| From the Memphis Appeal |
| |
| August 24, 1861 |
| |
| Letter From Gov. Harris |
| In Reply to a Committee of Citizens of
Robertson County |
| Executive Department, Nashville |
| August 17, 1861 |
| |
| Gentlemen, |
| Your note of the 15th instant
asking "the removal of the Yankees from the Edgefield &
Kentucky railroad, and the stoppage of the trade in Cincinnati whisky
and such other merchandise from the North as you (I) may think
proper," came to hand, this morning. |
| You also inform me that
"freight trains loaded with articles not needed by the South will
be stopped; and the removal of the Yankees will be postponed until
your (my) wishes are known." |
| Fully appreciating, as I do,
the loyalty, patriotism and zeal of the good people of Robertson, I
must be allowed to say that neither the government, or the people of
any county of the State of Tennessee, have any power to interdict or
prohibit trade between the States of the Confederacy or foreign
governments, except upon the principle of absolute military necessity,
and when it is done upon that principle the order must issue from
military commanders, and not from the people of the various counties.
For the people of the various counties to undertake to control the
matter, would involve interminable and serious conflicts between the
counties, one county deciding upon free trade, and their people
investing their capital in merchandise which another county resolves
it will not be permitted to pass to the purchaser. Such conflicts
between the people of the counties of the State cannot be tolerated. |
| And as no order interdicting
the importation of merchandise to Tennessee has been issued by the
commander-in-chief, or any other military commander, you will allow
the merchandise heretofore stopped at Springfield, to be forwarded to
the owners and consignees. The propriety of prohibiting the
importation of Cincinnati whisky and other articles, not of absolute
necessity to the South, shall be considered and decided by the proper
authorities in due time; but certainly the people of Springfield will
not claim the right to determine for the people of the whole South
what may or what may not be necessary to their comfort or convenience.
So, until this question is determined by the proper authorities, you
will not interfere with the passage of freights over the Edgefield
& Kentucky railroad. |
| The fact that a man was born
in another State, or is called a Yankee, is not a sufficient reason
for his removal from any position. |
| If the employees upon the
Edgefield & Kentucky railroad are incompetent to discharge the
duties of their positions, or are in any manner dangerous or unsafe to
the State of Tennessee, or the Confederate States of America, such
employees shall be promptly removed from their positions, but I cannot
consent to remove a man from his position upon the mere charge that he
is a Yankee. The Edgefield & Kentucky road is owned by the
stockholders, and only temporarily held by me, in trust for their
benefit, and the security of the State. As to the agents that should
manage the road, I felt bound to respect the wishes and opinions of
the stockholders (as expressed by the president and directors.) They
(the stockholders) being the real owners of the property, for whose
benefit it was being managed, I do not know personally any officer or
agent on the road except the receiver. But the officers and agents
being satisfactory testimonials to the owners of the proper management
of the road, I cannot entertain a proposition to remove them unless it
be based upon facts well established, showing the incompetency of the
agent in question, or the fact of his disloyalty, and that his
presence is unsafe to the State or Confederate States. |
| Understanding, as you do, that
it is my official duty to protect the rights of all the people of the
State alike -- those of the people of one country as well as another
-- I know the public spirited patriotism, and law abiding and law
loving people of Robertson too well, not to know that they will never
drive me or any other public officer to resort to harsh measures to
maintain the law and preserve the peace and good order of the
community in the various counties of the State. |
| Isham G. Harris |
|