Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-11
GIBSON COUNTY.
The People and Officials Earn
estly EndeavOring to Arrest
the Criminals.
A Large and Influential Public Meeting
at TrentOn-FOur Hundred Negroes
Present-Speeeh OF Governor
John G.. Brown.

Trenton Correspondence (Sept. - of the Mem
phis Appeal.
For nearly two weeks the ewes of The
whole land nave been fixed on the county
of Gibson, to see what course she would
pursue in regard to the lawlessness of those
who took from our Jail sixteen prisoners.
four of whom were killed, and two wound
ed, one of whom has since died. Would
the people endeavor to ferret out and pun-
ish the offenders, or would the crime be
winked at? has been asked by, perhaps.
every man throughout the entire country.
We are now ready to answer. Ii has been
our belief, all the while, that the men who
committed the oiiense, would be sought
out, if possible; but We have forbore ex-
preston until the people, by public demon
stratlOn, showed what they would do.
To-day that demonstration was given.
not in empty resolutions read and passed.
but by the deliyeranceS of some of our best
citizens, and the hearty approval of all
these deliverances. Gov. john &. Brown,
IN a forcible and appropriate address,
urged the people, both officers and private
citizens, TO suppress, by ali lawful means.
lawleSsneSS, by WhOmSOeyer perpetrated.
Several of best citizens followed, en-
dOTsing what the Governor had said, and
the vast crowd showed very plainly that
their purpose was formed. Take my word
for it, the people of Gibson county CON
denim the action of the fiends who took her
prisoners from Jail. The negroes did
wrong in their attack at PickettsviIIe. and
ought to be punished; but that does not
mitigate the ofiense of the masked party,
and so the people look upon il.
Gov. John G. Brown has been here since
Saturday, the object Of his mission being to
inquire into the recent massacre of the
Pickettsyille negroes, and TO lend his per-
sonal aid to the encouragement of the Off
Gers in their earnest efforts TO detect and
punish the murderers. He has displayed
unusual activity and commendable energy
in this measure, which the good people of
Gibson county, and of Trenton especially,
indOrSe and applaud. The Circuit
Court is now in session and has empan-
nelled a special grand jury, sworn and
charged to inquire into and investigate
the late outrage. Gov. Brown has
been in the grand jury room, which
he is entitled I'd enter by virtue of his posi-
ton. He has heard the evidence of wit
nesses examined. but as to their statements
he would say nothing. He has done every
thing in his power to encourage a prompt
and faithful investigation Of-this outrage.
de has been in consultation with the Judge,
grand jury, jailer, sheriff and other officers
concerning the disappearance of the ten ne
grOes. The general belief is that they eS-
capedi Nelson McGhee, though wounded.
escaped. He wrote to his wife from Union
City and Hickman. 1t is thought that the
negroes are afraid to return TO Gibson
county, as t ley will be Te-imprisOned. hay
ing been regularly committed by magis-
tTates at Pickettsville.
The Governors Speech.
Gov. Brown has been interviewed by our
leading citizens, at whose urgent s~olicita-
ton last Friday, he consented to remain
and speak to-day. The crowd Of hearers
was One Of the largest, as we'll as most en-
thusiastic that ever assembled in our town.
Oye- four hundred negroes being present,
and the most intense interest being mani
tested. 1t is needless to say that his re-
marks are Endorsed by the people here and
elsewhere in Tennessee. On being called
10 the stand in Courthouse Square, he COM
menced by saying that he had not come
here with any expectation of addreSsingth
people, but for the purpose of informing
himself from the best sources con-
corning the origin of the late difficulty be-
tween the negroes and the white people.
and the authors of the late outrage. He said
his address was not rs a partisan. but as
the chief executive of the State, regarding
all, irrespective Of color, race or politics. as
entitled to the equal protection of the law.
After a conference and free interchange of
opinions with the leading citizens of Glib
son county, he was satisfied that the great
body of the people had no sympathy with
the late violations OflaW which had shocked
the public sense throughout the country,
but that they were severe in their condem-
nation as were the people removed from
the scene of the trouble. He believed that
there were no people in the State, taken as
a mass, who recognized in a higher degree
the majesty of the law, or who were more |
anxious that offenders be punished Accord
ing TO the forms of the law. He also said
he had great pleasure in stating that he had
seen the grand jury, judge and other civil
officers, and was fully satisfied that they
were taking the most active measures to
discover and bring the offenders TO Justice.
At this point Governor Brown commenced a
more specific detail concerning the troubles,
which he felt satisfied hadtheir origin among |
the cOlOred people in the neighbOrhoOd of
Pickettsville, who had or were about to
organize for offensive purposes against the
whites, who had not provoked such. The |
whites were very much eXasperated as Welt
as inundated. This lawless conduct of |
the negroes he condemned severely, and
took occasion to say that while the negroes
were entitled 10 protection under the law
in the enjoyment of all of their civil and
political rights, yet they should remember
that their grievances, il they had any. |
must be remedied by the law, and not by
force of their organizations. Instead of
lending a willing ear 10 the insidiOus cOun- |
sells of bad and designing meu who would |
them for selfish and political purposes,
mus 90 into the same tribunal with |
the white man, which is provided alike for
both, and there. and there alone, have their |
grievances settled. If any man, white or |
black, treat him wrong, he had an unembar- |
raised remedy by the process of the law.
He commended the citizens of Pickettsville |
for meeting these aggressive measures On
the part of the negroes, by issuing
warrants, arreSting the negIOe and
committing them 10 Jail, instead OF
resOrting to force and violence. But when
the negroes were entitled as
prisoners to the same protection as if they |
had been white men. Yet, while in Gus |
tcdy, helpless and unarned, they were
taken from the jail in the night time, for
chilly, by a body of masked men, and
of them put to death. The men who
committed this outrage which had brought
a stain upon the character of the whole
State, were guilty of a three-fOld felony;
first, in going providing about in mask;
second, for breaking the Jail; and third, for
numbering the prisoners. lie had no lau-
qua ge adequate 10 the condemnation of
such a diah0lical outrage, which could not
be justified By any law Of custom, or b.
amy motive Of self-protection. The perpe
tr,snr. y-o,. e,1,,s aul had mad. fIav.