Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-31
AEKASsAs-AYREs' nEPOKr-wHAr

ARRASsAs-AYRES' REPORT-wHAT
1 CAKPEF-BAGGER HAS TO SAY.
By telegraph, we are in possession Of
the report Of Gen. R. B. AYREs concern
ing the conduct Of CLAYTON and his
militia in Arkansas. We present and
submit for a careful perusaI the follow
ing synopsis OF, it numbered in para
graphs for more convenient reference
and reply:
l.. After sIluding to the great changes
consequent upon the late war, the diff
cultiss attending a transition from mill
tary to civil rule ST its termination, and
ehe violence OF lswless men, which every
isw-sbidiDg citizen, at least, began to re-
gard with such Indifference as to yield
no assistance to the civil authorities, the
report proceeds to state thst this state Ct
affairs finally compelled the Executive
to pursue some stringent course for re-
establishing the supremacy Of the law.
Several msthods were adopted.
2 IN the first place attachments Of
United States troops we're placed in the
command Of the different Sheriffs Of the
towns to act as a posse in case Of an
emergency. But this was only a tenn
porary expedient. It was followed by
the enrolment of militia for the same
purpose.
3. This plan falling, the next step
taken was to place the several counties
where the civil powers were unable to
enforce their authority, under martial
lsw. The State wa divided into dis
Eriets and q movable force Of militia or
ganjzsd for the pursuit and arrest of eb-
noxious parties. The result Of this step
-as that the ~law-sbidiBg citizens IN
those districts held meetings and pledged
themselves to assist the local authorities
ia the performances of their duties. In
every county where these guarantees
were given the civil law has resumed its
sway, and martial law now exists in but
one or two Of them.
4. The report ehsrscterizas the stories
about the outrsges committed by the
military IS exaggerated and Ia many in
stances pure Qualification. None other
AAAA Tic NACAR1AgLE VI gAAGA AELEEEaAA in
incident to the presence OF such a force
have occurred. In cases where the in
~structiOns are departed from, the delin-
quents, when detected, were punished
according to the military code. A mi
ltismsn Of the Southwest command per-
petrsted q gross outrage, and be was
promptly tried and executed.
&. AS fast az the civil authority is e.
tahlished the militia forces are disbsnd-
ed, and it is confidently believed that the
civil law can be enforced ia the future
by the officers thereof, and resort to the
militia power not be again necessary"
l. This is false from beginning to end.
Arkansas was the most Pesceable Of the
late Confederate States at the close Of
the war; and the Executive las the
Butcher CLAYTON is called was not COM
PEELED TO the course he has pursued by
the state Of public affairs, but because,
as he confessed In 3 secret circular issued
by him last October, it was necessary to
force the white people into q rebellion
against his authority that would neces-
state stringent measures, and secure to
the Radical party q perpetustion Of their
power. This is the true occasion
OF the murders, the rspes, the Outrsges
the arsOns, the robbsries and thefts that
have made Arkansas q by-word, and
that must forever stand to the account
OF the Butcher CLAYTON 80 long az
tongue can tell Of bis villsinies.
2. This, too, is false. The United
States troops were distributed at . few
convenient points. But, no emergency
for their services having arisen, they
were never called upon by the civil
authorities. Use enrolment OF the mill.
Tia was s foregone conclusion, for party
purposes, months before the Presidential
canvass; and the sooundreI who
rules Arkansas, and the milk-and-
x,ater Radicals who feted him here,
nsv II 81 The time. If other
w,se-if intended Tor the preservation
If the peace, Rbysswas not the militia
c.,,ed ont in Fhiiiips county, where, in
March, Q flses, the sheriff was vOpDde