Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-27
RUTHERFORD COUNTY.
A Foul Conspiracy Discovered
and Defeated.
Negroes to Murder Citizens and
Burn their Dwellings.
From The Murfreesboro Monitor. Nov. ~.

From the Murfreesboro Monitor, Nov %.
For several weeks rumors of startling
nature have been in circulation in our
county. A day or two prior to the late
election it was asserted, on the authority
of responsible citizens, that a plot had
been discovered among the negroes living
in the old Jefferson neighborhood to rise
on the night before the election and burn
the residences and cotton gins of the
farmers in that vicinity. Gentlemen of
the highest responsibility vouched for the
truth of this alleged conspiracy. Pre-
cautions were taken in a cool and sys-
tematic manner, and the outbreak was for
the time abandoned by those who planned
it.
Again, about two weeks since knowl-
edge of another outbreak was impaired to
gentlemen of undoubted veracity and
character residing in the vicinity of
Smyrna. The plain of the negroes in this
instance, was for the negroes to assemble
in large numbers at the Smyrna depot on
Saturday night last, and to proceed to de
stroy the stores and residences in that To-
cality, then and there to proceed through
the country destroying whatever came
within their reach.
When these facts became known,
meeting was held, composed of number
of the most substantial citizens, who re-
solved to proceed in the matter with the
greatest caution. Desiring to avoid, by
every honorable means, any disturbance,
1t was resolved that the suspected parties
should be closely watched, and that no
decisive steps should be taken until the
parties engaged in this criminal conspiracy
should commit some overt act. No in
temperate proceedings were to be allowed,
and the strictest decOrum was to be pre-
served by the citizens. This line of con-
duct was closely pursued. But it became
known, day or two before the intended
raid, that information had been conveyed
to the negroes that their designs had been
discovered, and that the citizens were ia
full possession of their proposed plan of
operations. Thus, for the second time,
the villainous project was defeated.
We were 10th to believe these reports
when they first came to our ears; but
such evidence was produced that COM
plstely convinced US that there was not q
reasonable doubt of the genuineness of
the bloody conspiracy.
Now, the truth of the whole matter is
this The Radicals are making every
effort to have the State reconstructed.
! To attain this object they desire evidence
of the 'disloyalty" of the people, and
their determination to set at defiance the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments.
| The old and stale stories of Kukluk out
RACES have become threadbare, and win
no longer answer the purposes of Radi-
calsm. Therefore, nothing short of real
riot will now avail them. They care not
how it is brought about, or how many
| lives are sacriiced-a riot In which the
blood of negroes is split is what they
desire, and will leave no stone unturned
| to bring it about.
These projected midnight asssssinations
and burnings were concocted by the Radi-
cal leaders of Tennessee, and the proof
| will vet confront them. Their idea was,
that even in the event of a discovery of
| their plans, some of the more impetuous
| and hot-blooded of our citizens, smarting
under the oft repeated outrages of Radi-
calism, would not be able to restrain a
| Just indignation, and take summary ven
geance on the cowardly and misguided
conspirators. In this, however, their CAL
| culations were erroneous.
| Here is another of the vallsinies of
Radicalism. Here is another dsmning
proof of the lengths that Radicalism is
prepared to go retain itself in power.
| We present the simple facts TO ou1
readers, and have no other comment to
offer than that, in the present attitude of
affairs we cannot act with too much
caution, 50 that we do not give our
enemies the slightest foundation for theil
foul ISLANDERS upon our people.