Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-04
SENATOR FOWLER.
His Remarks upon Reconstruction In the
United States Senate.
He Defends Tennessee from Radical De-
famatIOn and FaIsehOOd.

fore the United States Senate, defensive
of the State of Tennessee, said:
To establish this frightfui picture Of
loathsome horror, the testimony OF Gem
eral Forrest is invoked; a witness suit
able for the purpose; an instrumentality
designed by some Nemesis of wrath TO
prove the people of Tennessee a congre-
gated a of Thugs, the organized, sworn
conspIratOrs against virtue, industry and
hOnOr-a regularly constituted fraternity
of assassination and torture. This evil
dence Governor enter is made to furnish
against his constituents when before the
Reconstruction Committee of the House.
To the following questions he answered:
By Mr., Wood;
"What proportion of the entire popula-
tionof the State have participated in these
Ku-Klux ~Outrages?"
"AnsWer-The only statement we have
had that vas looked upon as authentic
was made by General Forrest, that there
were forty thoQaEad Ku-KIux in Tonnes
see."
This statement, taken from the inter
view between General Forrest and the
most unreliable of that unreliable race of
accidental beings-for no creative power
would ever admit them the workmanship
of his hsnds-was published in 1883, n
afterward denied by Forrest. Yet this
wholesale condemnation of a whole State,
for it is nothing else, is called by the Gov
ernor an authentic statement. The Gov
ernor himself does not believe these fig
ures, if they were even made as alleged.
The next question shows that Mr.. Wood
understood the value of General Forests
testimony better than the Governor:
"Question-General Forrest is moi gen
orally looked upon as a reliable man in
his statements, is he?
"Answer-He is a shooting man, and /
4 rac1rCn haH haffar nof SOW unnoh
about that; but my conclusion is,
reasoning upon the subject, hat there
must be a very stringent organization, mot
only well organized but well Differed,
from the fact that they have committed
these outrages and neither money nor
law has been able to reach Them
L am satisfied and on the statement of
Governor Senator, that he had no fears of
Forrest or his clans.
But let us see the use made by the hon
orable Senator of his little piece of
diplomacy on the part of the Governor:
There are two points in that to which
/ call the attention of the Senate: First,
that, according to General Forrest, there
are forty thousand in Tennessee; and
then to the perfect illustration that is
given of the effect of the terror created
there, which has followed Governor
Senator to his city, in his tetimony be- |
fore the committee, for he says he reck-
Ons ne Ddu DebL6E not speak very freely IN
regard to General Forrest, because he is a
shooting man. When the Governor of
the State cannot speak very freely be-
cause the terror of this organization fol- |
lows him to the capital of the United
States, what shall be said of the people of
that State who live IN the midst of these
enemies, who are without official power
or protection? They can not speak freely.
and they dart not testify to the nameless
outrages that are committed from day to |
day in their neighborhood and in their
very presence"
Forrest in arms and Governor Senter
fleeing to Washington for troops to sup
press his forty Thousand Ku-Klux,
Think of the terror of this valorous Gov
ernor, afraid to speak about the fierce
head center of the elan at the distance of
one Thousand miles from the scene.
True, the Governor says he is not afraid;
that he s%portively waiRd an opinion of
his credibility in his hence, still he
called the bravado ga hooting man."
and the credulous believe the Governor
trembles in terror at his name.
But aside from this ridiculous picture.
bound to be read over a broad expanse of
country and be believed by many good
and deluded people, ! come now to give
the real testimony of the Governor.
'These stories are magniied five-fold."
says he. 1.-THE condition of the State, in
res pcOk W INV ouu UIu6I, ms De6n ln-l
proving from 1866 to the close of 1882"
He then mentions five or six cases of out
RACES. None of them, except one, were
of a political character. The cause of his
asking for troops is not easily compre-
hended, unless 1t be precisely what he
says, that If he had troops he could keep
the peace. Certainly he could. HI does
not say there is any necessity for them.
The LEGISLATURE, it is true, repealed the
law authorizing the Governor to equip
the militia, and very properly. Who
that has witnessed the effect of that per-
nicious system ever wishes again to see
one party called out to overawe another
in the same State? The Governor in his
testimony fails to make out a decent pre-
text for military power in the State. 1t
was but another of the many political
suitable TO a political gambling /
table.
The Southern people enjoyed the freest
government in the worlA they nave for +;
ages lived almost exempt from the re-
straints of government, and nave no idea
of Justice or government save those con-
with the ballot and the right to
hold Office. The complete restoration of
all these privileges to the whole people is
sole and sovereign remedy for all
their social and political evils.
l have seen the restrictive principle
Tested to the bitter end in Tennessee, and :
AaNCI Jun IL Idukut VIII ullSC1l6I. COR
political Generalization des-
potic authority rudely and indecently ex-
erclsed; discomfort, resentment, hatred 1
and assassination These nave been the =
sad fruits of oppression, as they were
after the conquest of the English by the /
.ormans, which led to the tyranical
avs which were removed only by the
restoration of Saxon rule.
No sooner was there a prospect of a re-
urn TO equal rights than the evils began
% disappear like bats at the dawn of day. 2
am entirely satisfied if the country could =
the influence of the return of :
'epubliean government In Tennessee, that !
hey would be far better satisfied than p
of its inestimable value and capacity L
o guard the rights and interests Of the q
The lesson taught by the ~restric- :
I've system enforced by military power is
ne not to be forgotten or disregarded. IL
'roves that when authority has to be
by State militia there is neiLh- 7
r merit nor decency in it. The American !
'eoRe demand refinement and the liberal u
eia OF ideas. They will respect no other. q
he sending by arbitrary enactment a
who would return, the conque- d
or, 10 enforce upon an unwilling peoplea
legislature contrary to the express letter
I their fundamental Law and the genius
7 republican government, would draw :.
'rth nothing but bitter and unrelenting N
aired. lt would turn the State into a
Official hell that would consume every =
erm of returning peace and fraternaI .
we. siI4e c& Gf7 c
] have a deep and earnest regard for the
sace and prosperity of that devoted and
IDLY mutilated section of the republic.
hold the safety and purity of our free
sssttutlons, the liberty and TRANQUILITY N
{ people above All party, all earthly
,jnnoneiohs. would gladly do any
ing conslseeht with my convictions Of -
uIy 10 restore harmony to both narties d,
nd to protect the humbIest @citi1a5s fron, Ia,
ltrage. l know perpetual menace and OF
ne sword viii only augInent tho aviIs 80 Yo
the flames of civil discord, Notbino =
AZ q generous confidence and manJS
'urage can break down the fears. resent n
ients and distrUst that a demoralizino il
'd terrible war has bequeathed to Thai IA
% ion. 90 "a
If a criminal code of laws is adopted to bu
, administered by a Federal judiciary
Id enforced by Federal Marshsls. aided
I the Federal army, local s~elf-qoyern-
IS at an end. Apply this system to \
or this Union and 1t Will soon d
yer the whole. This idea mnst ha 4
If free-government is IN he
The other alternative em-
acedAn the proposition Of the Senator Uni
om Missouri tMr. Drake) is the surren- A
r not only 81 localself-RoVernment hnt
stlce and sound public policy TO the
llitary arm Of the Governments, already M
ginning to oyershadow the liberties of ~
: country. cannot eonset 10 favor a onl
stem that Will render our recentiv ac- ing
1red freedom more oneroua and annrosz slol
'e b our recently discarded slavery. ~
is wise, on so great q question, to take II
unset from our fears and our interests tim
arguments to sustain q theory that Of
. only exasperate opponents and
and inAn nnon nnnnaA.a-