Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-17
IA RUTLAND HERALD,
-rL-nsnAY. MARCH Is, 1870.
tennessee Affairs.

,,-, week the Tennessee Congressional
Lection and q delegation Of the colored
...pb,icans Of Tennessee, appointed as al
.,auir,,e by the Republican coiored con-
.,.i..,, lately held in Nashville, had an
.....,ew with the President. Congress-
.n Maynard stated that the object of the
,s,.t Of the joint delegation was to re-
nest the President to interpose his strong
I'm md prevent the continuance of the
..nu,at laIneutable state of affairs in Ten
...--rc. \ committee chosen by the con-
,.utium recently held in Nashville were
urr-rut with tho memorial of that con-
,,ntion and state facts in relation TO the
tate OF affairs in that State. DR.. Young,
hartman Of the colored committee, read
memorial, adopted by the convention,
10 the President and Congress, and
,ilressed the Executive in behalf
II the colored men of Tennessee.
lie stated that the convention recently
held in Nashville was composed of colored
men from every section of the State that
the vast majority of them were educated
and intelligent that a number were
farmers, planters, business men, and in
many instances men of family and prop
ertv Their rights as citizens were taken
from them by the present State authori-
ties He entreated the President to in
terfere and send troops throughout the
State and protect the loyal citizens, for,
said he, the white loyalists suffer alike
with the colored man. He argued that
the President had the constitutional pow
or to send troops into the State to protect
citizens and enforce the laws. The State
Of Tennessee is to-day in a state of insur-
reotion against the General Government.
The proclamation of the adoption of the
Fifteenth Amendment will have no force
or effect in that State, if the President
does not send troops there, or if the State
was not reconstructed as Georgia is
He recounted many horrible things
that had been done by the KuKlux du-
ring the past year, and predicted that
many of the members of Congress now
present would find it a serious business
to attempt to continue their residence in
Tennessea if this band was not broken up
by United States troops. DIR. Young APP
2e,lsd to the President for aid and his
jnterposttion. He WAS followed by the
Rev Moses r. Johnson, of the Methodist
..olored church, who recited cases of out
rtges breaking up church gatherings
demolition OF churche, and school
houses maltreatmaut OF teachers, male
and female, etc. Ho trusted that the
President would send troops at once
md take possession of the State, so that
.yal citizens could enjoy their rights and
.uvileges The memorial contained an
,coount of the calling of the convention of
aglored Republicans at Nashville; their
meeting, and the result of their delibera-
tous, which were, in brief, to ask the
President to send troops throughout the
State to protect them and their families.
and to ask Congress to reconstruct the
State on truly republican and loyal prin-
ciples, and to pray the government to en-
force the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments by the aid of troops, ste. The
President replied:
81 regret very much the condition OF
things in Tennessee, and will do my best
to check these outrages. Tennessee is a
State in the Union, and I have no right to
lake possession OF her territory with
troops. I will take the whole matter into
consideration. We have troops to spare,
md l will sec if we cannot send them
through the State so as to have a moral
fleet at least. and also to aid the U. s..
Mur.hh and his deputies in carrying out
the laws Of the General Government, and
tie DEGREES of u. s Courts. Al to the
Fifteenth Amendment, l am sure its pro-
visions will be carried out in every State,
AZ Congress is now engaged in preparing
q law for that purpose. l will certainly
give this matter due attention. 1 will
consult with the Secretary of War and
zee what can b. done'