Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-29
STATE OF TENNEssEE.
Executive DepRrtm ent
Knoxville. June 10Th. 1858

Major General Geo H. Thomas
Your favor Of the oath inst. is now before m,
and your suggestions bave been duly considered
thank you for the same, and fully appreciate YOU
motives. The principle difficulty we have 10 en-
counter has perhaps not occurred to your mind
The Sherifs in the rebellious counties for the mos
part are strangely silent and as strangely relucan
to comply with the provisions Of the law. This re
luctance arises from one Of two considerations
either the fear Of violence in attempting to organ
ize police force Or after said force shall have bee1
disbanded- In some instances the Sheriffs are il
sympathy with the rebellious element Of their re-
spective counties
Upon the whole think Il likely l shall have 4
convene The Legislature in extraordinary session
l have the honor to be- &c,
w. G. BEowSLow,
Governor of TENNESSEE.
This dangerous organization Of ex-rebek
now ramifes almost every part of the clever
States that once constituted the Southern
/ Confederacy, and has already grown into
a political eDgine Of oppression so powerful
and aggressive IS to call forth in opposition
several notable military orders Organized
/ upon the same basis, and having the same
dark designs in view, that found a fit cul-
minatIon IN Booths assassination Of Abra-
ham Lincoln, it works in secret, mid signs,
symbols and passwords, Matching plots to
scatter anarchy and permanent disorder
wherever it may have an existence The
influential portion Of the rebel press in the
South hail its advent as a propitious cir
cGmstance. OF its purposes L need only
extract from the constitution of one Of the
clubs OF It's order, captured by the police at
Memphis, the following declaration:
The object Of this organization is for the purpose
OF protecting the people of the South from the band
OF murderers and robbers now preying upon them,
even to the last 0rt-asssssination-and we
pledge ourselves 90 The other that nothing shall
be allowed TO deviate us from this noble object
Here we have assassination declared as
legitimate object of this lawless clan.
That it is equal TO its purposes is exempli-
fed in the assassinations already commit
ted in our own State and other Southern
States. | recommend most emphatically,
that these organized bands Of assassins and
robbers be declared outlaws by special leg
islation, and punished with death wherever
found,
call upon members to speak and vote
in the Halls Of Legislation as they them
selves and their constituents have spoken
to me in private letters and petitions call
ing for tie militia to protect them in their
persons and property. True, it will take
money TO furnish a military force, but loyal
men residing in Febcllious counties are en-
titled TO protection, without any regard to
what it may cost in dollars and cents fl
] am expected TO protect them | must be
allowed a sufficient clerical force to execute
my orders promptly, and funds to meet the
necessary demands in carrying ont these
orders. Gentlemen are here from the eoun-
oil
to say whether a military force is necessary
to afford protection and quiet among their
You win also pardon me for
my plainness Of speech, as | have been
Of as rather tardy in my move
ments TO protect loyal men. Therefore it |
is that if our people are butchered in cold !
blood, and the colored population are intim
idated and driven from their homes and the |
ballot box intend the responsibility shall |
rest with the Legislative, and not the Ex |
ecutive department of the State Govern
ment, If / am regarded as extravagant |
and violont, 1 ehull be gratified TO have the |
Legislature designate some other person to !
take the entire control Of this branch Of the
public service.
again repeat, gentlemen, that you are
fresh from the people, familiar with all the
recent outrages complained of, and it is for
you to apply the remedy for existing evils.
Should you conclude to order out the mi
litia, or a portion Of them, it will be your
duty to protect them by law for all proper
acts done under orders, or in the line of
duty Otherwise they viii be annoyed by
malicious prosecutions after they are mus
tered out Of service
| propose next, to call your attention to
tho subject Of our State Finances. Near
the close of the late session, you created a
Financial Board, consisting Of FIVE mem
bers, viz The Governor, Secretary OF State,
Treasurer, and the President
Of the Bank of Tennessee l regret to say
that. from the time Of the organization of
the Board until the present, there has been
great want Of harmony in its councils and
action. Very soon after the Board organ
lied, the Secretary of State and the Comp
troller sent in their designations as mem
bers of the Board, as did also the Secretary
Of the Board. The remaining three mem
bers Immediately convened at Knoxville
and re-organized, electing S. Watson Chair
man of the Board, and Hon. w. BossOn,
Secretary. | offered a resolu-
tion, which was adopted, to the effect that
we had no authority to accept the resigna-
lions of the persons before named, and al
eging that their designations should be ten
1ered to the Legislature, the power by
which they were constituted members OF
.he Board, as the only body competent to
receive their designations. At the same
meeting, we effected all the preliminary |
deemed necessary to provide |
or meeting the July interest, and the Chair
nan of the Board was constituted an agent |
% 30 to New York and carry out our plans. |
What these plans were the report Of the |
Board viii show. Closely following the |
lction recited, some members of the Board |
Who had rendered their designations, opened |
most unprovoked and needless newspaper |
var upon the newly elected Chairman and
he policy we had adopted. The effect OF
his controversy was to distract our coun-
ills at home and injure our credit abroad. |
)ne member of the Board went so far rs to /
av 10 another member, that he was in IA
-or of making a publication, setting forth
hat the State was unable to meet the lnte-
est upon her bonds.
For the honor and credit of the State, |
rust no member of either House OF the Lee
5islature will give countenance to such an
dea. Pride of character the dictates of
patriotism, and decent regard for the opin-
ions of mankind, should lead us to frown
upon anything looking toward /
the reputation of our honestly contracted |
OF the thirty two million dol |
lars constituting our State debt, fully three
fourths were incurred by the State loaning
her credit and issuing her bonds to the diff
fercnt Railroad Companies of the State. |
To secure the payment of these bonds, the
SLnfn has q first mort n,aun unnn al Rail |