Year: 1872




SR-In conference with Your Excellency on the
4th inst In which you freely stated your views and
desires In regard to the troubles in Pope county,
we were honored with request to proceed to Pope
county and ascertain what steps might safely be
taken to disband the militia Of that county and the
more speedily restore quiet and confidence.


We were assured that, from the commencement
OF these difficulties to the present. 1t had been your
aim to protect the people OF that county against
violence and boodshed. and to avert any conflict
between any member OF her citizens and the gov
ernmcnt. We were further assured by Your Ex-
cellency that quiet and good order was desirable
for its own sake. assuring the people that the
general election soon to take place would De, so
far as lay In the power OF your administration,
free, fair and without restraint or intimidation
by the presence OF military force. We also un-
derstood you, that, whether wisely and well or not,
q strong feeling pervaded the minds OF many
people Of that county against Sheriff Dodson, act
ing as Sheriff; that by advice he had appointed
deputy, believed to be acceptable to all classes;
that military force under General d. p. Upham
had been organized to aid the civil officers in the
enforcement and execution OF the laws.


Charged with the pacific intentions of Your Ex
cellency, we together visited Pope county, not for
the purpose OF arriving at the origin Of these un-
fortunate difficulties or ascertaining who was In
the right and who was in the wrong on both sides
but to determine by cOnferring with the people
how best peace and good order might be obtained.
| We were most cordially met by every one, and
the object M OF our mission highly appreciated by the


There seemed to us to be an indennable appre-
hensiOn, widely existing, which the mere prospect
| of quiet and peace relieved.


Many good citizens mad left the county and are
| still absent, fearing that one side or the other
| they would be drawn into trouble.
We are satisfied that much OF the bad feeling ex-
listing in Pope county has been engendered and fos
tapAI 1Nu MI nal finion


Reports have been industriously circulated among
the people OF that county that Your Excelency's
your own political friends to vote; that General
upham was bad man and unworthy OF conf
dence. and that the life OF citizen falling into his
be traced TO the capital and If not intended to
aegravate the trouble have had that effect.
On the other hand Judge Nays Court being In
session at Dover, writs were being issued by a
magistrate for the arrest OF men who have hereto
fore stood high in the community, and who have
not been in arms at any time against the civil
authorities This was adding 10 the general uneasi-
ness.


called to these cases. he promptly restored them TO
liberty.


declined to be a candidate ior reelection, has of
ITSELF In great measure restored confidence, and
opened the way to peaceful adjustment Of the
troubles.


Without desiring even to suggest who should be
appointed to succeed In the Ollce OF Sheriff we may
be permitted to say that Mr.. Ewing, the present
deputy, as also A. S. Fowler, Of the Governors
Guards enjoys the confidence Of all parties, and
Se to who


alleged were In arms against the civil authori-
ties, but owing to a misunderstanding as to time
ever, met about forty, and Mr.. CLARK arterward
met about twenty-five others, who claimed
%os nsy semseyes we nor%ea them Of


the pacific intentions of Your Exceency.


that Sheriff Dodson had resigned; that some person
| not Objectionable to either party would be ap-
| pointed, and could we be satisfactorily assured
| that no further violence would be attempted the
| militia would be disbanded; thar whatever trials
were had in the courts would take place after all
excitement had died away; that all citizens save
without molestation, and that these two II they
saw 1T to surrender themselves to the civil au-


or e We're 9y wn nr pc so
rs zeaousy as would be any other citizen OF the
State.


peace toward all the people, whether In militia
not and that they would return to their homes and
do all In their power to aid In the preservation OF
it is due Sheriff Dodson and these men to state
that they would not pledge themselves that no one
would not molest him; that some being absent
| who had special ar,imosty toward him, they did


not want to hold themselves responsible for any


him and them. Mr.. Clark, who afterwards saw


Others including POINTER and Hale, and who stated
| the above substantially to them, informs us that


they all pledged themselves 10 preserve the peace


toward all the people OF the county without excep-
tion. So lar as we could ascertain i is desired by
4
| manly and correct department. enjoy the conf
| dence OF tine people, should remain, at least until
| alter the election


Judge May, we understood, would adjourn his
Court the day after lett, having already dis


charged the petit jury. No case had or would
4 have been tried at this term Of the Pope county


Circuit Court, except Old ones, and then not


against the expressed wish OF defendant We


are satisfied from our examination that the Pope


county militia may safely be disbanded, and this
not so much from the pledges given US by those
| who had banded together, as from the people,
| w ar
| troubles. We therefore recommend to your Excel
| lency that the Pope county militia be disbanded
/ that the Governors Guards remain In said county,
under General Upham, or some other discreet per-
son, with strict injunctions to preserve the peace
between all parties and that some worthy citizen,
pointed to succeed In the Office of Sheriff.
Trusting and believing that such q course will
Immediately restore quiet and confidence, we have
the honor to be your obedent servants,
w. /. WARWICK, z. ii. ENGLISH,
SOL. +. CLARK, JAMES s. WOLFE