Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-04-14

to be ueeO Ia some shape or other, ana
that this military power should be that Of
North Carolina. because the military force
of the United States sent to these parts
had accomplished no good.
Gov. Holden, during most of the con-
ference, except those portions of it which
referred to the bad condition of things
lin the two counties, was a listener and
appeared 10 be anxious TO hear suggestions.
sa: near him during the entire confer
ence and at every suggestion made by any
person, he appealed TO me. either by look,
gesture or word, for my opinion IN regard
to it.
It was suggested to make military &C.
cupation of the two counties, and to arrest,
detain and try snch persons as were sus-
pected of completely In the ontrages s. Id
TO have taken place there, by Slate military
power. This suggestion was made by MIR.
John Pool in the first Instance. L an
swered the Governor who scenes to appel
10 ne for my opinion in regard to it, that
the military occupation and arrest were
right. and, l thought necessary, but the
trial by military court was too dangerous
an experiment for him to undertake; that
he ought to seLd In conjunction with the
military Judicial officer 10 try in eccor-
dance with our forms of law such persons
as he military should arrest. It was said
by Mr.. Pool that this would not accomplish
tie object. and he, in this connection,
called to the Governors attention what
Gov. Clayton, of Arkansas, had done IN
der similar circumstances, which, IL sub
stance, was eccordipg to bis statement, as
follows That Gov Clayton having the
same evils to contend with had embodied
his militia, taken military possession of dis
affected counties and tried end executed
large numbers OF men by military courts
and, in that way, had broken up the Ku-
/. -
cussiOn took place between Gov. Holden
ard John Pool and myself as to what it's
effect wonld be upon Gov. Holden himself.
I insisted that all the consequences of a
faiinre would have TO be borne by the Gov
erDor, and hIr. Pool insisted that Governor
CIaytou had made a success Of it, and there
was 10 reason why such q success should
not be thu result here. I then called at
tention 10 1ila difference in the condition
Of the courtry y hat Clayton had
done IVES shortly after the military occu-
patton of his State by the armies of the
UDi.ed States, and that what was borne
then would not be borne COW. l was
referring in that conversation mainly to
tria' by military court.
MI Pool and [ then had conversation
in regard to the same matter in the south
west corner Of the Governors Office in the
capitol, the result of which was that he
by me that it would be better to seud
judicial officer with the troops and not
until that process had fai ed, to Try the
more violent remedy of military courts
/ ag eel with him that if the plan 1 had
suggested Should fail to discover and
break up these sr9auiZa' ions thai then the
Governor sh. uld take the more Violent
course
The matter then CT the difficulties Of the
writ Of hu6e0S corpus taBiug TIE arreS ed
men out of the hands # the military off
ce was discussed, [ Thick nobody being
party to this conversation except the
Governor, MIR. Pool and myself. Ehe
proposition, made by myself, was that the
Cove nor should refuse to obey the writ Of
habedS corpus ia these COUNT placed In
ate IF iusurrecti IL. Mr. Pool Thought
that bad policy, and thai it would not
work, aod thought be ter plan would be
TO ans er the writ cf Anbeus c0rpus, pro
duce the bodies, and if discharged to ar
rest upon some Lew charge that that was
tie p an President Grant suggested.
LII regard to the organization of troops,
the first difficulty presoa;ol and discussed
Was the fact which was very generally
agreed upon, that if the military was cali
ed out it would have to be white or color
ed, III kepal ate organizations, und-r our
laws, detailed militia, as provided for
by the Governor, that he had tried the
:" hite detailed militia and found it utterly
Inefficient; that the class of men who woald
submit 10 detail could not be relied on
that as regarded the white militia we all
agreed, at least those Of US who took part
in this discussion, that the Governor would
be embodying militia mainly composed
of Ku-klux to put down ku-klux that as
yards the militia. it was inexpedient and
| To tIr1rO AE0
dice in regard to race and color. It was
then suggested, by whom 1 do not recol-
Iect, that it would be best to organize
regular force. This, [ In nix, was concur
red in by all who joined in that converse
ton. The persons present were grouped
in different parts of the room, and the
same parties did not always join In the
conversation, nor were they in position
to hear what was said. At this time many
violent propositions were made, all of
which do not recollect; the question I'M
der discus sion being where we could get
white men suitable for the purpose in view.
Mr.. Pool stated, at that time, that there
was q man in his county or section of the
State. by the name of Mac Lindsay, and
mentioned to me that [ knew him, as he
was a member of the State Senate in
on this being said, [ recollecbed him.
Mr.. Pool said he was q man of IN
doubted courage aud capable of any des-
perate resolve, and by way of illustrating
his capacity, mentioned some daring act
of piracy, Of which I had not heard be-
fore, committed by the said McLindsay
either duripg the war or just at its close,
in the waters of eastern North Carolina,
and that he, the said MacLindsay, had
been indicted therefor and only saved from
punishment by his PooTs) influence; that
be would guarantee that this man, Mac
Lindsay, would pick up from the country
where he lived, and which was between
the two lines during the war, sixty or one
hundred men equally as daring and brave
as himself; that this map, MacLindsay,
would give the Governor no tronble-that
if any of these men, arrested by him, I'M
dertook any resistance he would kill them,
or they would BIO lost and never heard of
again. 1 do not undertake to state his ex-
act words, but this was the substance of
his conversation. The Governor at this
time was sitting ia his chair He got up
and walked nervously up and down the
room for few minutes before anything