Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-09-09
Large and Influential Public Meeting at
reutOn-FOur Hundred Negroes
Present-Speeeh OF 6OVernOr
John G.. Brown.
Statement OF Constable Senter, who
had the PlekettsTllle Prisoners in
Charge-He Resisted The De-
mands of the Armed Mob
and Did hIs Duly.
Report Of an Interview by New York
Herald Correspondent with 6OYers
nor John G.. BrOWR-A Plain
Statement OF Facts
Cause of the 0utbreak-RepulsiTe Aspi-
rAtiOns Of the Negroes Toward So
eial AfiIiatiOn-GrOss Insults
TO White WomaBhOOds

eial AfiliatiOn-GTOss Insults
to White WomanhOOd.
/ From an Occasional Correspondent
TRENTON, TENN, September :, 1874.
For nearly two weeks the eyes Of the
/ whole land have been fixed on theeoun-
/ IL OF Gibson. to see what course she
! would pursue in regard to the lswlessness
/ of those who took from our jail sixteen
| prisoners, four of whom were killed, and
/ two wounded, one Of whom has since
/ died. Would the people eDdeavor to
ferret out and punish the offenders, or
would the crime be winked at? has been
asked by, perhaps, every man through
out the entire country. We are now
ready to answer. 1t has been our belief,
/ all the while, that the men who commit
ted the offense, would be sought out, II
possible; but we have fOrborne express
sion until the people, by public demon
stratiOn, showed what they would do.
| To-day that demonstration was given,
not in empty resolutions read and passed,
but by the deliverancss OF some of our
best citizens, and the hearty approval OF
| all these deliver2nces. Governor John
! c. Brown, in g iorcible and appropriate
address, urged the people, both officers
and private citizens, to suppress, by all
| lawful means, lawlessness, by whOmsO-
! ever penetrated. Several Of our best
| citizens followed, indorsing 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 condemn the
| action Of the fiends who took her pris-
! OneTs from jail. The negroes did wrong
| in their attack at Pickettsville, and
/ ought to be punished; but that does not
mitigate the ofiense of the masked par
ty, and so the people look upon it. Z.
GOVERNOR BROWNS SPEECH.
! From our special Co-respondentl
TRENTON, GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn,
! September 7.-Governor John Z. Brown
has been here since Saturday, the object
| of his mission being to inquire into the
I recent massacre of the Picksttsville ne
/ groes, and to lend his personal sid to the
| encouragement Of the officers in their
| earnest efforts to detect and punish the
/ murderets. Governor Brown has dis
! played unusual activity and commenda-
| ble 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 empannelled special grand jury,
sworn and charged 10 inquire into and
investigate the late outrage. Gov. Brown
has been 10 the grand Jury room, which
he is entitled 10 enter by virtue Of his
position. He has heard the evidence Of
witnesses examined, but as TO their
statements ne would say nothing. He
has done everything in his power to en-
| courage q prompt aDd faithful inves6ga-
tiOu Of this outrage. He has been in
consultation with the judge, grand jury,
| jailer, sheriff and Other officers concern
ing the disappearance OF the ten ne
grCes. The general belief is that they
/ ESCAPED. Nelson McGhee, though
wounded, escaped. He wrote to his wife
from Union City and Hickman. 1t is
/ thought that the negroes are afraid 10 re-
/ turn to Gibson county, as they will re
reimprisOned, having oeen regularly
/ committed by magistrates at Picketts-
/ vile.
/ Governor Brown has been interviewed d
/ by our leading citizens, at whose urgent
/ solicitation last Friday, he consented to
/ remain and speak to-day. The crowd of
hearers was one of the largest, as well
as most enthusiastic that ever Assem- bled
in our town, over four hundred negroes
being present, and the most intense in
terest being manifested. 1t is needless
to saw that his remarks are indorsed by
the people here and elsewhere in Ten
nessee. On being called to the stand in
courthouse square,
Governor Brown commenced by say
ing that he had not come here with any
| expectation of addressing the people,
but for the purpose of informing him
self from the best sources concerning
the origin of the late difficulty between
the negroes and white people, and the
authors Of the late outrage. He said
his address was not ss partisan, but as
the chief executive Of the State, regard
ing all, irrespective OF color, race or pol
itics, as entitled to the equal protection
of the law. After a conference and free
interchange Of opinions with the lead
ing citizens Of Gibson county, he was
satisfied that the great body Of the peO-
Die had 10 sympathy with the late vio-
iations of law which had shocked the
1 public sense throughout the country,
but that they were severe in their con-
| demnation as were the people removed
from the scene Of the trouble. BE be-
lieved that there were no people in the
1 State, taken as Dlass, who recognized
ia q higher degree the msjesty of the
law, OF who were more anxious that Of
Tenders be punished according to the
forms Of the law. He also said he had
great pleasure ia stating that he had
seen the grand jury, judge and other
/ civil officers, and Was fully satisfied that
they were taking the most active meas
ures to discover and bFiBg the offenders
to justice. At this point Governor
1 Brown commenced a more specific de-
tail concerning the troubles, which be
felt satisfied had their 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 exaspera-
ted as well as intimidated. This lawless
conduct Of the negroes he coDdemed Sc
Yerely, and took occasion to say that
while the negroes were entitled to pro-
lection under the law in the enjoyment
Of ali OF their civil aud political rights,
yet they should remember that their
grievances, If they had any, must be
Temedied by the law, and not by force of
their organizations. Instead Of lending
! a willing ear to the insidious c0uDsels OF
bad and designing men who would use
them Tor selfish and political purposes,
they must go 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
! be had an unemb2uasse1 Teme-
! dy by the process of the law.
He commended the citizens Of Pick
ettsville FOR meeting these aggressive
measures on the part Of the negroes, by
issuing warrants, arresting the negroes
and committing them to jail, Instead Of