Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-03
MILITARY RULE AT THE SOUTH.
The New York Times makes this
statement in its issue of June 26 /:

ering what the war was, this rul
has not been of long continuanc
anywhere, nor has it been burden
some. Its operation has, on tn
whole, been beneficial
fit be true that ION the whole
military rule has been beneficial Il
the South, why express a hope tina
1t will soon cease? If it be tru,
that the advantages derived from
the rule of the bayonet have beer
greater than the injuries it has in
fiicted, why should Lot the same
rule be extended over all the Other
States of the Union Why, in
deed, should not a Dictatorship be
'"stoHst up at Washington, and the
untry governed by military edicts
re and real or alleged criminal offenses
tried altogether by military COM
missions? 1t is delightful, also, to
know that these military governors
have not abused their powers. In
no case, as the Times puts it, has
their ''rule been burdensome"
> Herein lies the marvellous ingrati-
tude of the Southern people. They
should have wept with sorrow when
Sheridan vas recalled from Louisi-
ana; they should have remembered
with what charming courtesy Sick
les ruled in South Carolina. They
should reverence the name of Meade
for his gracious and considerate
course in granting the hospitality
of Fort Pulaski-cellular with SOL
diers' rstions-to quite a number
of respectable citizens of Georgia,
who were accused of the murder of
the infamous Ashburn, and were
finally released because even de-
tectiVes sent down expressly from
Washington to work up the case
could find no evidence against them.
Above all, ought the people of
Texas, in particular, to be grateful
when they consider how beneficial"
on the whole, has been the rule of
Gen. Reynolds. Some few illustra-
tons of the humane and impartial
manner in which that excellent COM
mander rules over Texas, will set
his shining qualities ia such light
as will serve to prove how salutary
that rule has been, and how strange
it is that the Texans should regard
him with unmitigated aversion.
Some six months ago a man
named Smith, carpet Dagger" in
the strictest sense Of that term, and
a deprayed and desperate character,
made himself most obnoxious to the
citizens of Jefferson, Texas, by con-
sorting with the negroes of the
vicinity, and exciting their animosi
ties against the whites. The loss
of the mans "carpet-bag," contain
ing all his worldly goods, reused
him to bitter anger against those
who had stolen it, and unable to
ferret out the offender, he deter
mined TO wreak his vengeance
against the whole of the citizens of
Jefferson. He told the negroes
they could never govern the town
unless they burned it, and shortly
afterward the town was actually set
on fire, involving a loss Of nearly
one million of dollars. On the
night Of his arrest, no put himself
at the head OF a large gang Of ne
groes and proceeded to attack the
house of a private citizen. Finding
patrol there, the negro mob com
menced firing, and wounded two
persons seriously. Fearing the
consequences of the act he had in
stigated, Smith then sought the
protection of the military, but be-
ing turned over to the civil authOri"
ties, was taken out of Jail on the
following night by a hundred
masked men and killed Without
waiting for a session of the District
Court, and the action of its grand
Jury, Gen. Reynolds proceeded to
make arbitrary arrests of thirty-six
citizens, confined them for months
in bastile at Jefferson, and treated
them as common malefactors, with
out any charge being preferred
against them, or any opportunity
offered them for preparing for 8
defense. And now, after remaining
incarcerated for six months, these
thirty six citizens of Texas are put
upon their trial for murder before
military tribunal. Gen. Reynold:
asserts that the civil officers il
Texas do not do their duty. These
officers are all military appoint
ments, made by Gen. Reynold
himself, and removable by his edict
The opprobium, therefore, if any
falls upon him, for he can make AM
unmake judges and officers of tn
State courts in Texas at his sover
eign will and pleasure.
But the case of these thirty-si
citizens of Texas, now on trial be
fore military tribunal, has elicite
severe comments in Texas, an
numerous instances are cited
show that where Radicals and Fec
eral soldiers were the parties il
eliminated, all of them escaped Ut
whipped of justice. A mob of Fec
eral soldiers broke open the jail :