Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-16

real estate now lying useless could
and should be turned to timely and |
profitable account in the mode sug-
gested, and the Legislature should |
not adjourn without putting it into
the hands of Commissioners to be
THE KU-KIyx AND THE ClvfL
$500 tl AUTHORITIES. hid
AS it is probable the "Ku-Klux
bill" now before the Legislature
will become law, and the Gov
ernor be thus empowered to declare
martial law, we desire to direct at
tention to the manner in which the
laws already in force have been ext
ecuted. By the act of Feb. /, 1867,
the sheriff of any county in the
State where disturbances may oct
cur, is authorised to recruit "counr
ty guards by the employment of
any loyal citizens of this State" in
sufficient number to enable him to
enforce the laws and arrest Offend
ers. These guards are to be armed
and mounted, and the county is to
pay them for their services and the
use of their horses. With such a
posse as this the sheriff Of any
county ought to be able to preserve
the peace. Now it happens that
Notwithstanding great deal has
been said about Ku-KluX outrages
in various counties in Middle Ten
nessee, not the first step has been
taken by the civil authorities, not
the first man has been "recruitedY
by the sheriff of any one of the
counties IN which outrages are re-
ported to have been committed, to
arrest and bring to punishment
these masked or disguised law
breakers. 1t must be borne in
mind that the civil officers, especial
| ly the sheriffs, of nearly every
| county in Middle Tennessee are
Radicals. This is the case in
every county, we believe, in which
these outrages are reported to
have occurred. Now let it be borne
in mind that the civil authorities
have never made an effort to ferret
out the parties who have appeared
in several counties of this division
of the State. They have been per
mitted TO commit whatever Outrages
have been committed with perfect
IMMUNITY, so far as the civil au-
thorities are concerned. Are these
authorities to be held blameless
if crime runs riot over their respec-
tive counties, when the law has
placed at the disposal of the shcriffs
of these counties the whole number
of 1oyal citizens" of the State, i
necessary, to aid in enforcing the
laws and preserving peace and good
order? Now we have shown that
the civil authorities of the counties
in which outrages have been com
mitted by masked or disguised
parties, have been grossly derehet
in duty. What then is the duty Of
the Governor The act of Feb. 1,
1867, provides lin section y "that
in case any sheriff ofany county Of
this State shall wilfully fail or re
fuse to execute the necessary pro
cess and to make the necessary ar
rests for the protection Of the citi-
zens, and the preservation Of law
and order, and for the punishment
of offenders, in his county or shall
wilfully fail to apprehend offenders
from other counties or States, .un
der lawful process; or in case any
sheriff shall fail, or be unable to
provide himself with necessary
county guards for the preservation
of law and order, it shall be the
duty of the Judge and Attorney
General ofthe circuit including such
county, to certify such failure or re
fusal to the Governor; or upon
the affidavit of two known 10y
al citizens of this State, of such
failure or refusal of the sheriff,
it shall be the duty of the Gov
ernor forthwith, by his executive
order, to organize and establish a
sufficient county police in each
county, to arrest offenders and pre-
serve the peace And the Gov
ernor was authorised to increase
or diminish the number Of the off
GERS and members Of such police at
his discretion Now we know
from his messages and his CORES
pondence with Gen. Thomas that
the Governor has been fully advised
as to the utter failure or neglect Of
the civil authorities 10 preserve
law and order, yet he has never
made the first demonstration toward
having the laws executed in the
counties where such failure has
occurred. Is he to be held blame
less when he has almost unlimited
power (for the act of March l6,
1867, authorizes him to organise,
equip and call into active service,
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, y to enforce the laws2 1t
is in the face of this disregard OF
| Jut,- or uftar inaomnatencV on the