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Information in regard to alleged outrages committed by lawless bands in the State of Tennessee.

JANUARY 23, 1871.-Referred to the Select Committee on Alleged Outrages in the Southern States.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
January 21, 1871.

The Secretary of War has the honor to submit to the Senate of the United States certain letters referred to this Department, relative to alleged outrages committed by lawless bands of armed and disguised men in the State of Tennessee.

WM. W. BELKNAP,
Secretary of War.

JAMESTOWN, FENTRESS COUNTY, TENNESSEE,

January 1, 1871..

DEAR SIR: I deem it my duty to inform you of the terrible condition of affairs in this part of your district, and to warn the "authorities in power," through you, that if something is not done very shortly for our relief we will have to organize and defend ourselves; and the result will be we will have a war among us, which, when once started, will be a fearful one in its results.

We are driven to the wall, and can't go any further. I was the first one to leave my county of our party. I was waited upon by eighty-three (83) masked Ku-Klux, who came with orders for me to leave the county, for "selling amunition" to negroes at my store, or, if I preferred to remain, to have my property burned. I left, of course, with all I could get away with.

Every Union mau has since been driven out of Overton County, and are now up here with me; and the poor negroes that were not killed have also followed us, and are now up here on the mountain with us. For over six months before leaving Overton County I had to bar my doors and windows, and keep men in the house with me to protect our lives and property.

My neighbors have been taken from their families by armed mobs and hung and shot, until now it is a very common thing to hear of a Union man being killed, or a negro hung to a tree. And what is being done for us?

Not long since a masked party made a raid on a negro cabin, and

broke down the door, and killed two peaceable colored men, George and Ceylon Copeland. One of the Ku-Klux was shot down at the door be fore they got into the cabin. He could not be removed, on account of his wounds, and, as he was expected to die, he sent for his counsel and made his will on the spot. When the news got out in the county that this representative of Southern chivalry was shot and expected to die, every one was surprised to hear that he was a Ku-Klux. Now, this is a plain case of murder, as, after killing these two men, the Ku-Klux cut out the hearts of the Copelands; and let us see what was done with him. The next court we had this man was indicted, as the proof on him was so plain that the grand jury could not help finding a true bill; but, before any papers were served on this chivalrous representative of the defunct confederacy, the attorney general for the State was notified to "nolle" the case by the Ku-Klux. Of course, he done it, and this murderer, on whom there is the plainest of proof, goes unpunished.

They are getting bolder every day, and there is not a night that they do not raid over the country. Now, how are we to stop this? It is no use of the Government sending troops here, for they can accomplish nothing. This is not only so in my county, (Overton,) but in Jackson. White, Putnam, and other counties around us.

The country is full of illicit distilleries, and they pay no attention whatever to the laws.

I could mention at least fifty cases of murder that have taken place around me in one county since Grant's election. During our last election I know of several counties in your district where a republican, white or black, would have been murdered had he even attempted to vote. No wonder you were defeated.

They rejoice now that they can vote for a man that has ever been true to secession and Southern rights; and from now on there is no chance of ever electing a republican in our district again. The hardest criminal in our State prison (if a rebel) could defeat the best Union man we could put on the track, so bitter are they now.

We don't know what to do. Not one Ku-Klux has ever been punished, not one even arrested; and if I or any of my Union neighbors were killed to-night, that would be the end of it. No one would dare inquire who done it.

We will put up with it a little while longer only; and don't be sur prised if you hear "hostilities have commenced in Tennessee." We must take our own part. There is no use of me writing more, as you no doubt get letters from this section every day complaining of our wretched condition. Hoping that the authorities will soon do some thing for us, and not wait until more of us are murdered, to get proof that the Ku Klux are actually bad men,

I remain, very respectfully, &c.,

Hon. WM. B. STOKES, Washington, D. C.

This man is perfectly reliable in every respect.

M. STRAHMIER.

W. B. STOKES.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE,

December 23, 1870.

