Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-22
The Civil Law TO be Suspended.
The Governor Invested with SUI
preme and Absolute Power.
The Militia to Try and Punish.

PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR.
WHEREAS, There exists, in the Middle
and West divisions of this State, lswles,
bands of despersdOes, who are setting 81
defiance civil law and who, by threats
and acts OF violence, are forcing many
Of 0ur citizens to leave their homes; anG
Whereas, In certain localities, in
those divisions OF the State named. it is
entirely impossible for the civil officers
of the State to enforce the lava thereof;
and
Whereas, Those masked villains called
Ku-Klux; are taking prisoners from the
county jails, and hanging them with
out due form Of trial, and are entering
railroad trains, and ~abducting thence
passengers pursuing their Legitimate bu-
siness, and notifying conductors, Of
Northern birth, that they must leave the
State forthwith; thus having driven
four conductors from one road and
Whereas, Certain ambitious, Cissp-
pointed and bad men have besn engaged
for the last two or three years in making
incendisry speeches, advising the over
throw OF the State Government, and
thereby infusing an insurreetionary spirit
into the deluded Yretehes who are thus
breaking the laws and destroying the
iu'tb aUu hCllaIO VI bu6 ObatS anu
Whereas, The leading rebel neWspa-
peTs of this State have encouraged this
state of things-6rst, by denying the ex-
istence of the KIan-secondly, by ridicu-
ling their atrociOus acts, and further, by
falling to condemn and denOunee their
outrages, showing, thereby, that st heart
they approve their conduct; and
Whereas, The Legislature, now in ses-
sion, has so amended the Militia Law Of
Tennessee, as to remove the restrictions
which heretofore crippled it, giving the
Governor full authority to meet such out-
rag 8 with sufficient force
Now, therefore, l., William G. Brown-
low, Governor OF Tennessee, do call upon
all good and loyal eitizsns to enter the
ranks of the State Guard, to be mustered
into service, and assist in putting down
these lawless combinations and proceed
ings, and bringing the offenders to jus
tice, so aiding TO preserve the peace Of
this commonwealth.
Those enrolling under this call will be
subject to the rules and regulations, SIS to
rank, pay, etc, governing the United
States military. Those enrolling in East
will be transported to Nash
vile and armed, and placed under COM
mand OF Gen. James A. Cooper. Com
P0AAoo ACAOHOAOAC OASAAAAOA VIII NC BlU-
This proclamation will in due time be
followed by another, designating the
counties owe which | shall declare mar
tial law, the effect OF which will be to
set aside civil law, and turn offenders
over to the military, who will try them,
aud upon their conviction, dispose OF
them In a summary mSnQe
These outrages have been long borne
with, in the hope that they would be
sbated by the public sentiment OF the re-
spective communities concerned. For
baar3nce has now ceased to be q virtue.
The Executive is not to be brow beaten,
nor terrified Out OF the discharge
OF the duties demanded by existing ext
gencies.
All citizsns who may not enroll under
this call, are hereby requested and en-
joined to use their utmost ~endeavoTs in
with the State Guards, and
otherwise, to restore aud preserve the
peace snddignity Of this commonwealth,
and all citizens are also hereby warned
against harbOTing these masked mRrsud-
ers called Ku-Klux Klans, or giving
them aid and U0untenauce.
The Governor is determined to make
the Slsse Guards sufficiently numerous
and effective, and to continue them in
the field sufficiently long, until Middle
and West Tennessee, are ss orderly and
secure as, happily, East Tennessee is to-
day.
Papers in the State, authorized by law
to DO the public printing, are requested
to copy this proclamation three times.
In testimony whereof have signed
the foregoing and affixed the Crest Seal
OF the Safe, this twentieth day OF JAM
usry, A. D. 1869.
SEAL WILLIAM 6. BROWELOW.