The violent language of the message aroused the greatest alarm among the Democratic leaders of the State. They feared that if the measures recommended by the Governor were adopted, civil war would indeed result. A meeting was held at Nashville in August, and a memorial to the Legislature was framed, by the following men, all of whom had been generals in the Confederate army: N. B. Forrest, B. F. Cheatham, W. B. Bate, J. C. Brown, Bushrod Johnson, Gideon J. Pillow, W. A. Quarles, S. R. Anderson, G. G. Dibrell, and George Maney.
In this memorial they expressed a deep solicitude for the peace and quiet of the State, protested against the charge of hostility to the State government, or of a desire for its overthrow by revolutionary or lawless means, as well as against the charge that those who had been associated with them in the past days contemplated any such rashness or folly; nor did they believe that there was in Tennessee any organization, public or secret, which had such a purpose, and that, if there was, they had neither sympathy nor affiliation therewith. They further declared, that the peace of the State did not require a military organization; that such a measure might bring about and promote collisions rather than conserve the harmony and good order of society; and finally that they would pledge themselves to maintain the order and peace of the State with whatever influence they possessed, and would uphold and support the laws and aid the constituted authorities in their execution, trusting that a reciprocation of those sentiments would produce the enactment of such laws as would remove all causes disturbing society.
"For," they continued, "when it is remembered that the large mass of white men in Tennessee are denied the right to vote or to hold office, it is not wonderful or unnatural there should exist more or less dissatisfaction among them. And we beg leave respectfully to submit to your considera-
