Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-04-15
TENNESSEE.
SsateF's Last Testimony. He is Careful not
TO Commit Himself to Reconstruction
0nly wants s few Soldiers, 10
which Shtrman ls Opposed.
The Agony is not yet Over, though il is
Probable Tennessee will not be Recon
strueted- Opinions 0fthe Press.

essential particular from the evidence
ne gave OBJ Saturday. Most Of the
examination was of cOllOquial char
acter. He reiterated his declaration
that, il he had troops, he could pre-
serve the peace of the State, and
that a military force could not
be obtained from the militia,
as is was neither organized nor
equipped. He was careful to avoid
committing himself to any PROPOSE
ton for reconstructing Tennessee
again. Regarding Outrages, he adj
mitted that his information was that
they were diminishing since January,
and on the whole the testimony was
favorable to the Conservative side,
and against the proposed Congress
Sional interference. In his evidence
an Saturday, Governor Senter alluded
10 the 1utrages in Rutherford county.
To-day Mr.. Beck submitted a state
ment. signed by the Republican judge
of that county. was appointed by
BroWnlOw, and also an attested dOeu-
n1ent from the grand jury OF the same,
showing that affairs were as peaeeaOle
and quiet there now as In any other
State of the Union. As the situation
now stands, it does not seem probable
that the committee viii decide to re-
mort a bill 10 reconstruct the State.
The evidence, however, Is not yet
closed. and the reverse may be the
case after more testimony Is taken.
Some Republicans from East Tennes-
see write TO the committee that they
ere willing to come on and testify that
they have been obliged from personal
fear tO leave that section.
From the St. Louis Democrat
WASHINGTON, April I2.-GOvernOr
Senter, Of Tennessee, was before the
Reconstruction Committee again To-
day, and concluded his testimony as
90 The condition of that Safe. 1t was
substantially in the direction of that
given last week. He admits there IS
So1ne disturbance in certain sections,
but says that men Of both political
partics are engaged IN making IL.
He and the Legislature are at logger
heads, and it appears that the Iest
class of citizens are somewhat lndll-
ferent as 70 the course OF afialrs. lie
syas rather cautious IN his sugges-
tions, but the point OF them seei.ie9
20 be that the trouble could be quelled
with a small number OF troops.
A special dispatch says that General
Sherman has returned to Washing
ton. and has received dispatches from
officers in Tennessee. who report all
quiet, and that the people are gener-
allv attending to their work ana pre-
pairing for the planting season.
General Sherman announces his op-
.nositfo1 to placing troops under Or
1legs of Governor Senter or any other
civilian, and says nothing would as
soon destroy the efficiency OF the
army.
From the Louisville Commercial.
WAsHrNGTOS, April 12.-GOvernor
Senter. was before the Reconstruction
Committee to-day, and underwent ex-
animation in reference to the condi-
tion of affairs in Tennessee. He ap-
peared to wish to give a pleasing pic
fure of his constituents, and was
closely cross-examined by Mr.. Butler,
who drew out the fact that good
many murders have been committed
within the past few months.
From the st. Louis Democrat (Radieal).l J
a.1ter. seems 10 be still trying TO
eide tsc,y horses. The detailed state
rnant of Ouirages and murders which
he makes sre ridiculOusly inadequate
10 sustain any claim for troops, for
the deeds named are neither numer-
Gus enough to show thst 2 necessity
exists for military interference; nor
ard they definitely connected by any
Droof with a political motive. That
+he old cruelty to negroes breaks out
at times is both true and inevitable;
.lothing short Of corporal guard
to attend every colOred man in the
state Will prevent il. That the old
fashion of lvnching men accused OF
snv crime has not yet entirely y passed
away is also frle, and Seila-
aor Morton, before be votes 10
overtIIrn the government of Tennessee
on that account will probably remem-
bar the tOinEs Of the Vigilance Com
Yoittee At Seymour, Ind. The wear
fnq of masks and the unauthorized
, sizing OF men by gangs 50 disguised
n n Pnhappily not confined to South
- 81, c.. ties, but have made appearance
q Il -, -, y. Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
,,5 IL -, D. 7yal States as well. How
lo,,I, - (,',, if The <U-KluX gangs are real
~, ma ,,Z.igilance Committees or
= Spe,y.,Iafiors. ;, cloZely skin IN con
duct and object TO tie gang OF men
10 dishosored the town OF seymour
bv their performances, II Is ''Os 10y
tS say. That such an OrganlZaSIOh a.
tbe Ku-KluN, pOliticO-rebeilOus III
character, has existed, ana IN soLie
quarters still exists, is unquestl0naDle,
but it does not appear how the pre-,
fnce Of a few soldiers in town VIII
Dreyeut these infamous and c0Wardly
leeds in the surrounding country.
The truth is that we expect too mneh
II We expect that all the barbarism
nOurished during a half century OF
slavery will vanish in day in eonse-
.auence Of any political change WHAT
ever. A vast deal of il has been sup
messed, more than the most Thought
ful man expected in so short a tame,
But the traces of IL which still remain
are more likely to vanish under the
influence of peace, industry and quiet,
than in consequence of the revival OF
6afIitary measures with all the excite
ment and bitterness involved by that
treatment.
Inn, the. Kew York Tribune (Radiesl)- j
qha statement Of Dir. A. ]. Fletcher,
.,rTennes. .~ee, IS 10 the outrages OF the
~ Rn-TInx iI", EyIo - 10 that State, would
make yerv start. eng ana hoErlIyslDg slLg
reading if the facts \, eie -. 80 su.5,
.edly stated second ham .sla tLo',' ~,
faint recOIlections Of old cOnV>
Beyond few well-known and a. SDcls,
tiested instances Of the murder u
Drominent men, such as Senator Case,
the statement contains only the most
general information, upon which no
official body or person would ieel
authorized to act. The picture
js nevertheless, a painful one.
Of the truth Of the general statement
there can. unfortunately, be very lit
tie doubt. But Just such scenes follow
every war, and particularly civil wars.
o They are the natural results OF the
sudden overthrow of all civil law and
social amity. The long period re-
ouired to restore order must OF neces-
,itv be marked by many acts OF Vlo-
Ience. But we believe ana MAINTAIN
That the murders and rencounters
which mark reconstruction IN ZEN
nessee and the South generally are
lsr0eIv the results of personal ami
naoSify II is absurd to believe that
thew were planned by politicians
Tor nolitical purposes. Politics may
,Sorbons be al the bOttom-the
ndiracf cause Of the personal
Jificulties. 1t would be singular
II such a fruitful source OF disorder
were not the origin in some instances
of the personal animosities whose re,
guIts Mr.. Fletcher portrays. bul
while we haven't a doubt OF the truth
of Mr.. Fletcher's story, we dissen1
from the theory that political diner
ences worthy the attention Of Con
press are the cause Of the trouble.
While we shall be glad to see order
,.n.tnrad and maintained In IenneSSee