Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-05-10
MARTIAL nAw RnooLAImEp.

MARTIAL LAW RlsOcLAEMED.
Martial law in lis most offensive foam
has been proclaimed ia Georgia The
courts, State and Fedcrai, are in full ope-
ration there, no instruction exists, no call |
for troops has been made, and yet mere /
captain of infantry is now trying oiti-
zen for his life.i When the Hast Georgia |
bill was under discussion, the Senate voted
down every provision authorizing the sus-
pension of tho writ of habeas corpus,
and yet now, by mere brute force and
yiolenes without The faintest color of
law and without the the least pretense of
necessity, General Terry, in command of
the troops stationed in Georgia, approves
the conduct of his subordinate, and tells
him in somsny words: ssYouwiIl not per-
nit him TO be produced in court or re-
leased on bail until decision in the prem
ises is rendered at these headquarters-n
The writ sued out in behalf of the kid
mapped Georgian has accordingly been
denied.s On Mr. Beck offering resolu-
ton in the House of Representatives on
the 4th inst to inquire of Gen. Grant the
authority for this procedure, Mr.. Shanks
objected, and the Radical majority, by
| sustaining that objection, stihei the call.
So it comes to this, says the New York
World, that the days of the Meade
domination, when men were put in the
sweat-box at Fort Pulaski to torture them
into giving hanging evidence against
other men, have returned in Georgia, and
Congress abets the wrong. Contempt
raneous with this outrageous miscon-
duct there comes report that
Grant thinks the best thing to do with
the State is to make it permanent milf
tary province. Just as the reconstruc-
ton sore is healing, this man and his
hackers in the House, tear open the ulcer,
infuse into it fresh venom, and irritate all
its pestilent humors anew. More than
this. to enter the State of Georgia in a
time of profound peace, and drag a citi-
zen before a military commission for his
life, Is a direct insult and menace to every
one of the United States 1t reviVes the
worst days of the little bell, and betokens
so lawless and ungovernsble temper in
| the administration as threatens, if not
checked, to do, at perhaps no very dis
tant day, in Ohio or Indins or New YorE
what it now does in the far South.
The motive of this proclamation o
martial law in Georgia is as disgraceful a
the proclamation itself is tyrannical. Tn
real disturbing cause in ''the Georgii
case" is that the Radicals have never ye
been able to concert any measures tina
would infalibly give them the State
Armed as they are with the full powe
and patronage of the government Their
has been such superior political abilit.
? opposed to them that they have been BAT
fed and beaten at every turn. It la
been their desire TO obtain full Radica
Congressional delegation, Senators ant
Representatives, from Georgia. and tc
SO secure the State government as t.
have it in all its depart
ments, reliably their own. Tn
Georglans have opposed to this an irwin
chile determination to be represented anC
governed in such way only as might bes
subserve the final overthrow of Radical
ism. This fight they have fought with
desperate tenacity that challenges admira
ton, and so far have. outmanGuvred Con
gress most handsomely. Hence, out ofpur
rage and shame, we have Congress inst
eating and approving resOrtto the bayo
net, the suspension of the writ of habea
corpus, and the drumhead court. Tn
country will know how to appreciate this
=, disgraceful confession of defeat.