Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-09-16
III OLD LINE WHIC on SOUTHERN
Outrage
A Calm Review of the Origin and
Facts About Them.


The following letter from Memphis,
Tennessee is from highly respected
"Old Line Whig," and influential
gentleman, native of Memphis, and
we invite attention to the sober facts
he so clearly presents:
THE TRENTON MASSACRE.
EDITORS CHRONICLE: have pre-
dicted two things in regard To the
Trenton massacre, tO-wit: First. that
the perpetrators o' this foul crime
would never he arrested. Secondly, If
arrested, would never lee convicted.
This would seem. at first glance. To be
bold and uuWaYuutgi declaration,
out Jet us examine the facts little.
and see upon what grounds such u
prophecy could he pIedica,el. That
here has been 20 wholcsaleb brutal muir
der Of set OF unnamed and helpless
citizens, 10y q SET of disguised maraud.
ing and hearllpss men. there /. not %
shadow of doubt. Upon this
point the public mind is at
ease, if at ease, il can
possibly be, and the whole civilized
world, wherever the intelligence has
reached, are perfectly satisfied upon
ms punt II AtbtItkllIlll4 the COTS
rectness of your prophecy, it becomes
quite material for Us to enquire lit
tie further, and if possible, ascertain
who are the perpetrators of this bloody
crime. The correspondent of the Ap-
peal intimates that asset of Federal de-
serters, that reside i'm an extreme part
Of Gibson County, are the guilty
parties. If this be true, why have not
the authorities ut Trenton published
the names of these eX. Federal soldiers
10 the world, that their names might
be known, and their arrest thereby in
sured? If the authorities at Tren-
ton know that there is set Of
such men in the county, it certainly
follows that their names are known
also, and if the authorities at Trenton
have suspicious against these men,
suspicious as strong as those referred
70 by the reporter of the ADpedl, l ask
IN the name of reason and humanity,
why have they not taken legal steps to
bring these men to punishment, No,
Messrs Editors this attempted evasion
is " too thiu.N No honest man will say
.hat he believes it. It strikes me as
exceedingly foolish on our part, even
TO attempt such am explanation. The
fact is palpable, that the perpetrators
bL the ] lGlAbtl llltl"NalAa' " NlN y" a. &C
men, and some Of them doubtless be-
lunged to the mostrespec'ab'e families
i'm Tennessee, and, right here, is
where the rub comes in.
THE sOAIEEvILLE RIOT.
Ever since the late state canvass
began, rhe Democratic press all
over the State have been agita-
ting the civil Rights Bill, in a
way 50 as u euEeuder i'll the
minds Of the Democratic masses-espe
cially the younger ciass-a bitter feel
ing towards Republicans, both black
and white This war was kept alive
until the election had passed. What
followed? a telegram was sent from
Somerville, Tennessee, in Fayette
county, stating that the negroes were
organized, armed and marching on the
place, and threatening destruction both
TO life and property, regardless of the
sexes, and in the name of humanity
appealed to Memphis for both men and
arms to be sent to their relief. This
telegram was accepted as the truth,
and without hesitation several COM
panies of armed citizens were put upon
the cars and despatched TO the scene OF
war. Some of our papers published
This dispatch, wrote lengthy and eX-
ceedingly infiammatory editorials Civ
ing color of truth to the report, and
engaging the public mind to an almost
unlimited extent. We are informed,
however, that when the boys "
reached Somervile they found the
little city wrapt in the gentle EN- brace
of Morpheus-even the Mayor, the
town Constable, the Sheriff and the
good Tailor, and all the Justices of the
of thn la "
generally, soundly sleeping! TO salts
~, however, the suspicious minds of
tue volunteers, scouting party
was sent out; but, much to
their qualification, the "niggers "
were found at their posts, pursuing
their peaceful ana legitimate business.
Another telegram was soon received at
Memphis, announcing the much de
sired fact that "all was quiet" and
a. the boys without having lost OF
shed one drop of blood, soon returned
10y a special train. This is ~ubstan'
TALLY The facts in regard to the war o.
races i'm and around SOmerviilc.
/ came i'm on the cars "a few days age
with prominent Judge, residing in
West Tennessee, and he said TO me
that when the SOmerviile excitement
was at its hight, he could have gone
alone, all over the county without in
curing the slightest danger at the
hands of the cOlored people. This was
said to me, however, in a whisper, a.
though the Judge thought IL would be
either dangerous or unpopular to b'
heard, thus expressing himself abou
this important transaction.
THE AUSTIN TROUBLES.
In a few days this excitement
died out to be renewed, how
ever, by another tele gran
from Coilieryille, Shelby county
Tenn, signed b. This important
message announced to the citizens gen
orally, i'm emphatic tones, that 40,
negroes were organized, and with arm.
in hand, were cR route from Byhalia
to Austin. Miss. Another batch O
lengthy editorials followed from tht
press, and the thermometer Of Demo
cratic patriotism and chivalry rose
again above temperate to blood heat
so high, indeed, did it rise, thai