"Peace of Radical Reconstruction," March 14, 1867

"Peace of Radical Reconstruction," March 14, 1867

As initial influence reached the southern states, there was angst toward Tennessee for being the only state that was exempt from a sort of military occupation. This article allows for it to be seen that even before Congress and President Andrew Johnson cycled through editing and passing various bill supplements, the South already showed little liking for the bill. The Old North State identified Tennessee, of all states, as the most in disarray. The article claimed that Tennessee’s current civil administration was a complete failure. The state, according to the article, had made several attempts to establish order and maintain justice but had fallen short. For the complete article that the excerpt is pulled from, see the PDF of the March 14, 1867, The Old North State issue.

The Old North State

"Peace of Radical Reconstruction," The Old North State, March 14, 1867, p. 2, c. 2, North Carolina Digital Collection, accessed October 21, 2014, http://cdm16062.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15016coll1/id/5500/rec/16.

1867-03-14

Brian Smith

Document

Salisbury, North Carolina

Newspaper Article

The New York Times draws the following truthful sketch of the peace brought by such reconstruction as it yet aids to thrust upon the south:
“Tennessee -- If any ex-Confederate State is to be subjected to military law it certainly ought to be Tennessee -- which however, is the only ex-Confederate State exempted from military law.
At the same time Tennessee is to be presently placed under a sort of military power -- not military power as wielded by the National Government and administered by Parson Brownlow and administered by his appointees. Brownlow as governor of Tennessee has called out a force of 20,000 men to be in the service of the state for three years, and to operate against its enemies in the various counties.
The present civil administration of Tennessee is certainly a failure. So far as the duties of a State government consist in preserving order, enforcing justice and maintaining law, there is no State in the South whose government makes such a show as that of Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, and Arkansas are quiet and orderly, and life and property are secure, in comparison, with Tennessee.