Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-10
FRASKEIS COUNTY. H'o' .
Public msss.ns 1t Hawkersvti,s.

o WeetAmg at HawkeFsvflle.
Cn saturday last the citizens of the Ninth
Ciyl District Of Franklin county, Tennes-
zee, py previous appointment held public
Hise'lng at Hawkersyille, to take into con-
SHERATON the charge of lawlessness which
nad been preferred against them. and for
the purpose of expressing their anxiety 10
detect the ofienders' and enforce the laws.
Inc meeting was attended by all of the
eltizens OF the district. The object of the
meeting was explained, and its purpose
heartily Endorsed by all of the citizens.
Dr. J. y. Abernathy, who resides in the
Ninth Civil District, addressed the meeting.
and stated that some time go,zwhen the
negro church had been burned, number
OF the citizens of the district, including Mr..
Waggoner and himself-Mr. .Wageener's
house having since been burned-signed a
call for public meeting TO express their dis
appreciation ofthe outrage upon the law, and
to take steps to bring the offenders to Justice.
and to assure the negroes that they should
be protected, but that before the meeting was
held, the dwelling house of WaggoneF was
burned, the church and schOolhouse of their
district was also burned, the horse of citi-
zen shot; that the negroes who did the deed
when arrested confessed it and aeknowl-
edged that their purpose was to murder
Waggoner and his family; that after thew
were placed in the jail at Winchester they
were taken out and executed by masked
men, and that, although the provocation
was great and such an one as would excite
any community, yet it could afford no ex-
cuse for any set of men to take the law into
their own hands; and, that as il had been
said that the yiolatOrs of the law who had
perpetrated the offence lived in the 9th dis
trict, that it was their duty as citizens to
leave no stone unturned to ferret out the Of
tenders and bring them to Justice. l 4
Thomas I'll. Woods, ESQ.,, one of the old
est and most respectable citizens of that
district, also addressed the meeting, aud in
addition to what was said by Dr. Abernathy.
stated that he was satisfied that the cit
liens Of the 9th civil district
were not guilty of the charge
brought against them, but that he
wanted the investigation to 60 on until it
was understood that their people were not
the guilty parties, and he further suggested
that committee be appointed to draft a
resolution expressive of the sense of the
meeting, and upon his motion DIR. j. J. !
Alternately, John Nugent, Esq, and d. S.
Long, ESQ.,, both Of the latter the present
Justices of the eth district, and having acted |
as such for many years, were unanimously |
selected as a committee to draft and report
a suitable resolution, and, after a short re-
tirement, reported the following resolution,
which was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the committee who COM
menced their investigation in our district,
on last Tuesday, are cordially invited to |
continue their labors; and we, the citizens
of the 9th civil district, pledge ourselves to
render them every assistance in our power,
to facilitate the same, and we only ask them !
not to take it for granted that |
guilt lives only in the 9th civil |
district, but that they will pursue their |
investigation impartially as to places and
persons" j. j. ABERNATHY,
JOHN NUGENT,
d. 5. LONG.
After the adoption of the resolution the |
meeting, adjourned and the determination |
among all the citizens to have the law in |
forced and the reputation of their district /
vindiested was general, and they pledged |
themselves to cooperate for that purpose.
The reputation of the Ninth Civil Dis
trict for order has heretofore been as high !
as that of any community, and they deeply |
feel the injustice of imputing to them
crime, without proof, which was perpetrated
twelve miles from them, and they feel this |
the more keenly since, while the charge is
against them, their misfortune
in having their church and only schoOlhouse
laid in ashes is forgotten.