Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-02-05

unucr sumo cne'ko y !,
would never have been III aa'se' Y
heinr inierfered with. We have never
o,a cniet and peacea able
nee'" VI o,.,. ,h.n M tbs
time throughout '"e o'''e .nd
present, the Governors mes'sgo "s
Ftheridee TO the contrary, notwithst"no
-
Tug. a. sollows.
we give 'na "o''s uan.o =, Rama.
Gentiem,,snns o. tne Ssna'' 'AN $3.50 : -
s I'm with profound regret I realize the
..osss;,v Of directing your attention to
,na alarm;nglv frsouent violence to the
u VIC and dignity of the State, 10 the
r Lii and even atrocious muir
s sns ~ har c;,;usns. nv persops general y
seaor,sd IN d;sgpise or unknown. Many
astba Stare's o,tizens have been outraged
- ,hs;r n,;v;Ieges and persons BY cruel
;nd;cn;,;ss, moi a few slain outright,
m;,hout charge Of having. in auywise,
| offsnSed the laws: while others under
animal charges have been fofcibly
wrested from the custody of the law, and
| their blood deliberately shed by bodies OF
men without the least shadow of author
inv That these enormiries can be In our
m;ast without The perpetrators in q sin
Gle instance being even arrested to an
swsr for their lawless and criminal acts,
demonstrates the existence of organize
49,, On their mart. not only dangerous 10
he individual cinzen and adverse TO the
nnbI;e dignity. but formidable even to
he nublic peace and safety.
While the law lately enacted for sup
nressiou of these outrages must do honor
70 the purposes Of your honorable body,
| I trust'it will not be accepted as an i'm
propriety on my part to respectfully sug-
gest doubts of It's sufficiency to reach and
rsmedy the evils aimed at. As not a
single arrest has yet been made for the
grosstst violation Of already existing
Iaws although such violations have
hsen FREQUENT. and the largest re-
wards allowed have been often,
if not invariably offered, to bring
10 iustice. il may be fairly concluded
| thai such offenders are protected by or
ganiz atoms ADEQUATE, BY terrorism, the
force Of numbers, or other means, to
eject security against the ordinary civil
process and officers Of the law. The
public misfortune seems not so much o
want of law as lack Of power to enforce
ina, we have.
That in some instances the peace off,
GERS of a county should be under the in
Aueuce, or even in confederation with
the criminals, or that the body OF its peo-
nile should be prevented, by terror, from
cooperation for their suppression, IS not
more marvellous than that such crimes,
| in the most heinous form, should have
teen so often repeated in this State with
such universal impunity.
In this view, recommend that III not
contrary 10 opr State Constitutional our
statutes be so amended that the Execu-
tive shall have power, at his discretion,
10 appoint, for counties where such vio-
lstions Of lav are committed, and no ar
rest OF the offenders made, special OH
Gers, with ell of the powers OF sherihs to
summon posses, make arrests, ana do all
like things necessary TO bring onerder,
to Justice, such officers to be commits
siot ed as peace officers Of the State, and
clothed with all the protection, 10 exer-
else of their lawful powers and duties,
shch can be afforded officers OF the law
and also that the Executive be authorized
by law to appoint and CON mission special
prosecuting attorneys IN judicial circuits
| where there may be, IN his judgment, de'
fault on the part of the regular Attorney.
General in the proper prosecution OF
such otfendGrs TO Indictment and eonvic'
ton in the coarts-sEeh appointments
by the Governor to be confrmeq ~ the
Sensta, if in session.
II will be observed that my reeommen-
dstion of rene iies for the evils indicated
have, thus far, been strictly conhned to
means within the civil law; aud as
have never, daring my administrator CT
| It's dates, murmured at the disposition OF
any to dimin;sh he powers OF the Exeeu-
tive Of the State, it viii Certainly not be
considered that / now suggest any in
orasse Of such powers for other purposes
than tbs ssaiptensnce OF order and sup,
preston of giOlenee. there 10 valid
CONSTITUTIONAL objection TO the ssHrse
suggested, then ! recommend that your
honorable BODY saopt suoh means as will
most tend to enable the Executive to Ger
cure, in all counties OF the State, the
most efficient practicable support to the
| isws ard protection OF society, Surely,
confesssss tkat the governing powers
of our State are ,sksiSa. to remedy
these heiuous outrsges can pos IL
yeconciled with the proud claim that We
eniov the most perfect form Of govern
msat yet DEVISED By the wisdom and
experience &C man. Perhaps the dis.
tinctiys genius OF our Republican inst.
,n,;ons ia not that we are Tess, but that We
are better governed than those under
ether systems Not 90 much that the
SrIer with ma is less absolute than even
ssIas or Gar. but rather that, while
these are o4t hEgsp, wearing ell the