Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-01
WEDNESDAY, sEPrEMBER 1, lses.
DOWN WITH THE DEsPERADoEs

DOWN WITH THE DEsPzRADOEs.
On yesterday We endorsed the
prompt warning Of the proclama-
ton of Gov. Senter against the
bands of desperadoes charged with
the recent violations of the peace in
Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner
counties; and asserted that if it be-
came necessary, it was his duty as
Chief Executive, to reprsss them |
and bring the offenders to punish |
mont, by any legitimate means, and |
at all hazards. The seal of repro
baton must be placed on these acte, |
emphatically, and in such manner
as will prevent their repetition.
Its matters not by whom they are
perpetrated. Their authors are bad
men, and must be placed under
the ban of the community, and in the
grasp Of the law. Language is in
adequate to express the LEGISLATION
and adherence which every good
citizen must feel for such conduct.
If it is done to crafty feeling of
race prejudice, or to satisfy a spirit
Of retaliation, it is ineffably mean,
so miserably malevolent that con-
tempt mingles in the feeling which
prompts its denunciation. If it is
done with a sordid purpose to de-
fraud and rob the laborer of his
wages by frightening him from the
region in which they were earned it
is base beyond ability to describe.
If it be the work of reckless, ire
sponsible cut-throats, instigated by
q general spirit Of devilishness,
which it most probably is, they
should be hunted down as men hunt
wild beasts, and driven from the
State, or exterminated. Neither the
officers Of the law nor the people
of the communities which are the
scene of these outrages should show
their authors the least particle of
liberation. No man who engages
in them, young or old, or Of what
ever nativity, antecedents or poll
tics, should be countenanced. The
man who thus harries the peace of
the State at this time is
fool as well as a knave.
We have written this much in
general and utter condemnation Of
such proceedings, and in advocacy
of stern and vigorous measures of
repression. The interests of the
people and the fair fame of the
State, both require that this species
of lawlessness shall be summary
checked; and we repeat our indorse-
ment of the official steps taken to
arrest it, and renew our exhorta-
ton to the leading citizens Of coun-
ties in which they may occur, to so
organize the public sentiment of
their communities, that these pred
atory villains who are putting in
jeopardy the welfare of the whole
people, shall be banished from
the State. A half dozen OF such
men as could be named in each Of
these counties, should immedi-
ately counsel together, and adopt
effective measures to this end.
Thereports which are borne to us
may be exaggerated, but we have
evidence that, to a greater or less ex-
tent, they are true: and our infor
nation is also, that the participants
are characterless wretches-the
refuse of society collected
from both sides in the late war.
Certain we are, that the better por-
ton of the people give no en-
couragement or sympathy to such
acts. By malevolent politicians,
however, they can be perverted and
used to the serious detriment Of the
State. 1t is needless to stop
to investigate them thoroughly,
or to weigh accurately the
amount of exaggeration which
accompanies them. There has been
and is too much of this, and we
again say it must be arrested at all
cost, and it is the duty of every
man to assist in the work by all the
moral and natural agencies at his
command.