Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-13
TENNESSEE IN WASHINGTON.
,Ehe Wonderful Stories of the Color
ed DeIegation-What Grant said
,rrOops TO be Sent TO the state.

ed DeIcGaA1On-ts1 nut
troops TO be Sent TO the state
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.
WASHINGTON, March 10.-The move
ment for Congressional action in relation
To affair in Tennessee, is being pushed
forward earnestly, and there is fair
prospect that something will be done,
either by Congress or the Executive, to
restore tranquility in that State. The
Congressional delegation, composed OF
Msynard, Butler, Prosser, Arnell, Stokes,
Smith and Tilghman, called upon the
President to-day, accompanied by COM
mittee of the colored Republicans of Ten
nessee, appointed by the convention lately
held in Nashville, namely, DR.. Young,
Rev. Moses r. johnson, James A Sum-
ner. ]. c. Napier, J. c. Davis Majer
Hopkins, D. B. Spear and Major Camp
were also present at the interview. Re
preventative Maynard introduced the gen.
tlemen, and stated that the object OF the
visit of the joint delegation was to ask
the Executive to interpose his stroug arm
and prevent the continuance of the pre-
sent depressing and lamentable state OF
affairs in Tennessee.
DIR. Young, the Chairman OF the Col
ored Committee, then read memorial to
the President, which he said had been
adonted by the Nashville Convention, and
which was to be presented TO Congress.
He said the Convention was composed OF
colored men from every part OF the State;
that the majority of them were educated
and intelligent; number of them were
farmers. business men, mechanics; and
that all were desIrous of earning and en-
loving an honest livelihood; their rights
as citizens were almost entirely taken
from them by the present disloyal State
authorities: but he said this was not all;
day and night were the men, women and
children of his race murdered, outraged,
robbed and driven from their homes; their
property destroyed, and no redress given
them at the hands of the law. He en-
treated the President to interfere, to send
troops through the State, and protect
the loyal citizens, for the white
loyalists suffer alike with the colored
man. He argued that the President had
the constitutional power to send troops to
the State. to protect the citizens and en-
force the laws. He said the State of Ten
nessee is. to-day, in instruction with the
General Government. The proclamation
of the adoption of the Fifteenth Amend
ment will have no force or effect in the
State if the President does not send troops
there. or if the State is not reconstructed
on the basis of Virginia, Mississippi and
Georgia. He recounted many horrible
things that had been done by the KuKluX
during the past year, and predicted that
many of the members of Congress now
present would find it serious business to
attempt TO continue their residence in
Tennessee if the Ku-KluX were not broken
up by the United States troops. He was
followed by the Rev. Moses X. johnson,
of the Methodist Colored Church. He
recited many cases of outrage, breaking
I'D of church gatherings, demolition OF
churches and school houses, maltreatment
of the teachers, male and female, etc. lie
trusted that the President would send
troons there at once, and take possession
of the State, so that loyal citizens could
enjoy their rights and property.
The memorial was an account of the
calling of the convention at Nashville,
and the result of their deliberations which
were. in brief, to ask the President to
send troops throughout the State TO pro-
tect them and their families, and ask
Congress- TO reconstruct the State on loyal
PRINCIPLES, and TO pray the Government
10 enforce the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments by the aid of troops, etc
The President replied to the remarks OF
those mentioned above, and to the solicit
tations of the memorialists, as follows
Il regret very much the condition Of
affairs in the State of Tennessee. Will DO
nv best to check these outrages Ten
nessee is State in the Union, and l have
no right to take possession of her terrific
nv with troops. l will take the whole
matter into consideration, however. we
have troops to spare, and we viii see u
we cannot send them throughout the State
SO as to have moral effect at least, and