The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-09-23
The Tennessee Murders.

/ From the Cincinnati Com ercal-E ditoriaLl
letter from our correspondent in Ten
nessee. wloh epublish this morning gives
a shocking account of the social condition of
sorae of the countc. in that State. in
eight months" he writes, there have been
thirty-rfine murders in the counties of Ruth
erford, Sumner and Gibson 1t is not to be
understood that all of these crimes are the re-
suit of political causes or race r~ejudiceA
But they are the result Of u lax administers
ton of the law and want of healthy puhtie
sentiment, before which the murderer
shrinks in fear and which allows hum ne
rest for the sole of his feet until he is cap
tured, imprisoned tried, and it found guilty,
punished. The Write well as the colored
people suffer from these causes. Those who
are swift to shed blood do not confine then
atrooious deeds to the lines of race, and the
violence by which one class suffers will sure
ly in the end bring suffering upon all
By far ths greater number OF the vic
tins of these murders however, are
black men and women. THIS is to
hundred white men can be found to COM
NIT such massacres rs that of the sixteen
blacks taken from the Trenton Jail and shot
II 1t is credible that such things take
place in civilized community, how much
more incredible 10 Il that n citizen can DO
found with enough intelligence to write to
put IN print defense of the bloody atrocity
In an article upon this horrlb BILE butchery
these murders IN mask are committed to COW
the negroes into abiect submission 10 the old
master class, especially where they. show any
disposition to assert their political or social
rights. The writer in the Union ana .ireri-
can, who is bold enough to defend tho arrant
towards engaged in the Trenton hatchery
strlkingly confirms this remark He complains
that tiTe negroes are gradually becoming
impudent and showing a disposition to as
sert their privileges" And for this ofiense
10 the pride of those who still have hank
sArE-r
which was enjoyed with such keen delight
in the days of slavery, the blacks arc to DO
shot down with less regard for life than
though they were brutes
In nine cases out Of ten where negroes arr
murdered in Tennessee ard elsewhere in the
South, it will be found apon investigation
that the head and front Of their offending il
a disposition To claim privileges and exercise
them ms citizens of the Unircd States with
out first humbly asking by your leave If
those who propose to dominate over them.
W may infer from the language Of this adj
yocate OF ASSASSINATION and murder, what
sort Of spirit is rife IN q community where ha
feels that bis sentiments will be applauded
Our correspondent confirms WHAT we have
said Of the failure TO bnng single one Of thu
"a Justice. Tbifty-uine murders
IN three counties within eight months, and
no arrests made. Such u pprtentous fact
furnishes food for reflection. 1t is in itself =
commentary on the state Of public sentiment
and the utter inefIiciency of the administrs-
ton of Justice. Such a state of thing. can
not be allowed long TO exist. IL affects more
than mere local Interests. Its influence is
felt outside community where there seems
to be disposition to designate any man AZ .
hero who 4as the mark OF Cain on his lore
head
II the State authorities can repress this vio-
ionce II they can protect tas weak against
the strong. the decent and orderly Of what
ever color against the ocs perste and VIOLENT
Of whatever race. they must be quick about
IT, There l. but one way TO avoid the cn-
pleasant attention Of Federal Interference,
and ;hs rendezvous Of . regiment Of soiI5ers
" hose hayonets will very soon hunt the red
nouthed murderers of Rutherford and G. b.
s0n counties out Of their h.,teA