The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-05-27
From the Washington Chronicle)
Law AND ORDER In REBELDOM.

No better evidence could be given of the
state of society in the South, even where, as
in Tennessee, established government exists,
than the fact that the loyal representatives
of that State have found it necessary to urge
the Government to call the militia into ac-
tive service, as will be seen in the following
important document
WASHINGTON. D. G., April 81. 1868.
DEAR SIR AS constituents identified
with you in the success of the administration,
we beg leave to call your attention to what
cannot have escaped your notice, the disor-
ders prevalent in certain localities of our
State Lawlessness and violence have at
taincda alarming proportions. Peaceahle cltI-
zens are terrified by threatening missives: the
sanctity of their homes is invaded, often
in the hours of sleep; their property is con-
signed to the flames; some are seized and
scourged and otherwise cruelty maltreated
Others are shot, or hanged, or subjected to
some other form of murder and assassination.
Punishment rarely follows; and in most in
stances, no form oflegal redress is resorted
to. On the contrary, the victims of these
Outrages are malignet;, and their characters
DETAINED by the perpetrators, whose conduct
finds many to connive at it, and not few
openly to justify it.
Upon you, as the first magistrate and
peace officer of the State, devolves the duty
under the constitution and the laws of see
ing these disorders suppressed. Not the
statute laws, merely, but the common law,
even without legislative enactment, clothes
you with these very high powers. You do
not bear the sword in vain. The safety of
the people is the supreme law, and nothing
less than the exercise of all the physical and
moral force of the State, by summoning to
your aid, if need be, all the good people of
every age, sex, color and condition, will sat-
isfy its imperative requirements.
The community must be protected at oil
hazards, and at whatever cost. Happily for
our beloved State, the exercise of this extra
ordinay authority has seldom been required :;
so rarely indeed, that some are possibly una
ware of its existence We refer to it, there.
fore, not only by way of admonition to evil
doors, but to shield you, so far as our coun-
sci can do it, from the imputation of trans
cending your Just and legitimate powers in
taking all necessary measures to suppress the
maladies affecting the people.
We respectively suggest the propriety of or
eanlzlng and arming, under the recent act
of the Assembly, a small militia force, with
judicious and competent officers, to be sta
toned ut points where the civil law is found
the least efficient. to repress and punish
high-handed crime. We know your indispo-
sition to impose unnecessary burdens upon
our people, already oppressed with debt and
impoverished Ivy war and have the utmost
confidence that you will exercise your great
official powers within the limits Of necessity
as defined by the demands of humanity.
" lille we hope not to see our State
government driven to dependence upon ma
tional protection, we, at the same time hope
soon to see the moral influence of the Ma
tional Government exerted in its behalf or
againts it enemies.
We have the honor to be, very respectful
ly, your obedient servants.
HORACE MAYNARD.
JOHN TRIMBLE,
SAMUEL NJ. ARNELL.
W. B. STOKES.
JAMES MULLINS,
R. R. BUTLER. E
JOSEPH S. FOWLER.
D. A. MUM.
To His Excellcncy VIM G. Brownlow. Cover.
nor of Tennessee.