Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-27
TEXAS.
military Trials Gen. Reynolds

VIZ asAehihhN9 AAtAdhJ inquirer.
Mr.. r. w. Loughery, of til,
Marshall Republican, replies a
length to the reply of Gen. Rev
nolds TO an address to the Press
and People of the Country" issued
by Mr.. Loughery in February last
directing public attention to the
extraordinary and alarming condi.
ton of affairs in Jefferson, Texas,
This address was sent by the author
TO the President, and by the latter
TO Gen. Reynolds "for report" and
he returned it with defense of his
course, to which Mr.. Loughery now
replies. He thinks the defense OF
Gen. Reynolds evidences a respect
Tor the enlightened Judgment of
tho country, which few, if any, in
Texas were prepared to expect, 4"
SHand seems 10 lean to the opinion
That the General, in ordering mill
tary commissions, etc, may have
been imposed on by designing mon:
but, whether he has or not, saws
Mr.. Loughery:
81 speak confidently when | as
sert that The tyranny and injustice
which have marked his administra-
ton in Texas have scarcely paral-
lelin the Southern States, as gross
ly and cruelty as they have been at
times misgoverned"
After exhibiting strong proofs of
the inccndiarism of. Smith, the kill
ing Of whom il the excuse for the
military commission, Mr.. LOughery
takes up the assertions of Gen.
Reynolds that the citizens now on
military trial could not be fairly
tried by the civil courts, and were
not entitled to bail. How, it is asked,
does Gen. Reynolds know that they
were not entitled to bail, without \
full and fair preliminary examina-
tlon2 and then we have the follow
ing, which it seems 10 us is a very
damaging presentation so far as
Gen. Reynolds side of the case is
considered
But let us take Gen. Reynolds
upon his own record. A mob of |
U":o0d soldiers broke open the
Jail at Tyler, and wantonly, cruelty, |
and without the slightest excuse,
murdered 4 citizen confined in the
Jail. Was any military commission
ordered in this case? Were the
parties ever brought TO trial OF
punishment? Bickerstaff, a noto-
riOus outlaw, was recently killed by |
a mob in Northern Texas. lie hap
pencd TO be as obnoxious to the |
military authorities as he was to
the citizens. Consequently his
death created no sensation. His
conduct in many respects was like
that Of Smith, and no uttered pre-
cisely the threats, and used almost |
the identical language. But he was
not a Radical. lie did not sojourn
in a country where the negroes, as
in Marion, outnumbeIed the whites
two TO one, and among all his viii
lainy, did not threaten them with
negro war. Since the occupancy of
Jefferson, Mr.. William Perry, an
old and respected citizen, was muir
dcred in cold blood by United
States troops, under order of de-
tective, q man of infamous charac-
ter and antecedents. What was
done about that? Was the murder
er placed in the stOckade and held
10 answer for the deed? On the
contrary, he was turned ever &C. the
civil authorities, had a sham trial
before a timid or corrupt Judge, an
anpointce Of Gen. Reynolds, and
a ned loose.
IAN old and respected citizen of |
Hopkins county was shot down by |
United States soldiers at Sui phur
Springs some time last year. Was
there an investigation in that case? |
Did anybody hear of 4 trial, or that
it excited the slightest interest at
Gen. Reynolds headquarters?
Take the case of Mrs. BonfOey,
who was brutally murdered in
Marshall about fifteen months ago.
She was supposed, after the arrest
of her husband, TO have a large |
amount Of money belonging to the
United States government, and for |
which she was doubtless murdered
Public suspicion, founded upon
we'll authenticated facts, pointed to
the United States soldiers as the |
guilty parties. Not only was there |
no military commission in this case,
but the very man most suspected |
was sent away. Such was the ter
ror Of the military that men were |
afraid TO speak what they thought, |
and the civil officer who did take |
some slight action in it, was after
ward afraid of his life
Hundreds Of men, in various
portions Of the State, have been ar
rested by the military authorities,
treated with indignity, fined and
imprisoned upon the testimony of
worthless and depraved white men
and negroes, and the money thus
unjustly taken from the citizens
pocketed by officials. Wore these
aclsover Investigated, or a dollar so |
lmiustIy taken restored? But they |
not only treated the people with |
despotic tyranny, seemingly for the
PURPOSE of driving them TO desper~
alton, but they sent broadcast over
the country false reports OF the
condition of the society in Texas
and the temper of its people.
Tur PEACH TREES in New Jersey and