Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-30
laying the amendment on the table. Laid

laying the amendment on the table. Lai
upon the table.
Mr.. Clarke moved to strike out all afte
the word especially" in the resolution re
lating to the incident of Monday last. H
said he would go as far as any one in main
tanning law and order, but be would no
give his voice to eensuring the best citizen
OF Nashville by implication. He was OPP
posed to lynch law or violence in any shap'
and had always set his face resolutely
against It.
Mr.. Brandon thought the Senator from
DeKalb (Mr. Clarke) must have mistaken
| the language of the resolution. 1t simply
condemned the mob wherever it came from
| and did not reflect on the authorities. anC
good citizens of Nashville. He would vote
| for the resolution if the outrage had occur
red in his own county.
The motion was lost.
Mr.. Tharpe suggested that the word "!es-
pecially' be struck out.
Mr.. DuBose said the word was exactly
the one which should be used. The mob
took the prisoner from jail and murdered
him under the very nose of the law makers
ofthe State. No doubt Jones had commit
ted heinous crime, but he would doubt
lCoo udhC D66u DdllSCu III lJs ILLUS hGIC
seldom right. In this instance be
believed they were, but he was opposed to
mob law under any and all circumstances.
The action of the Nashville mob should be
condemned in the severest language. In
times of peace when civil law had its way,
mob law was not justifable under any cir
cumstances. He knew it was said that the
criminal laws were not executed in such a
way as to punish crime. He denied the
statement. One or two criminals might
have escaped punishment, but in the ma
jority of instances the laws were promptly
executed.
Mr.. Earnest said he was no apologist for
mob law, he was obliged to admit that
Nashville was one of the most peaceable
communities in the land. He would sup
port no motion condemning the authorities
of Nashville. The city authorities had
done nothing to deserve censure, and he
would vote for any amendment to make
the resolution less pointed against Nash
vile.
Mr.. Tharpe said it was emphatically
wrong for the Legislature to manufacture
public sentiment by singing out this isola-
ted instance.
Mr.. Gibson referred 10 the fact that Jones
protested his innocence up to the moment
of his death. This should awaken doubts
as to his guilt. But whether he was limo
cent or guilty, Senat RS were unanimous in
condemning the mob. The city authorities
had ample notice of the intended attack yet
nothing was done. They should have met
the mob in the only way mobs should be
faced, with the mouth of the cannon, with
rifles and pistols, as Napoleon dispersed the
Partisan mobs. He agreed with the Sena-
tor from Washington (Mr. Earnest) that
the public order in Nashville was excellent,
but the action Of the city authorities was
deserving of the Severest censure. Their
conduct seemed like connivance with the
crime. At all events it showed a criminal
on their part. He made no
charge against Gov. Brown, believing him
to be without responsibility in the matter.
Mr.. Ridley said he had hoped that this
unpleasant discussion could have been
avoided. He permitted no one to exceed
him in maintaining the supremacy of the
law. All were united in cOndemniDg mob
law, but the Senator from Campbell (Mr
Gibson had another motive in the speech
he had just made than the censuring of the
mob. That metive was to influence public
and hate of the Northern people against
the South. The city of Nashville was one
of the quietest and most orderly in the
country and this very fact might account
for the failure of the authorities to save the
life Of the prisoner. They were totally I'M
for it, perhaps incredulous that the
attack would ever take place. He believed
here was defect in the laws of the State
in not providing for the prompt punishment
Of criminals. Delays should be avoided |
md legislation to prevent them should be
FAD.
The resolution was then concurred in
ayes, Is; no, l.
House resolution of thanks to Gov. !
Brown for his courteous conduct toward |
he members of the General Assembly. |
Concurred In.
HOUSE BILL ON THIRD READING.
Consideration Of House bill to enable |
he Railroad Commissioners to perfect the |
ale of the McMinnville and Manchester |
Railroad, was resumed.
Mr.. Hughes contendeG that it was a sim
lie matter of justice to pass the measure.
The bill failed for want Of constitution
j majority.
Adjourned till 10 A. NJ. tomorrow.