Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-13

are encamped near Harding's place
just over the lake. They YER
| grossly insulted Mrs. Henry Atkin
and the Misses Harding, an,
frightened them to such an exten
that they retired to the house ant
fastened the doors and windows
taking the precaution, however, I,
send message to several of us il
town. Of course the town in q few
moments was in a stir but we rep
resented the case to the Sheriff
telling him if he did not or could
not afford protection to the parties
IN danger, that We, the citizens,
would take it into our own hands,
and stop such outrages. 1t was ali
done quietly, and, thank God. this
this time at least trouble was
averted. < 4
"The United States military are
a nonentity here. They will take
no steps against the militia or State
government = consequently are
worse than useless, being merely
one mans, whereby, deeper oppres
sion may be perpetrated, in case
ClaytOn's negroes fail to crush our
people. We can only hope and
pray that further trouble may be
averted. | am rejoiced thousand
times that mother and sister were
away from the effects of these
troubles; but, come what will, |
have the happy and consoling
thought that you and they are safe
from harm"
An intelligent and influential gen
tleman writing from Little Rock on
the 18th of November, to friend
in Washington thus pictures what
Porter justifes by Clayton's mis-
representations to him:
''Our people are paralyzed or
powerless, and don't know what to
do. They feel that to attempt to
fight in defense of their property
and lives, if they should be success
full, (of which they have no doubt
they would afterward be overpow-
cred by Congress, and perhaps be
treated as outlaws and traitors
and feeling that this would be the
case, | volunteer to ask you to see
President Johnson without delay,
and ask him to give us, the citizens
of Arkansas, protection from this
band of marauders, with Clayton
at its head, or let us fight in self
defense. We are willing to put our
lives and all that is dear in the
scales. As the matter now stands,
we have an INSCRIPTIONS enemy
warning upon an unarmed and de-
fenseless people and if the Presi-
dent don't have a stop put to it,
there is no telling where or when
this slaughter will stop"
A prominent citizen of Lafayette
county, addressed a letter on the
I'd of December to Messrs. r. A.
Howard, A. H. Garland and Viii
liam r. Miller, asking their advice
and counsel as to what should be
done to save themselves from the
rapacity of the thieves and marau-
ders, who, under Clayton's gener-
ais, were depredating in that sec
ton of country. He says;
1--WE are about ten or twenty
miles from these operations we
hear something from them every
day; they have utterly ruined Lit
tie River county; they have rob
bed the people Of everything ; they
have taken the horses, mules, all
provisions, hogs, sheep and cattle,
and have despOiled families of their
clothes and bedding; they have en-
tered stores and taken what goods
they could make use of, and de
stroyed the balance; they wanton-
ly arrest men and hold them as
hostages to prevent the citizens
from fighting them, swearing, if
shot into, they will Immediately
kill those they hold.
"These are the most bearable
parts of their atrocities. A great
number of brutal negroes have
Joined them. and L was informed
yesterday evening that they were
white women. Horror Of
horrors! Are we to stand still and
suffer such atrocities in this the
nineteenth century, in this chris
tan land-and say our hands are
tied? We are not organized for
resistance; indeed, we are unable
to defend ourselves without concert
of action, and without help from
other parts ofthe State.
"Gentlemen, what shall we do ?
We appeal to you; we appeal to all
good citizens in the State for help.
Will the good citizens of the State
of Arkansas stand still and permit
Clayton, through his militia, to rob
and murder our honest and Defense
less law-abiding people, despoil
them of their property, and suffer
poor, defenseless women to be raw
ished by the brutal negroes, and
not resent it?
"This is no exaggerated tale. 1t
comes TO us well attested by re
spOnsible parties. We appeal to the
State of Arkansas for helpl We APP
peal to the christian world, one
and all |"
And another citizen, influential
in Little Rock, writes On the 9Th of
December from that city;
We are in a dreadful condition
here, as the papers will inform you,
and l greatly fear open war will be
the result in a very short time, if
matters are not arrested. Can't
you have something done X x
4 The Radicals here believe Grant
will endorse all this. If he does,
this country is ruined beyond all
hope. = 4 < The condition of
affairs here is more critical than !
ever knew it before"
Could proof be more positive as
to Encourages committed by Gov.
Clayton's lawless bands of
maruders ? And these outrages
have been continued almost every
dor- ninnn Col Dnrfor M ode hia 70