Hardeman County, TNGenWeb

The State Guard

The Nashville Union of Monday says: “Gov. Brownlow has heard that there has been a disturbance of some kind at Brownsville, the other day, and he has already sent a company of his ‘loyal militia’ there to be quartered upon the people of theat town or county. A few weeks ago a mob of loyal leaguers, headed by the sheriff of Blount county, refused to allow a minister of the gospel to preach in Maryville, and he had to leave that place in a hurry to save his life. The Governor lives only a few miles from where this occurred, but singularly enough, he has never heard of it, and so the people of Maryville have been saved the infliction of the ‘loyal militia.'”

The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 25 May 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

The Washington correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial says, under date of the 6th; “The President is being petitioned by the citizens of Tennessee to disarm the militia in that State, by directing that the ten thousand stand of arms furnished by a resolution of Congress be placed in arsenals in lieu of being kept in what they term ‘active service.’ Unless this is done, it is declared that there will be civil war in that State.”

We have some curiosity to know what junta of scared fools have been bothering the President about this matter. We need have no fears of civil war in this State. The people have proved themselves law-abiding under the most trying circumstances that have ever surrounded a population matured and reared in civil liberty. Civil war can be inaugurated here only by BROWNLOW! As he values a whole skin he will not attempt it. In case he should be so foolhardy as to do it, ten thousand “melish” would scatter like frightened sheep, and he himself would probably be the first to reach Mason and Dixon’s line.

We have entered this campaign to dispose of the militia as well as the other feature of Brownlowism, in a more peaceful manner. Such appeals to the National Executive are untimely and unwise. They should in any event be held in abeyance, while we are endeavoring to remove the evil by other means. Andy JOHNSON is at best a broken reed on which ’tis rather unsafe to lean. Better fight our own fight. (Nashville Gazette).

The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 18 May 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

Up to this late hour the office of registration has not been re-opened in this county. Of what are the people of Hardeman county guilty that they should be more cruelly dealt with than all others? What law have they disregarded? Why does the Governor of this State clench his official hand so tightly about our necks? Has he cause for so doing? If so, that cause has never been made known, and surely it is his office to tell us wherein we have erred.

Aside from this, we have been told by those who ought to know, that the office would be opened in a short time, but this is only hearsay. Justice and our rights under the franchise law itself, demand that the office of registration should be opened at once. The Governor has no right to tell the true Union men of this county that they small not vote, neither has he the right, under the law, to withhold his appointing power.

The law under which he is acting only gives him the power to order a new registration in case of fraud. Granted that fraud has been practiced in this county, the office has been closed for weeks, and the Governor has already overstepped the bounds of duty, for he should have recommissioned his former appointee or chosen some other person for the position weeks ago. Our people do not expect favors at the hands of those now in power, but they are entitled to their rights under the laws. The present Governor gains no strength by inflicting hardships upon the people without cause.

The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.), 18 May 1867, Page 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.