unmistakable evidence is given by all parties of a disposition to keep the peace.
"W. G. Brownlow,
"Governor of Tennessee."
The counties named in the proclamation were among the
richest and most populous in the State. Their prominent
citizens were unanimous in condemning what they conceived
to be the tyrannical and arbitrary action of the
Governor. The following is a fair sample of the numerous
protests made through the public press[1]:
"Nashville, February 21, 1869. I see that martial law
is declared over the county of Lawrence, the county I have
the honor to represent, which I must acknowledge greatly
astonished me, for I know of no person or persons who
complained of any depredations in the county, or that
there was any difficulty at all in enforcing the law in
said county; but on the contrary, the people of the said
county are at this time, and have been for some months
past, more peaceable, quiet, and law-abiding than they have
been for the past ten years; and only a few days ago James
H. MacKay, sheriff, Ira J. Brown, clerk of the Circuit
Court, and other officials of said county in a written communication
to the Governor, stated that there was no
difficulty in enforcing the civil law in said county, and
consequently no necessity for the militia or other troops to
enforce law, all of whom are men of respectability and
worthy of credit, and the persons specially named above
were soldiers of the Federal army during the late Rebellion,
and are all now, and always have been, members of the
Radical Republican party.
"I am at a loss to know why troops should have been quartered upon the people of my county without consult-*
- ↑ Union and American, February 21, 1869.
