Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-31

Lincoln 1t works in secret, mid signs,
/ symbols and passwords, Matching plots
to scatter anarchy and permanent disor-
der wherever IL may have an existence.
The influential portion Of the rebsl press
In the South hail its advent ss a propi-
ttous circumstance. or its purposes
need only extract from the constitution
Of one OF the clubs of this order, cap
tured by the police Of Memphis, the fol-
lowing declaration:
J The object of this organization is for
/ the purpose of protecting the people OF
the South from the band of muTderers
I and robbers now preytng upon them,
/ even to the last resort-asssssinstion (;
/ and we pledge ourselves one to the other,
/ that nothing shall be allowed to deviate
Us from this noble object"
Here we have assassination declared
I as legitimate object of this lawless clan.
That it is equal to its purposes is exem-
/ plihed in the assassinations already COM
/ mitted in our State and other Southern
( states. I recommend, most emphatl-
caliy, that these organized bands Ct as
( sassins and robbers be declared outlaws
/ by special legislation, and punished with
/ death wherever found.
[ / call upon members to speak and vote
Ia the halls Of legislation as they them
/ selves and their constituents have spoken
/ to me in private letters and petitions
calling for tbs militia to protect them in
/ their perso8s and property. True, 1t viii
I take money to furnish military force,
but loyal men residing in rebelliOus coun-
/ tries are entitled TO protection without
/ any regard to what it may cost in dollars
/ and cent?. If l am expected to protect
/ them 1 must be allowed q sufficient cleri-
/ csl force to execute my orders promptly,
I and funds to meet the necessary demands
! in carrying out these orders. Gentle
men are here from the counties par
/ tally in rebellion, and 1t is for them
/ to say whether military force Is neces-
sary to afford protection and quiet among
their constituents. You will also pardon
/ me for my plainness of speech, as l have
I been complicated of as rather tardy in
I my movements to protect loyal men.
( Therefore it is that il our people are
butchered in cold blood, and the eOlOred
population are intimidated and driven
from their homes and the ballot box, l
intend the responsibility shall rest with
the legislative, and not the executive de-
psrtment of the State Government. If
/ am regarded as extravagant and vi0-
lent, shall be gratified to have the Leg
islature designate some other person TO
take the entire control of this branch Of
the public service.
4 again repeat, gentlemen, that you are
! fresh from the people, familiar with ali
Z the recent outrsges complained OF, and
it is for you to sppiy the remedy for eX-
isting evils. Should you conclude to call
out the militia, or a portion of them, 1t
will be your duty to protect them by law
, for all proper acts done under orders, or
in the lire of duty. Otherwise they will
0e annoyed by malicious prosecutions
after they are mustered out OF service.
/ L propose next, to call your attention
| to the subject of State finances. Near
! the clOse of the late session you created
Financial Board, consisting Of five MEM
bers, viz. The Governor, Secretary Of
State, Comptroller, Treasurer AMI the
/ President OF the Bank of Tennessee. 1
regret to say that from the time OF the
/ organization OF the Board until the pres
I ent, there has been great want Of hsr-
mony in its councils and action. Very
soon after the Board organized, the Sec
rotary OF State and the Comptroller sent
ia their designations as members OF the
Board, as did also the Secretary OF the
Z Board. The remaining three members
Immediately convened ct Knoxville and
re6i gaui2ed, electing 5. Watson Chaif-
man of the Board, and Hon. s. Bosom
permanent Secretary. l offered a resO-
luton, which was adopted, to tue effect
that we had no authority to accepts the
designations Of the persons before named,
and alleging that their designations
should be rendered to the LegislR-
ture, the power by which they were con-
stituted members of the Board, as the
only body competent to receive their
designations. AT the same meeting We
s.rFa rsNN
ments deemed necessary to provide for
meeting the July interest, and the
Chairman Of the Board was constituted
an agent to go to New York and carry
out our plans. What these plans were
the report Of the Board will show.
Closely following the action recited, the
members Of the Board who had ten
dered their designations, opened most
unprovOked and needless newspaper
war upon the newly elected Chair
man, and the policy we had adopted.
fhe effect of this controversy was to dis
tract our councils at nome and injure
our credit abroad. One member OF the
Board went SO far as to say to another
member that he was in favor Of making
a publication setting forth that the State
was unable to meet the interest upon her
bonds.
For the honor and credit OF the State.
| trust no member OF either House OF the
Legislature will give oOuutenanee to
such an idea. Pride OF character, the
dictates of patriotism, and a decent re-
gard for the opinions OF mankind, should
lead US to frown Indignantly upon any
thing looking toward reputation of our
honestly contracted obligations. OF the
thirty-Swo million dollars constituting
our State debt, fully tbree-fogrths were
incurred by the State Ioaning her credit
and issuing her bonds to the different
railroad companies of the State. To Sc
cure the payment of these bonds, the
State has fret mortgage upon all rail-
roads 30 aided, MAILING her security fully
adequate. Capitalists and dealers ia
stocks, well understanding these facts,
have no lack of confidence in the ulti.
mate redemption Of Tennessee bonds;
/ indeed, our bonds had gone up to sew
I enty-eight cents at the time Of the re-
/ cent difficulty in New York. Here I
Z will take occasion to say, that altar ar
rsngements were completed to meet the
July interest, andeYerY thing was deemed
secure, most foul conspiracy was en-
tered into somewhere, eliminating at
New York, evidently designed to ipjuIe
the credit OF our Stale and depreciate the
Erioe OF hos bOaas, for PURPOSES Of soeon.
iatian. 4'he result OF which has bsen to
delay the pay ment OF tie July interest,
and also 10 greatly depreeiate the value
of the State bonus. 40 meet this extra
ordinary emergency is, In part, the de-
sign of converting the Genera, Assembly
st this time. ! am unable 10 indicate
the guilty parties in these nefarious
transactions. The New York press as
we'll as sundry letter writers, implicate
Tennessee railroad men and members of
the Financial Board. Others charge it
upon New York parties, bOndholders and
stuck spectators. What I propose is
this: that you appoint a Joint Select
Committee of your best and ablest men,
with full powers to send for persons and
papers, so as to sift this matter to the
bottom and ferret out the guilty parties,
whoever they may be and, II found
guilty, you should proceed to sue them
for damages in the name of the State.
Such summary and exemplary treat
ment of so fragrant offenders may serve
to protect the State from like disaster in
the future, and to maintain the standard
value of her bonds.
Some of the railroad companies COM
mitted the great error of not making
their payments In advance of the fret of
July. The Comptroller will inform you
; who they are. In the discharge of my
duty served the following notice upon
them all
EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
NASHVILLE, TENN. May "A, 1855
To the Railroads.&c. the state of rennessea: