Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-24
BRowNLow's MILITIA COME IN.

SUSTAINING the commissioner, and forbid
ding lawful election.
BRoWNLow's MILITIA COME IN. q
The people will also remember how this
oppressive and tyrSnnicsl usurpation of
Brownlow was helued out by another act If
his Legislature, for Which my competition,
Mr. Kercheodt, Uoted. BrowDlow could not
have controlled the city by q proclamation;
but he had military force at his command,
ready to do his bidding. We called it
"BrOwloW's Militia" Brownlow and Ker-
cheval and their associates used to call these
organized outlaws the estate Guard" Even
Brownlow's Legislature was reluctant to
give him this military force, to be made up,
as it would re, of the offal OF the lately dis
banded Federal army. But an "Act to or
ganize a State Guard" etc, was passed
Feb. 90 1867. 1t passed the House on its
finsl reading Feb. 10, lfr. Kerchecal uotins
In the affirmative. blouse Journal 1861,
p. 301l .s- '
Under this estate Guard Law" the no.
torious Joe Blackburn was encamped on
the confines Of the city, in command of q
body OF cavalry. This aoas through the in
Striume1ltolity Of mgr competitor, and By the
aid Of his U0te.
KERCHEVAL RESPONSIBLE FOB IT ALL,
l need not rehearse how our people were
throttled by military outlaWry-their rep
resantatives driven from the city hall, aud
the city subjected for near two years to
plurder, until the courts interfered to pre-
vent irreparable mischief, and appointed a
Receiver. These things are fresh. in the
memory of the people. But 1 insist that
my competitor Is responsible for all these
things. Without the unconstitutional and
tyranuical measures for which Mr. Kerche-
val voted in the Legislature, the villainies
of which have been speaking could no.
have been consummated. The acts for
which he voted were themselves outrases
upon the people-outrages upon our city.
They acre intended TO bring about the re-
suit echick tvqs ACCOMPLISHED By them. 1
mean the robbtag of the people by q ac0rth-
less lot of GdUenturers. If Mr.. Kercheval
was too feeble minded to understand
this when he was in the Legislature, sup
porting all those wicked measures by his
votes, is be strong enough to perform the
duties of Mayor? If he did understand it,
is he worthy Of any place of trust or hon.
or?
I charge Mr.. KercheuaI, then, upon the
record, t0ith hdUlng done all apitsip his pooU-
er to plunge the city into that ruin in lUIsich
my administration found it; and from
1cIaich ma administration restored 1t in
three gears. l DO not claim for myself all
the honor of restoring the city from its ruin;
but for ny administration, and for those
who contributed to rescue the city govern
ment from the hand of the spoiler, aud to
place and continue my administration in
power for three years for these do claim
this honor. / Only claim to share that hon
or wi b my associates.
CARPET BAGGERY IN THE SOUTH.
Why do make this charge so prominent
against DIR. KercheUGl? The time was,
fellow citizens, when man who could pur-
sue the political course which my compet'
tor has followed, was regarded IS a public
enemy. He was not merely dstrusted and
hated from a natural feeling of resentment
by the victims of his oft repeated acts of
Acknowledgement and oppression. II is all
the better if our vengeance be forgotten,
and even an oppressor forgiven. But the
distruss with which wise men regarded and
still regard such politicians, is born of a
deep seated conviction of their utter aoant
of good principles "'y'' So
Can we believe that man to be honest in
his intentions, who will thrice disfranchise
the best of bis fellow citiz ms in whose
midst he is living-who have treated him
kindly-who have done him no harm? Is
his heart in the right plaee-that man who
will not oply rob his fellow citizens of their
dearest political rights, but at the same time
humiliate them by enfranchising over their
heads their former slaves? It's well enough
for Us to forget the feelings which e1nbittef-
ed our hearts few years ago when we saw
the best educated; the most upright, the
mcst honorable, the most pure-aye, the
most grsy-headed and venerable-of our
citizens excluded from the right to hold
office; while thu blacks and the very worst
class of white proWliDg adventurers voted
and were elected to Office. But it is very
unsafe to forget the men Who, long after
the 1oGr oodS OueT, fastened these manacles
upon the peoples limbs.
IT WAS DONE FOR A PURPOSE,
and that purposs,was,, to put prowling pol
itical adVenturers into places of power, for
the plundering of the people. That is
what has bankrupted the most Of the South
ern- States since the war. The carpet bag
State and municipal governments in the re-
constructed States have piled up the public
debt by millions, aud scores of millions, I'M
til in many places the taxes amoaEt to 3
practical c0nfiscation of estates; AID yet
the public. Improvements by ouch ezpendi
lures amount to nothing. The money Is
eDlbezzled. The Alden administration in
Nashville, which left US 10 q condition Of
PROSTATE ruin, was part of the
same r. system. The act of. ), tbs
Legislature setting aside the Registration of
the county Of DAVIDSON, The Metropolitan
Police Law, and BrownloW's yMiitis Law,
for all Of aohich my competition UOted, wers
intended to do for Nashville the work which
they aid do, in forcing US under the rale of
the Alden administration. 1t was part Of
the system Of plumber which has been car