Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-20
THE MILITIA LAW.
The Civil E.aw 10 be Suspended Gill
zens fe be Held Amenable to the Mill
tsry-A Dictator I'm Tennessee.


tsry-A Dictator I'm Tennessee.
The following is the law of Sept.
10, 1868, as amended by the act of
Jan. 16, 1869:
An act to enforce the laws of the State.
Whereas, There exists in this State
lawless bands of desperadoes, who
are setting at defiance civil law, and,
by threats of violence, are forcing
many of our citizens to leave their
homes; and,
Whereas, In certain localities it is
entirely impossible for civil officers
of the State to enforce the laws
thereof; in order that the supreme
acy of the law may be maintained,
and that peace and order may pre-
vail therefore,
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Gen
eral Assembly of the State of Ten
nessee, That the Governor be, and
he is hereby, authorized and empow-
cred to organize, equip and call into
active service, at his discretion, a
volunteer force, to be known as the
Tennessee State Guards" to be
composed of one or more regiments
from each Congressional district of
the State Provided, always, that
said Tennessee State Guards" shall
be composed of loyal men, who
shall take and subscribe an oath to
support the constitution of the Uni
ted States and the constitution of
the State of Tennessee.
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That
the State Guards organized under
the provisions of this act shall be
governed and regulated in all re
spects by the revised rules and regu-
lations of the army of the United
States. @
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted,
That the Comptroller of the State
shall issue his warrant upon the
Treasury, payable to the order of
the Governor, for any amount in
the opinion of the Governor actual
ly necessary for the organization,
equipment, transportation, support
and payment of said Estate Guards"
not to exceed the sum of fifty
thousand dollars at any one time;
and the same shall be paid out of any
funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated; the amount so drawn
from the Treasury to be replaced as
hereinafter provided.
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That
whenever the laws cannot be en-
forced, and the good citizens of that
county or counties cannot be pro
tected in their just rights on account
of rebellion, or instruction, or the
opposition of the people to the en-
forcement of law and order, the
Governor be, and he is hereby, EN-
powered to declare martial law in
any county or counties of the State,
for the protection and safety of the
citizens thereof; and furthermore,
as it is right and proper that good,
peaceable and law abiding citizens
of the State should not be held re
sponsible or suffer loss for the VIC
lent acts of such turbulent communi
ties, it shall be the duty of the Gov
ernor to assess and collect suffi-
cient amount for the full payment of
said State Guard so employed, out
of said county or counties so de
clared under martial law, as provided
for in sections and 4 of an act pas
sed February l, 1868, chapter 30,
entitled can act to amend an act
for the protection of Sheriffs," etc.
Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That
the laws, and parts of laws, in con-
fiict with this act Ore repealed; and
this act shall take effect and be in
force from and after its passage.
The following are the sections of
the act of Feb. l, 1868, referred
to in the above act
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted,
That said County Guards shall fur
nish their own arms and supplies, and
shall be allowed two dollars per
day for each man, and one dollar per
day for each horse the Sheriff may
deem it necessary to use-tO be
paid out of the County Treasury,
upon the demand of the Sheriff, ac-
companied by his certified report to
the Clerk of the County Court,
setting forth the number Of Guards
and horses, and number of days
served.
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted,
That, in case any County Court
shall fail, or refuse, at its first
quarterly session after the Organi-
cation of the County Guards provi-
ded for in this Act, and the Act this
is intended to amend, to make 8
sufficient appropriation for the pay
ment of said Guards, the Sheriff
| shall notify the Governor of such
failure, or refusal and shall present
to the Governor a copy of his re-
port; whereupon, it shall be the
duty of the Governor to send an As
SCISSOR, of his own appointing, who
shall levy and collect the necessary
| amount to pay said Guards, and to
continue them three months longer,
from the taxpayers of the county
and said Assessor shall be allowed
| six dollars per day for his services,
in assessing and collecting said taxes
to be estimated by the Governor,
in advance, and collected with the
taxes levied for the payment of said
Guards, Provided, That if any bal
ance remain in the hands of said
Assessor, he shall pay the same
| over to the County Trustee, and
take receipt therefor; and, Provi-
ded, That said taxes shall be levied
upon real estate alone and the pro-
cess of collection herein provided
may be repeated as often as may be
necessary.
SINGULAR INCIDENT.-A singular and
interesting incident is connected with
the death of Mr. Dorsey, who expired so
suddenly in the Senute chamber on the
18th inst. As stated, Mr.. Dorsey was a
very old man, and has had a presenti-
ment that he would one day die very
suddenly. On Wednesday morning, be-
fore leaving home, he requested his wife
and daughter to write his name and res
idence upon a piece of paper and place
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