Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-04-23
pross.s Asain.. R.conssruc,,on.

r. Ata recent meeting Of the Clarks-
VILE Board of Trade, by unanfnous
vote, committee was appointed to
DRAFT q respectful protest against Com
gressional interference in our State
affairs, which would proveso ruInous
TO our commercial interest, and also
represent the state of our society ETC.,
and forward the same to members OF
Congress-, and leading merchants Of
northern commercial cities. Follow
fling is the protest a.tit| 500.
~ BOARD OF TRADE RooM4 J
a. GAINESVILLE, TENN.
soa.ssl ~ April I4th, 1870. J
The undersigned, committee APP
pointed by an unanimous vote of the
Clarksville Board of Trade, to memo
lrialize the Congress Of the United
States on the subject Of Intervention
Tor reconstruction of Tennessee, beg
most respectfully to present to your
honorable body a statement Of the
situation of affairs in this part Of the
State, and to enter brief but earnest
protest against any political Interior
ence by Congress in the State govern
ment: ID agt., g.. n ~
This Is the fourth city IN the State,
in point of wealth and population,
and third I'm commerce, and contains
as large colored population, proper
1 tionably, "a any city or county In the
State. All is now quiet peace and
harmony prevail, all classes are well
satisfied, aud with cheerfulness and q
good degree Of energy, are pursuing
their daily avocations; law and order
lsupreme, no outrage occurring here
nor in all the section of country trad
: ing ut this point, nor In the State a.
: present, as,far az we are advised, ant
: less crime than for many years. past
and in every instance perpetrators
crime are held strictly amenable t,
the laws; no one is misued or NAL
{ treated on account Of his political OPP
: iniops or actions; all our people ar
: quiet and law. abiding life, libert,
and property are secure.
We beg to assure you that any &C
ton of Congress calculated TO unset
e tie our State affairs, and take from
the people their rightfil control @
: State questions of policy, and impos
upon them officers and taxes to whicl
Q they are repugnant, without allowin,
: their voices to be heard through th
ballot-box, will prove most disastrou
TO every interest and all classes
whether white or black. AgricuItu
: raj, commercial and manufacturin
: interests will be destroyed; the indus
|, try and energy of the people paralyz
! ed; their hopes blasted; the peace
quiet and harmony, now prevailing
: changed to strife, conflict and coils
ions; individual bankruptcy will be
come common, and State obligation
/ remain unprotected.
!, The people have, by majority {
y more than sixty thousand, rattle
z the new Constitution, which ]
/, Thoroughly republican in form, as wei
/, as In letter and spirit; 1t establishe
! universal manhood suiffageAmake
> all men equal before the law; the
: have in good faith accented the stu
4, ton, and only ask to be let alone
that they may work out their ow
salvation, and restore the State to il
T pristine greatness and position anon
. the States of the Union.
q This board of Trade, composed {
i gentlemen of all shades of 'polical or
J. inion, submit the above as u fair, car
a did and honest statement, and woul
: most respectfully and earnestly urg
: that your honorable body will declin
o to adopt a policy'that will destroy ou
d prosperity for the qualification of
II few men, whose only object and pun
= pose is to keep themselves in offic,
9 lcontrary to the wishes of an ovel
whelming majority of the people.
H.. H. PosToN,
nl w. T. SHACKELFoRD. g.
8 Fl. III. LURToN. eoiii
q d, N, KENNEDY.