Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-06-05
1869
THE ELECTION-THE MILITIA
BUCK, PEfFER, BUNKER & 90.


altogether the most extraordinary OF
the many remarkable displays OF
radicalism with which our commu-
nifty has been honored since the ad-
vent Of the thew civilization" Mr..
Buck, the defeated candidate for At
torney General in this District, in
his last paper, consoles himself with
the reflection, that he and Mr.. PETER,
the defeated candidate for Circuit
Judge, behaved with great decorum,
throughout. This community beg
leave to differ with Mr.. Buck in this
opinion. He may think it compati-
bic with decorum to make speeches
at night to colored audiences alone,
the direct tendency of which was to
influence the mind of the colored
men against the white man, and after
having thus excited colored men
against the white man, to congregate
all the colored men of the county in
town on the day of election, thus
hazarding the peace and safety of the
people. Mr.. PETER will not, and
cannot deny that he made speeches
of this character to colored men,.
1t cannot be denied that the colored
men were all brought to town by the
direct manipulations of PETER and
Buck, and that many of them came
to town armed and endeavored
throughout the day 10 intimidate
those colored voters who wished to
vote for Rice. 1t cannot be denied
that the difficulty which took place
in the Court House yard, arose from
an attempt on the part Of one of Mr..
Pef1or's colored friends to intimidate
another cOlored man who had an
nounced his intention to vote for
Rice. 1t cannot be denied that when
the police endeavored to suppress the
difficulty, Mr.. Peflers colored friends
overpowered the police and trampled
the law beneath their feet. 1t can
not be denied that Immediately after
the police had been overpowered,
Mr.. Pefler's colored friends brought
out the drum in triumph, thus add
ing greatly to the excitement and
the danger of u serious difficulty. 1t
cannot he denied that little Bunker,
the Commissioner of registration,
under the immediate control and
management of Buck and PETER,
again and again refused, under one
paltry pretcnse and another, to give
white men certificates to vote, who
were clearly entitled to the same
under the law. 1t cannot be denied
that certificates to vote with Bum
kcr's name signed to them were open.
ly distributed to colored voters on
the day of election. One instance
was brought to Bunker's attention,
in the case of Ed. White, colored
candidate for the Legislature, who
was Mr.. PelTers travelling compan-
ion in his canvass for Judge. Ed
White had an arm full of certificates
with Bunker's name to them, and
when the matter was brought to his
attention, he reluctantly went out of
the Court House and took the certifi-
Gates from Ed. White, saying that
he, Bunker, had not issued these
certificates. Now we have ques-
ton or two TO ask about those certifi-.
Gates, that Mr.. Potler's friend Ed.
White was distributing. From whom
did Ed. White get those certificates?
Who signed Bunker's name to them?
These are questions that must be an
swcrod. Such shameless and out
ragcous conduct is n disgrace even to
the "new civilization and If Mr..
Bunker did not sign those certificates
or appoint Ed. White to issue them,
and he denies having done so, there
is hut one way for him TO clear him
self of the suspicion that must ever
attend him, and that is to prosecute
the Hon. Ed. White for daring to.
assume the prerogativc of Commits
sioner of registration and peddle out
certificates to vote. If Mr.. Bunker
submits TO Ed. Whites conduct, his
disclaimer of any completely in the
fraud will go for nothing.
No" Mr.. Buck may think all these
things are dccorous and proper, but
every right minded man must put
the seal of condemnation upon them.
But we are not yet done with Mr..
Buck, In his paper, ne comes out
in n card over his own signature,
in which he says, that he tclcgraphed
10 Gov. Sontcr for the militia, and
that he did it to prevent the town
from being burned. a question or
two right here. Who was going TO
burn the town? Why was the town
10 bc burned? Mr.. Bucks card il
Singqlarly silent on these points. We
suppose he means that the colored
people cspousing the cause of Mr.,
McMullen, intended 10 burn the
town. Can this be true; that be-
cause one man struck another, the
colorcd people were going TO burn tie
town? Is il possible that our colored
polsllation Is composed of such in
tammahlc material-that they have
so little reason about them, that for
the offence of one man I'm striking
another they will lay Il whole town
in ashes? If So, what must he
Ihnnpht of Hnrli and pnilnr fnr ns.