Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-08-07

tPon inc WnOie, think III likely snail
have to convene the Legislature in cxtraor-
dinary session.
have the honor to be, &c.,
w. q. BRowNLow,
Governor of Tennessee.
This dangerous organization of ex-
rebels now ramifies almost every part
of the eleven States that once consti-
tuted the Southern Confederacy, and
has already grown into political en-
gine OF oppression so powerful and az
gressive us to call forth in opposition
several notable military orders. Or
ganized upon that same basis, and
having the same dark designs i'm
view, that found fit elimination In
Booths assassination of Abraham
Lincoln, 1t works I'm secret, mid signs,
smybols and passwords, Matching
plots to scatter anarchy and perma-
nent disorder wherever 1t may have
an existence. The heinfiuential portion
of the rebel press I'm the South hail its
advent as a propitious circumstance.
Or It's purposes, l need only extract
from the constitution of one of the
clubs OF its order, captured by the
police at Memphis, the following
declaration
"The object of this organization is
for the purpose of protecting the peo-
pie of the South from the band of
murderers and robbers now preying
upon them, even to the last resort
assassinatiOn-and we pledge our
selves one to the other that nothing
shall be allowed to deviato us from
this noble object"
Here we have assassination de-
clared as legitimate object of this
lawless clan. That it Is equal to its
purposes are eXemplifiedi in the assas-
sinations already committed in our
State and other Southern States. /
recommend most emphatically, that
these organized bands of assassins
and robbers be declared outlaws by
special legislation, and punished with
death wherever found.
call upon the members to speak
and vote In the Halls of Legislation
as they themselves and their constit-
uents have spoken to me in private
letters and petitions calling for the
militia to protect them in their per-
sons and property. True, it will
take money to furnish military
force, but loyal men residing in re-
bellious counties are entitled to pro-
lection, without any regard to what
it will cost in dollars and cents. If I
am expected to protect them / must
be allowed sufficient clerical force
to execute my orders promptly, and
funds to meet the necessary demands
in carrying out these orders. Gentle
men are here from the counties par
TALLY in rebellion, and it is for them to
say whether a military force is neces-
sary to afford protection and quiet
among their constituents. You will
also pardon me for my plainness OF
speech, as have been complained OF
as rather tardy in my movements to
protect loyal men. Therefore it Is
that flour people are butchered i'm cold
blood, and the colored population arc
intimidated and driven from theii
homes and the ballot box. ! intend
that the responsibility shall rest with
the Legislative, and not the Execu.
tive Department of the State Gov.
ernment. If am regarded as ex.
travagant and violent, Ishall be graf
cdtohave the Legislature dasignata
some other person to take the entire
control of this branch Of the pubic
service.
1 again repeat, gentlemen, that you
are fresh from the people, familiar
with all the recent outrages com.
planned of, and it is for you to apply
the remedy forexisting evils. Should
you conclude to order out the militia
or a portion of them, it will be youl
duty to protect them by law for all
proper acts done under orders, or IN
the line of duty. Otherwise they
will be annoyed by malicious prose
cutions after they are mustered out o
service.
propose next, to call your atten
tion to the subject of our State Finan
ces. Near the close of the late session
you created q Financial Board, con
sisting of five members. viz: Tht
Governor, Secretary of State, Comp
troller, Treasurer, and the President o
the Bank of Tennessee. i regret Il
say that, from the time of the organ
izatiOn of the Board until the present
there has been great want of harmO
ny in its councils and action. Very
soon after the Board organized, the
Secretary of State and ComptrolleI
sent i'm their designations as members
tllc uS tttti ulso thC DttlCtst-
ry Ofthe Board. The remaining thre,
members of the Board Immediately
convened at Knoxville, and re-organ
lied, electing s. Watson Chairman
of the Board, and Hon. w. Bosom
permanent Secretary. j offered {
resolution, and which was adopted
TO the effect that we had no authority
to accept the designations of the per
sons before named, and alleging thai
their designations should be rendered
to the Legislature, the power by
when they were constituted member
of the Board, as the only body com
petent to receive their designations :
At the same meeting, we affected al
the preliminary arrangements deem
ed necessary to provide for meeting
the July interest, and the chairman
of the Board was constituted an agenl
, to go to New York and carry out oul
plans. What these plans were Tho
! report of the Board will show.
Closely following the action rccited
some members of the Board who hat
) rendered their designations, opened Il
most unprovoked and needless news
paper war upon the newly elected
chairmanand the policy we had adop
ted. The effect of this controversy
was to distract our councils Mt hom,
and injure our credit abroad. On'
member of the Board went 50 far N
, 10 say TO another member, that h'
was In favor of making n publication
/, setting forth that the state was una
ble to meet the interest upon he
bonds. For the honor and credit o
: the State, trust no member of eithe
House Of the Legislature will giv'
! countenance to such an idea. Pride
/, of character, the dictates of patriot
. ism, and decent regard for the op
, inions of mankind, should lead US L
frown Indignantly upon anything
: looking toward the repudiation of on