Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-23
ADDRESS BY TIE LEGISLATIVE MINOR
ITE.

IIE.
To the People Of the United States:
The recent action Of the majority of
the legislature Of Mississippi, in calliDr
on the President of the United STA. e
for troops 70 suppress an alleged i,csur-
rection IN Warren county, in to- STATE
demand from The undersigned. vino
were q minority of that bC,ry- n ststo-
nleAt 70 NlnGicate their C.@p conduct iu
dissenting nom suc.a action. rs Is
pIoPeL 20 preserve dc good name and
-l-1-s % 'L.s peoi e of the State from be
t..-ti - u -LiI.ou =. l5 90 wicked charges con-
az .'-liis- 4" II message Of the governor,
ts! s'ul re- rated and iudorssd in the pro-
'leI si5s of the legislature. II IS difficult
- o1sEe persons 1t q distance uUder-
s'Ra1 the true condition ot things here,
without making this sts-euert too long
Tor popular p5Iusal. We shall make il
as brief As possible; endeGvorinE 10 the
I main to give 2 general summary, sufii-
cieut, however, TO afford a fair
view Of the present situation.
The resolution Of q majority OF the
I legislature, calling on the President Of
the United States to suppress what 10 al
leges is domestic violence, is accOmpa-
nied by s recital OF supposed facts,
which there Is not the slightest evidence
90 sustain, and which there is the best
ressou 10 believe constitute 3 studied
and unfJundea caiumuy on the people Of
Warren county. Perfect peace aud or
der reign IN that county now, and there
has neen no violence OF bl0Od-hed there,
defense OF the people OF Nicksburg
against armed bodies OF men, who, a.
we believe, were, by the c0nnivauce Of
the governor OF the State, marching on
that city for the purpose Of bringing on
q conflict Of races. When this attempt
TO invade the city wss defeated, the citi-
zens Of Nicksburg laid down their arms,
and have since been quietly engaged in
their ordinary business and avocalions,
and there has not been since, and
is not now, shadow Of a
suspicion Of violence in their midst
The holding Of the courts, and theregu-
lar process Of law, have not been, and
are not now, in anywise Cbstructed in
that county, or elsewhere in the State.
There is not even the slightest resistance
10 the collection Of the most oppressive
and ruinou5 taxation, which i now be-
ing releutlessly enforced, and which,
when collected, will, in the main, be
discussed for no public good whatever.
We do not hesitate TO affirm that never, |
in the past history Of the State, has
there prevailed among its people 3
stronger love Of law and order, and a |
more patient submission TO wrong, and /
a firmer determination, under all cir 4
admitting Of legal redress, |
10 seek for il only through legal means. |
The result Ot the recent elections in the |
northern section Of the Union, has held |
out 10 Us the hope OF a speedy return to |
the rule CT an honest ana lust local gov
ernment, and fuli redress, by legal /
means, Of Sll our lOcsl grievances. Aud /
We hsve not been UUmindiUl that sDy /
Irregular attempt on cur part to redress
grievances, however great, and TO resent /
wrOpgs, however irritating, would be I
represented by our eDemies (and from \
these We do not feel authorized 20 ex-
clude many OF our present rulers), IS the /
Of a spirit Of ofrebsiiion and 1
10 the national government /
Aud hence, though we gge now suffer- |
ing from q misrule, which is day by day /
wasting our substance and para lyzing /
the energies, and crushing the hopes and /
OF our people, is threatening /
anarchy by the banishment Of al public |
spirit snd private virtue from official /
lie. We have f0rb5rne 70 seek redress /
other than by legal means, when such |
means are sttainsble. Inspired BY the |
hope furnished by recent manifestations ]
ln the north Of sympathy and good will, 1
tnat We were no longer TO be treated as |
aliens IN the land OF our birth. OF as un- /
worthy OF the protection snd confidence |
OF our common government, and that |
once more fraternity and a real union |
were 20 be established between the diff /
teient sections Of the country. and that /
the old flag should once more be 20 US I
az emblem q national power and glory. /
We have strlyen, and are nov striving. |
so 70 act that the expluug flames Of sec. |
uODal aDimcsity and hate shall not be |
kiuoled anew. The action Of a naaiori- |
~ Of the legislature and Of the governor, /
before referred TO, places us, and as We
believe designedly go, in q false position, /
and Is an aitempt 20 blacken the name
snd fame of the people uf the State. II
is even more than this, being a deliber-
ate effort to introduce into this State
martial law and the army of the Union,
for the purpose Of continuing Ia power
the present corrupt government, ty
stimulating into unnatural activity the
prejudice Of race against race, which
hsppily had begun TO W8De. The action
Of tne executive, and Of the majority of
the legislature, is based on no evidence
whatever. The undersigned are men,
bers OF that body, aPd IN vain protested
against this action, and demanded an
investigation into the truth OF the crimes
alleged against our people before they
were turned over to the tender meTcieb
Of martial law. This was refused,
though there was not 8 single armed
man in actual OF threatened resistance
70 the Stste's authority. The op-
pOTtunity Of fair debate and rsmOn-
strapee snd my tiys ion was denied by
Ihe 0nefstion az Che "pTeViess ques-