Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-09
REMARKS
HON. ID. C. SLAUGHTER,


On the bill to Appoint a Marshal for
each County in the state, and for
other purposes. Delivered in the
Senate, Feb. S, 1870.
Mr.. SPEAKER: l cannot vote for this
bill as il stands [ am decidedly in favor
of the amendment offered on yesterday
/ by the gentleman from Weakley. think
it important that that portion of the bill
should become q law, but taking the
whole bill as it stands, | am compelled
TO vote against it.
First, know that the whole object Of
Che author Of the bin is to accomplish good
know, sir, that he seeks to remedy one of
the greatest evils that the people Of Ten
nessee are exposed to. / know, sir, that
something should be done, and done at
once. 1t is almost an every day occurrence
that we hear Of some one shot or hung by
parties unknown, thereby escaping the
punishment of the law.
But, sir, this bill seeks to create for each
county in this State new officer, to be
known and designated as Marshal, who
shall be appointed by the Governor, when
ever at his discretion he may consider it
necessary for the preservation of the peace,
etc. These officers when appointed and
commissioned, are invested with all the
psver that other officers ~ the State are
Now, MIR. Speaker, am perfectly sat-
isfed whenever this is done there will he
a conflict of officers; there will be dis
putes arising as to jurisdiction; as to who
is the superior officer, and it may often
be the case that parties of different polit-
ical creeds will be appointed, when they
viii take advantage of the times, and per-
haps endeavOT TO throw responsibilities
where they do not properly belong,
thereby keeping the whole country in
continual state of excitement and cOufu-
sion.
This bill seeks TO appoint mento fill one
of the most delicate and responsible of
fees in the State; in fact, sir, he is made
the superior of the sheriff. Here, sir, are
men appointed and turned loose in every
county in the State; clothed with more
authority than the sheriff, without any
responsibility, without executing any
bond to any court whatever, TO hold him |
responsible for any malfeasanCe in Office, |
or for any damage he may commit upon |
any individual or communicated |
even required to take an oath.
The time has come to-day, sir, when it |
is not safe to turn some men loose upon a |
community witt all the restrictions posi- |
bic thrown around them.
And this is not all, Mr.. Speaker Il |
provides II the third section, that if i |
appear TO the Governor that the power Of |
any county, when summoned by the Mar
shal is not sufficient TO enable him to en-
force the peace of any county, and pre-
serve the lives of its inhabitants, he Cthe
GOVERNOR shall order such force as may
be necessary from other counties.
Gentlemen Of the Senate, think this
a dangerous experiment; | think it haz-
ards what peace and quietude that there
is in the country This law will do no
good if passed. It is antagonistic to pub
lie sentiment; you cannot enforce any law
successfully against public sentiment.
There has to be a revolution in public SEN
timent before this mischief can he stop
ped.
The passage of this law VIII indirectly
amount to the calling out of the militia.
Is there man on this floor that desires to
see that state of affairs again in this
State?
Mr.. Speaker, | think the shcriifs and |
COnstables are the proper officers 10 sup
press the crime, and if they will but do
their duty it can he done. 1t is known /
to-day that a large majority of the
sheriffs in Tennessee are not friendly with /
the party in power, and l am inform
ed that in a great many counties that they |
make no effort to arrest criminals, and as |
we are now upon the very verge Of max
ing a clean sweep and removing every |
officer in the State, let US all appeal to |
every citizen in every county in the State |
TO select their very best men TO fill these |
Offices, let them implore and demand the |
services of men of worth, men OF ability,
men of integrity, men Of honor,
men of Wholesome influence, men
that viii exercise that influence in
Retrospective communities and men that
will frown and scorn upon every effort to
do mischief and try TO restore peace and
quietude in the country. When this is
done the work is accomplished, you bring
shout a change in public sentiment, the
people then will unite in a faithful execu-
ton of the laws, and until that is done all
efforts to enforce law against public senti-
ment will be failure.