Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-22
rHE MILITIA CALLED FoR.

The Knoxville Wing Of Wednesday
publishes, by authority, the proclsms-
ton OF the Governor calling for the mill
tia. It is such 8 document as might be
expected from its source-abounding in
hlsi6cstion Of facts; amplificstion Of
outrages; bitter illusions to the disfrsn-
chised former opponents of BROwNLow /;
qualification that the Legislature has
conferred upon His Exeellency more
than autocrstic powers, and an lily
concealed esgerness to enforce the ven
geance the untimely instrument pro-
claims.
1t is with difficulty we restrain the ex-
preston that this conduct Of Governor
BRowNLOw forces fer utteranee. In
view Of the frightening prospects of the
StEte, and the prosperity evidenced in
every county, it requires q more than
Christian grace to treat this document as
becomes our position and the dignity Of
the office whence it emanates. 1t is nei-
ther justified by fact nor expediency (;
and must be regarded as another evil
denee of the unitness Of its author for q
position he has disgrsced by a display Of
malice, of purposed injury to the people
Of Tennessee, and Of malignant hate for
those especially who have not given him
couRtenanee in his extreme u~ttersnces
and conduct.
In the preamble setting forth the
causes that have induced him to this
last measure Of violence, the Cover
nor sets forth the Middle and West
ern as the d~isorderly divisions Of the
State, and makes the u~ntensble asser-
ton that in certain localities IN these
divisions It IS entirely impossible for the
civil officers Of the State to enforce the
IaDs." To say that nothing can be far
ther from the truth is only to testify
fairly of the general character of the
people Of West Tennessee. In no single
instance Of reported outrage has the
Sheriff Of any county, 10 our knowledge,
summoned to his aid the people of the
neighbOrhood Of the crime; in but few
have the officers attempted anything like
such earnest performance of their duty
rs might have resulted In the arrest and
punishment Of offenders. 1t is q notori-
Gus fact that most of the peace officers of
the State are Radicals Of the most sp-
proved stripe, that they are in the con-
fdence Of tie Executive and, as COM
pared with officials before the war, have
facilities and means and a power to exc
cute the law that only these extraordi-
nary times could induce or a Radical
Legislature like ours grant. They have
time and again been assured by iniuen-
tial citizens Of their readiness TO as
duties but, either eager for the
emergency hat this proclamation
brings upon the State, or fearful Of their
personal safety in encounters with ruff
hsnism, they have not fulfilled their tond;
but have refused those p~roffers OF help,
shut their eyes to the powers vested in
them by the Constitution and ancient
usage and failed 10 summon the posse
Ne"NNNN@9I "LAIA Al AuAb DLakE uCfuuHE Hil
able bodied men. No special pleading
about masked villains, and Ku-Klux.U
will avail to Justify the employment Of the
militia. The arguments advanced by the
Cincinnati Commercial and other Radi-
cal organs, against the militia o;
Arkansas will hold good in this
case. In the employment OF
neighbOr against neighbOr, it has
been found impossible to prevent out
rage and Injustice. Men will remmeber
and be guided by their likes and dislikes;
and, rs In Arkansas, when opportunity
fsvors, reap a private revenge in
the name Of law, Aggravating
and perpetuatlng the evils they
have been enlisted to suppress.
Better have called upon the United
States troops as during last fall, and 80
insured prompt performance OF duty
with freedom from restraint or perpetra-
ton Of outrage on the citizens. BY such
q step the Governor could have guar
anteed the people against oppression
AID robbery, and much money
necessary ia the advancement of
the interests OF the State, have
keen saved. Viewed in whatever light. |
1t Is plain that il he would, there are
many ways in which, while he fulfilled
the expectancy Of the Legislature to
maintain the laws, Gov. BRowNLow
have RETAINED from exciting the
fears ofthe people by introducing a force
TO which, 10 advance Of their presence,
there attaches 81 the cdium excited py
CLAYTON's militia.
Yet, in face Of this, we call upon our
people everywhere to preserve the peace,
go about their ordinary avocations, and
pursue the even tenor OF their wav. a
ifesting, under all circumstances, that
obedience to law which has aver dis.
tlnguished them. We m1st ,,,ot
the disfranehisement that places ne
at the mercy Of IA present iueomno,on,
and ignorant rulers we must forgo, IN
the provocstions TO rebel that have 49,
heaped upon us with ten-fold hate vo
must remember, at least, what is due ia
ourselves and our own interests, and bow
with what grace we can to an edict we
cannot reverse. We must bide our time.
must wait patiently for the end OF
RadicRlism. In the rapid change of pub
lie sentiment last year, we have an
earnest that 3 time is not far off when