SIR: The condition of the loyal people of Tennessee, and especially that of the colored people, cries aloud for relief. In Wilson, Smith. Jackson, Putnam, and other counties, a complete reign of terror is

being established. Within a few months a number of murders have taken place, and a vast number of whippings at night by disguised men. A short time ago a colored man was killed on Indian Creek, in Smith County, by disguised men at night. Mr. Apple, a justice of the peace, summoned a jury of inquest over the dead body, and undertook to ferret out the perpetrators of the deed, which resulted in his having to leave his home through fear, having been so warned by disguised men. Other members of said jury of inquest had to leave their homes, among them your old friend Dr. Wm. Robinson, whom you know to be a very old as well as a very worthy man. Mat. Neely, of Granville, Jackson County, has also been an exile from his home for several months. In October, I think it was, disguised men whipped, abused, and maltreated a large number of colored people on Defeated and Buf falo Creeks, in Smith County, ordering them to leave the country. few nights later they posted their notices conspicuously, ordering Esquire L. H. Cordwell to discharge his colored employés, leave home himself, or take the consequences. The result was he left his home, and, as I am informed, has since sold his farm, as he does not return to his home. He, as you know, was one of the wealthiest men in Smith County. About the same time nearly all the colored people on Peyton Creek, in the same county, were visited by these masked villains and either brutally beaten or frightened so that they had to seek shelter in other localities. About the same time a number of colored people were whipped in the vicinity of Major Wm. Seay's, in the same county.

I was at Carthage last week, and learned that nearly every colored man in the town of Dixon Springs was whipped the Saturday night previous; the result being that the colored men are offering the services of themselves and families for life to the whites if they (the whites) would protect them from these night prowlers. In September or October a colored man was shot and killed at Jonathan Bailey's, in Wilson County, by disguised men. Another colored man was killed near Lebanon; also one near Green Hill, in the same county.

Whippings are too numerous to mention. I am satisfied more than two hundred whippings within a few months past can be verified. All these depredations have been committed at the hour of night by disguised men. But a few days ago a constable, with a posse of five men, arrested a man in Jackson County upon a warrant, and started with him to the county seat. When within three miles of the county seat, five men, in mask, rode up and shot the prisoner several times, killing him. The officer, with his five guards, made no effort to protect the prisoner or arrest the murderers. This occurrence took place in daylight; yet no effort to bring the guilty to punishment.

Last week John E. Clark, United States deputy collector of internal revenue, was in Gainsboro, the county seat of Jackson County. He was stopping at the hotel. In the early part of the night the landlord went to his room and informed him that his life was in danger, as several men were down stairs making threats and inquiring for his room. Clark made his escape on foot through the hills and mountains at the hour of midnight.

These are only a few of the many outrages that have recently been perpetrated. How much longer are we expected to live without protection from some source? Civil courts are a farce, so far as convicting these disguised men are concerned. We feel that when our State gov ernment fails to protect her citizens in life, liberty, and property, that it is the duty of the Congress of the United States to take such steps as are necessary to accomplish that object.

Now, sir, I appeal to you, in the name of the loyal men and federal soldiers of the State, who stood firm to the cause of the Union in the dark days of the rebellion, for protection, which they so justly deserve and now demand from the government.

Very respectfully,

Hon. W. B. STOKES.

THOMAS WATERS.

This paper gives a truthful statement of many outrages perpetrated in the middle division of Tennessee. I therefore most respectfully for ward the same to the Secretary of War.

W. B. STOKES.

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In obedience to law, a statement of the contracts and purchases of the Ordnance Department during the past year.

JANUARY 23, 1871.-Ordered to lie on the table and be printed.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

January 19, 1871. The Secretary of War has the honor to submit to the Senate of the United States, in pursuance of law, the accompanying statement of the contracts and purchases of the Ordnance Department of the Army during the year just closed.

WM. W. BELKNAP,
Secretary of War.

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