Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-08
THOSE OUTRAGES.
An Important Letter from Chancel-
Tor SOmers-,The Situation i'm West
Tenna$eae


Tennessee.
DRESDEN, Tenn, April 4, 1870
Messrs. Geo. r. Brasfeld, ]. E. Vim
cent, Geo. II. Roulstone, VIM. S. Scott,
and others: [ received on yesterday q
note from you, propounding certain ques-
tons to me, with a request that l should
answer them. | will answer your inter
rogatories in the order in which they are
put:
~. When were you made Chancellor
for this Division, and by whom9 "
l was appointed Chancellor of this Di-
vision in May, 1866, by Gov. VIM. G.
Brownlow.
"2. Bywhattenure do you now hold the
Office, and when were you elected2n
l was elected last May, and was COM
missioned by Gov. d. w. G. Senter-by
virtue of which election and commission
l now hold said Office.
"3. What counties are embracedinyour
Chancery Division ;"
The counties of Benton, Carroll, Weak
ley, Henry and Obion.
'4. What length of time have you been
engaged in the practice of the law, at this
placer"
/ received license to practice law in the
latter part of the year 1S49, since which
time up to the time of my appointment as
Chancellor of this division, have been
engaged in the practice of the law in this
(Weakley) and the adjoining counties.
80. Have you, by interchange, heldany
Of the Circuit Courts. If so, when and
where2"
/ held a Circuit Court at Huntingdon,
Carroll county, by interchange with the
Hon. L. L. Hawkins in 1866. have
held the Circuit Court, at. this place two
or three times by interchange with the
Hon. John A. Rogers in 1868 and 1862
l also held Circuit Court for Judge Rogers,
for short time at Union City, Obion
county, in 1869.
&c. Have you known of any resistance
to the execution of the laws in this State,
since the war;"
Personally have not. have heard of
a few instances in which persons have
been taken forcibly from the officers of
the law and lynched. In these cases the
persons taken were charged with high
crimes-in some cases rape, in others
murder. have known of no instance of
resistance to the execution of process is
sued by the courts, except in one case,
and that was in a case of habeas corpus
some time last fall The writ was issued
by me, at the instance of mother whose
husband had separated from her, to get
the custody of her child-a boy about
or years old. The Deputy Sheriff of
nI,iOy, laI tol 80 he
child, and was on his way with him from
Madrid Bend, in Obion county, to Union
City, and he had crossed the river and.
was in Missouri, intending to take a boat
at New Madrid, Mo. The husband, and
father of the child, took him away from
the officer while he was in Missouri, at
New Madrid. The counsel for the petit
toner made no motion for an attachment
for contempt, and the case was dropped.
''7. Has there been any difficulty in
Union men, or persons of color getting
their rights in courts where you have pre-
sided?"
There has not
'tS. Are the people, regardless of party
distinction, secure in their persons and
property in the State so far as your OBJ
servation eXtends?"
They are. have known of no one be-
ing maltreated because of his political
opinions, for the last two or three years.
The people of the State, so far as have
observed, are quiet and law-abiding; as
much so at present, if not more so, than
they were before the war. A manifest
spirit of improvement generally prevails.
They are at work in earnest, striving to
repair the losses OccasiOned by the war;
and they are rapidly recovering from them.
A greater spirit of industry will scarcely
be found anywhere. They most of all
want peace, so they may enjoy the fruits
of their labor. Thata state of lawlessness
exists in this portion of the State is wholly
untrue, and believe it equally untrue as
to the entire State.
To reconstruct the State, as it is called,
will be most ruinous to the interest of all
classes, white and colored. Commerce
will be prostrated-the industry and en-
ergy of the people paralyzed, and the
spirit of improvement, now almost uni
versal, will be at once destroyed; and our
people will have to set down in despair
and content themselves, as best they can,
with simply food and raiment enough to
preserve life-they will have no heart to
work for more.
Having complied with your request, l
remain yours truly, JOHN SoMERs.