Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-20
2 Harper's Ferry was occupied by the Yankee
forces yesterday afternoon at three o'clock.
oCTRAGEs CFoS VIRGINIA cTTTzEEs.
Ca---e,o,ss-,s ~ ~. ,;.h-,..s T,.-...A

oCTRAGEs CFoS VIRGINIA CITIZENS.
oo-E:spOn3snss Of the Riehrend Dispasc>.
FcE17owN, July IL, 1s6I.-Tou will recoiiecf.
kessrs. Editors that IN my last stated, az geneF-
ally believed rumor, that the citizens around Old
Point we're forced into the Fort at the point Of the
osyonet and made to take the oath of allegiance
could not then vouch for the truth of this Fumor
though such conduct the part of the vandals was
perfectly characteristic. Since then, have learned
from an entirely reliable source, that Whist stated
as rumor is literally true. As soon as it was known
at the Fort that the militia were to be called out
the redoubtable Butler sent out large body of
soldiers, who went from house to house at mid
night and took every man and boy forced them into
the Fort and compelled them to take the oath or re-
main in prison. His treatment Of Messrs. Radcliffe
and Israel, of Baltimore fully explains how be in
huences our citizens UOl7tdrily to take the oath,
mo compulslon, no compulsion, sir" is his cry.
Everything Of this soSt must be voluntary. But it
IS stake the oath or be hung as a spy; no oompul-
sion, OF course The old tyrant tried the same
game with some citizens Of Hampton. In some
cases he succeeded in others he met with noble
and patriouc refusals. Among the latter, under
stand IS one Mr. Mass enburg who on being required
to take the OATH stood up and bared his aged bosom,
and told the oppressor to shoot him. if he chose for
ne would sooner die than take the oath. Mr.. M Is
upwards of sixty years OF age, and SO inirm as
generally to walk on erutches, yet l saw this old
man, when the rumor was first started that the
enemy were coming to Hampton, take his double
barreed shotgun, and fOrgetful of his age and in
frmities walk down to the bridge and express his
determination to drive back the foe perish in the
effort.
Among others who have resisted threats and per-
suasions to force them to take oath, Col Wilson
Jones, Mr.. FowkCs, and some others. Such instan-
ces of true patriotism, on the part of men who are
compelled by circumstances to remain among the
enemy, are worthy of all praise.
The losses of our citizens in the perishing their
crops and the loss of their negroes throughout Eli
oil
calculation. While Horace Greeley promulgated,
as part of the programme of the war, the liberia
ton of the slaves and the general desolaton of the
country many of US were incredulous as to the au-
thOrities at Washington adopting such course We
looked upon 1t as mere gasconade the part Of the
Tribune TO brighten the SOutherners but not suppos-
ing that the Administration would really condescend
to anything so low and characteristic of barba-
rism But facts have opened our eyes to the truth,
that Horace was well posted IN advance and that
there is no act of vandalism too mean for the DO "
ers at the once national capital to adopt or sane
ton. The destruction of property, the insults re-
peatedy offered to ladies', the Imprisonment of un-
offending citizens and the gross Outrages offered to
them while held in duress, have been so great and
so continuous that except in actual butchery of
women and children, it is doubtful whether the
treachery and cruelty of Nena Sahib in India have
exceeded those that have been pTacticed by the
Nsrtherners since the invasion of lower Virginia.
Well, these things will open the eyes of our peo
the true object of this war. The cause is working
out its legitimate effects. Hundreds and thousands
of our citizens who were esrnts. Union men, have
by such means been changed to thorough and equal
ly earnest Secessionists, and as this war pro-
crosses the work will go on. Men will think and
reason for themselves. They will see that the OBJ
ject of the war is to compel them to have fellow
ship with their own destroyers; that in the Union
that was, they must give their sanction to that
has no other apparent object but to uphold militia
Fy despotism and egalze system of indiscriminate
plulder and destruction. Such a condition of
things too, must ultimately convince many, if not
all the people of the North that in carrying the
war, they must sanction aud pray for what in
their hearts they cannot but despise. This infa
ence will spread and increase, and when they find
their Government loaded with debt of five or six
hundred millions, and their manufacturing and com
mercal interests utterly destroyed, and the moral
influence of the civilized world arrayed against
them, and the South still unsubdued-every thing
lost and nothing gaIned-wl they not be brought to
their senses and cease to furnish the means OF car
rying on so unjust and proftess warfare.