The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-23
FRANKFORT
GARRISONED by
BECKHAMITES
seckham Militia Guarding the Court
House and jan at Frank
A CLASH IS NOW IMMINENT
Between the BeClrham and Taylor
Forces-Beckham Issues a Proc
lamatiOn to the People.

FRANKFORT. KY, March 22.-Dem-
oeratlc Governor Beckham Issued the
following address tonight, explaining
his action IN calling out the troops:
To the People OF Kentucky:
In the present crisis which exlsts in
our state, feel It my duty to explain
TO YOU by position and to outline the
policy which / intend to pursue IN the
earnest effort to restore peace. quiet
and order to our commonwealth. It
was the policy Of my distinguished and
lamented predecessor to conduct this
contest which has SO much agitated our
people In a way to commend his course
to all Iaw-abidlng and conservative
people Of the state. That policy have
to the best OF my ability also pursued
and intend to continue in the same
line. In calling on the militia to pro-
tect the courts in Frankfort; wish to
say that no one Is more averse to mill
itary rule than 1 am. I believe that It
should be the last resort that any ofa-
cial should use, and lament the neceS-
sl,y that requires It at this time. AS
your chief executive. It is my desire
and intention to always rely more upon
the law than upon the bayonet, and I
prefer to be supported more by the
strong common sense and patriotism
Of our law-abiding people than by any
military power Whatever. Every hon
est citizen should submit without hesi-
tatlon to the control Of the constituted
authorities. and to the courts, the great
safeguard Of our liberties. According
to law, the civil authorities Of Frank
lin county have presented to me a
statement of facts which shows that a
condition Of lawlessness is threatened
here with which they are unable to
deal, and they have called upon me for
assistance. / have, in compliance with
their call, ordered here certain state
troops to place themselves completely
under the authority Of the sheriff Of
the county. with instructions that they
shall assist him in protecting the court
of this county from threatened intinis
daiOn, as well as to protect the prisons
ers who are tried by that court on to-
morrow These troops shall be strictly
under the control Of the civil authorit-
les In preserving order and protecting
the dignity Of the court, that Justice
may be done to all parties. regret ex-
ceedingly the necessity that requires
such action. and that there should be
any who would seek to Interfere with
the action Of the judicial trlbunes in
our state; but the condition exists. and
must meet It. When the situation is
such in your capital city that the
Judges in your courts and other officials
need personal protection from bodily
harm and threatened interference with
their action, then l deem It my duty, as
governor of the commonwealth, to give
them such protection as they may
need. Such is the situation here now,
and / intend. so far as have the pow
er. to protect the courts, In my earnest
efforts to uphold the law, and, to pro-
leCI Iue cOubIlLuIeu LElUuHulSI ChIl up-
on the good and law-abiding people OF
our commonwealth to aid and assist
me. not by physical force, but by NOR
al support. We have placed our cause
in the hands OF the law, and we must
continue to rely upon the law. Let no
act Of violence or lawlessness be COM
mltted anywhere, and let our people
who have shown such patience and
conservatism heretofore. continue to
show It. Ny great trust and reliance
is in the strong common sense and In
tegrity Of the people of our state and
trusting In that I believe that out OF
our present difficulty, there will soon
come peace, order and restoration Of the
law.
tslgned.) j. c. W. BEcKHAM,
Governor Of Kentucky.