The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-09-04

ciety. if Sheriffs, Constables, judicial and
ministerial officers will do their duty. |
They are elected by the people, and will
do their duty, if public sentiment will
demand it. The leading men In every
community create and control public SEN
timent.
The civil officers of each county have
ample authority, under the law, both to
prevent and punish crime.
By section 1888 of the Code of Tennes-
see, 1.-THE Sheriff is principal conserUa-
tor of the peace in his county, and 1T is
his duty to suppress all ARRAYS, riots,
routs, unlawful assemblies, instructions
or other breaches of the peace, to do
which, he may summon to his aid as
many of the male Inhabitants Of the
county as he thinks proper.
By section 1924, THE judicial and
ministerial officers of justice In the State,
police of cities and towns, are also conSeT-
Udtors of peace, end required TO aid in
the prevention and suppression of public
offenses, and for this purpose, may act
toith all the posCer Of the Sheriff.
By section 1890, 'It is the duty of all
peace officers who know, or have reason
to suspect any person of being armed,
with the intention of committing riot or
affray, or of assaulting, wounding or kill
ing another person, or of otherwise break
ing the peace to arrest such person forth
with, and take, him before some Justice
of the Peace"
And by another section the Justice is
required to bind him in a bond, with
good security, to keep the peace or COM
NIT him to jail. The substance of which
is, that all Judges, Justices of Peace,
Sheriffs, Constables, Mayors, Aldermen,
Marshals, and police officers, of cities and
towns, are conservators of the peace, 1.-THE
| Sheriff being the chief conservatory and
they are bound to prevent any violations
of law, to preserve the peace, and to arrest
| offenders against the law-and it is their
| duty, if not able to do so without assls-
| lance, to summon as many OF the male
inhabitants of the county without regard
to age or occupation) as they think prop
/ er.
Officers OF citizens who fail or refuse
to perform their respective duties are
guilty of misdemeanors If the Sherlh
cannot obtain force enough in his county
to meet the demands of the law, it is the
duty of the Governor, on application OF
the Sheriff, to send the necessary force
. duOIACI "A1A oOSA
authority, coupled with the power to en-
force it, the civil officers are without ex
cuse if the law is not executed In theil
counties They are responsible for rloti
and jail-breaking, and public sentiment
: should demand and require of them vIgl
lance and fidelity in the execution o
their high trusts, and public opinion
should boldly sustain them in their effort
to protect society and uphold the Lawful
authority.
If from ignorance, cowardice, or wan
of fidelity, public officer fails of doinl
his duty. let the people, whose servant b
is, turn him out of Office through tn
t means pointed out by the law, and dis
grace him. If the people of the count
, will not sustain or aid the officials in tn
proper exercise of their authority, let tn
officers apply to the Governor, and b
a will, aCithOut delay, send them fore
] enough to execute the law.
Let me say to the people of Tennessee
come to the rescue of the fair name 20
have heretofore so nobly won for you
J, State. You are now heralded to tn
: world as jail-breakers. With te
d bloody and horrible exceptions, you d
o not deserve it. But those exceptions al
/ taken by the world as the rule, and tn
9 effect upon your reputation, if not coul
g teracted, will prove as disastrous as If tt
It condemnation were deserved. Let ever
n community speak out in just terms
n indignation against these outrages, an
s create a spirit that will fortify and su
= tain your public officials in suppressir
e riots, and in preventing the commission
e crime Declare that every man, viii
o and black, shall receive an equal measul
IT of protection from the law strong arr
% and that every offender shall be broug
e to speedy punishment. Act promptly al
) courageously upon such resolves, an
= your State will once more be an examp
lie of peace and order. Your homes will
1t secure from violence. Your wives an
D. children can rest in security. There W
It ov;st no longer animosities of race
d Your tails Will become, what they ouug
n tn he houses of custody and protectlol
IS The law will be respected and obeye
n and YOUR State will regain what she b
ut temporarily lost by the acts OF a tt
ID wicked and reckless men. A lew men
d. every community have the power to co
s. troll the eyil-doers and | implore you
to YOUR love for your State. and as you val
IL life and liberty, and the material prospe
to ty of the country, lose no time IN meetll
ne the responsible duties you owe to you
er selves, your families and your countl
to This will save you from military rule, a
III worse, even, than that, from anarchy, a
ut probably nothing else will.
ur And in the discharge of my duty to G
IS, force the law, do warn all persons, VIII
he and colored, who have unlawfully band
or together under the pretext of defense,
he otherwise, Immediately to disband; anc
ed do warn all against any such organili
ITS tons. And do most earnestly emf
Its upon all civil officers, and especially
IN those localities where there have recen1
90 been bloodshed and disturbances, Il
ia, they compel the disbandment of all
90 lawful organizations, and that they
lat the utmost vigilance in bringing the gul
sh- parties to punishment, and that they res
lis to every lawful remedy TO prevent furt
ill violations of the law, to the end that
i'd; majesty of the law may be maintain
so and society protected.
gn Done at the Capitol of Tennessee,
he 29th of August 1874.
red T1.s1 JOHN C. BROWN, Governor