is hrn,wed by the sight of de. c
owcrcd female purity and the reaking :
cath wounds Of a brother who dared to II
sent is wrongs; but lawless organiza4
ons 10 protect life and honor are indies s.
nsiblc in 4 community protesting to be !,
,yerned by laws We strongly rcprobate I
I'd condemn all such associations, and lC
c but speak the sentiment Of the people y
Tennessee, in asserting that their II
aiutenance at this juucturc Of affairs, al
IN lead 10 ruin and she rivetting Of the a.
,ains of military despotism, the end -