Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-19
The Ku.Klux and the Civil AUTHORITIES.

AS it is probable the Ku-Klux bill"
now before the Legislature will become a
law, and the Governor be thus empowered
to declare martial law, we desire to d.
rect attention to the manner in which
the laws already in force have been exc
cuted. By the act of February l, 1867,
the sheriff of any county in the State
where disturbances may occur, is au-
thorized to recruit county guards by
the employment of any loyal citizens Of
this State" in sufficient number to ena'
BILE him to enforce the laws and arrest
offenders. 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
ncssee, not the first step has been
taken by the civil authorities, not the
first man has been recruited" by the
sheriff of any one of the couu ties in
which outrages are reported to hav been
committed, to arrest and bring 20 pun.
ishment these ms sked or disguise d law
breakers. 1t must be borne in min, d tina;
the civil officers, especially the she riffs,
of nearly every county in Middle Ten
nessee are Radicals. This is the cas- in
every county, we believe, in which tn ese
outrages are reported to have occurrt d.
Now let it be borne in mind that the civ il
authorities have never made an effort
ferret out the parties who have appeared
in several counties of this division of the
State. They have been permitted to
commit whatever outrages have been
cc;:: :.sa With peit5os nifty,
as the civil authorities are concerlaed.
Are these authorities to be held blameless
If crime runs riot over their respective
counties, when the law has placed at the
disposal of the sheriffs of these counties
the whole number of loyal citizens
of the State, if necessary, to aid in en-
forcing the laws and preserving peace
and good order Now we have shown
that the civil authorities of the counties
in which outrages have been committed
by masked or disguised parties, have
been grossly derelict in duty. What
then is the duty of the Governor2 The
act of February l, 1867, provides lin
section u that in case of any sheriff of
any county of this State shall wilfully
fail or refuse to execute the necessary
process and to make the necessary ar
rests for the protection Of
the citizens, and The preservation
of law and order, and for the punish.
ment of offenders, in his county; or shall
wilfully fail to apprehend offenders from
other counties or States, under lawful
process; or in case any sheriff shall fail,
or be unable to provide himself with
necessary county guards for the preser
vatisn of law and order, il shall be the
duty of the Judge and Attorney General
of the circuit including such county, to
certify such failure or refusal to the Gov
ernor; or upon the affidavit of two knswn
loyal citizens Of this State, of such failure
or refusal of the sheriff, it shall be the
duty of the Governor forthwith, by hi 8
executive order, to organize and estaf >
lish a sufficient county police in es ch
county, to arrest offenders aud re-
serve the peace" Aud the G lov-
ernor was authorised to "iDes ease
or diminish the number Of the Off
GERS and members of such po6 ce at
his discretion. Now we know f. ON his
messages and his correspondence with
General Thomas that the Govoriior has
been fully advised as to thu. uttei. failure
or neglect of the civil anr aorities to pre-
serve Law and order, yet be has never
made the first demr ,nstratien toward
having the laws exeer tied in the counties
where such failure } as occurred. Is be
to be held bls.mele'.s when he has almost
unlimited power, for The act of March l6,
1857, anthorize'I him "to organize,
equip and CO II into active service,
a volunteer force, 10 be known as
the 'TenNssee State Guards, TO be
composed of one or more regiments from
narh cnnrrns sinnal district of the Stnie."