The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-11-06
COnViCtS and MObS.

The outlaws of East Tennessee
about BriceviIIe and Coal Creek, have
possession of the country. The free
miners that were, and the cOnvicts
that were, are now an allied common
mass of depraved humanity, burning
| piIlaging and stealing.
1t is a sad and serious condition OF
| affairs that the laws of the State can
be insulted and defed; that the
! States prisoners can be rescued and
turned loose; that private property
can be destroyed and private citizens
terrorized over, by a band of igno-
rant, depraved outlaws, and that no.
body has the power or the means or
the will to uphold the majesty of the
law.
It is blushing shame upon Ten
nessee-(we.begp pardon if this is an
attack upon our noble Order)-but we
repeat, it is a blushing shame upon
Tennessee that the man who encum-
bers the gubernatorial chair Is such 8
nonentity that he can neither take
precaution to prevent nOrssteps to re-
dress sOsgreat an outrage upon law
decency.and society.
The time for Mr.. Buchanan to have
acted was when the first Otfense was
committed several months ago. If-he
had caused the arrest then of the
leaders, and prosecuted them vigOr-
orously, that would have been the
end. Instead, he dickered with
them; conferred with their attorneys
and committees, and at their bidding
called the Legislature in eXtraOrdi-
nary session.
The truce thus patched up held I'M
til the legislature met and adjourned,
and then the OUTLAW $ grew red in the
face again and demanded of a great
State, satisfaction" While they
were threatening and collecting and
getting ready to.burn and steal and
destroy private property, and release
from prison the cOnvicts, the great
Executive of the great State, moved
not a step, said not a word. Waiting,
perhaps, for a change Of heart or
some PrOvidential interference to
hinder them.
If he had had the courage he would
have given them, not the "satisfac-
ton" they demanded, but the pun
ishment they deserved. They are in
surrectionists, and as such ought to
be shot down or driven out of the
~ rlaxy nnnht
to be said to them; not a single con-
ferance should be granted them
They are in rebellion against law,
and as outlaws they ought to be ar
rested and 'confned, driven from the
State, or shot down.
IL is no time for the @ OvernOr to be
sending to Knoxville for the AttOr-
ney General, and waiting for advisors
from other parts of the State, to
coolly discuss technical law. 1t is
emergencies that try men and prove
them, and this occasion has proven
Tennessee's Governor to be wholly
incompetent. 1t is disgusting cant
for him to sit in his office at the
Capitol, aud give out to the press
that he ''wilI uphold the majesty of
the law at all hazards" and then let
day after day pass without making
the slightest effort.
Tennessee is unfortunate in having
within its borders these depraved
miners; i it is unfortu-
nate in having demagOgues who will
pander to their passion and low pre-
tudices; it is unfortunate in not hav-
ing enough brave men to champion
the cause of right and law and good
and it is most unfOrtu-
nate of all in having as it's Governor
a man who has neither the brains to
suggest the means to meet the emer-
gency, nor the moral courage to do
his duty when it is told him.