The New York herald., 1874-09-19
A PROTEST FROM TENNESSEE.

Governor Brown Protests Against Fed
erAl Interference in State Affairs.
NASHVILLE, Sept. Is, 1874.
Governor Brown, OF Tennessee. sent the follow.
Ing message this afternoon to President Grant,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, Sept. Is, 1874.
HIS ExcELLENCY U. S. GRANT, PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES. WASHINGTON CITY, d. C.:-
jail Of Gibson county, in this State charged with
conspiracy to take the lives of the white citizens
Of August, @ 1874, party of disguised men violated
% M aa ana Ssd sna wanSs
ing now a. large; The next day
Known osndes. The State Court ' being then in
session took immediate cognizance OF the outrage,
and the iabors or the regular and special terms
lorty.one Of the guilty parties. the majority OF
whom have been arrested, and the remainder will
dicted under the second and third sections OF the
act OF the General Assembly OF Tennessee of 1869
entitled "An act to preserve the public peace,b
and which is III full force. The sections are as
1oOws:-
persons disguised or in mask by day or by night shah
sii,5sn ,Sis STATE lI shan Be- sonsidersd
felony, and such demand shall be deemed assault
snds Il ts
Imprisonment in the Peniten.iary Tor not less than ten
s-ss ]. iartaer enacted. That if any person or
the or IL
disguise, should or may assault another with deadly
weapon he they shall be deemed guilty OF assault
s w on an to ha ,"r IN ea 9s r @
PROVIDED the jury trying the case may not substitute
less than ten years nor more than twenty years
The state authorities have manifested the most
earnest desire to enforce the law against the
guilty parties, and nave demonstrated by these
Indictments and arrests not only ther disposition
but aDiilty enforce the law and protect all cti-
UIt n nrav vtnno
condition OF servltude. These efforts, l can
assure you, will in no sense be relaxed until the
majesty OF the law is fully vindicated.
Notwithstanding these efforts, with the result
stated the United states Marshal and Commissioner
for the western division OF Tennessee with the
at Humboldt, have arrested and are continuing to
arrest citizens and conveying them under guard
TO Memphis, nearly 100 miles distant, TO answer
Tor the same offence charged against them by the
respectfully but earnestly protest against this ex-
ercise OF jurisdiction by tho United states COM
missioner and Marshal, without reference to the
question whether the offences are the proper sub
ject OF cognlZance by the United States courts but
alone upon the ground that the peace Oi so.
ciety will be more certainly preserved and the
rights OF citizens as well protected by conceding
jurisdiction to the state courts, and therefore
respectfully ask Your Excellency to order that no
further arrests be made BY the Marshal, and the
the proper local tribunals for trial and punish
ment. undertake TO assure Your EXceilency that
no effort Will be spared to enforce the laws and
protect the citizens by the officers OF the State
government throughout the borders OF this state,
and believe the local authority is ample TO pro-
tect the people of every race and condition IN life.
An early reply Is respectfully solicited.
JOHN Q. BROWN, Governor OF Tennessee.