Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-08-28
9 8]aiIg 9ppeal,
ADDRESS OF FFOy. THOMAS a. r..
NELSON.

tion directing nv arrest, left home on the
morning Of the election, with the view OF
making nv way 80 BaTbouTsvlile, Kentucky,
where ] designed to remain II l could safely
do SO, until should receive authentic evidence
Of the fnsl result, and, if it appeared that
had received a larger vote than either Of the
candidates for the Confederate Congress, in
tended to serve the people in The Congress of
the United States. cut, if otherwise, to return
home and decline any action against the posu-
lar will. after using every pTeeaution in ny
power 20 avoid dissection, was arrested, on
the nigh Of the 4th Of August, by the Home
Guard, consisting, as I understood, Of thirty
Ihpersons Of Lee county, Virginia, whose vigil
rance bad been excited by certain citizens OF
Hancock county, whom passed on the way,
and who became suspicious OF my purpose.
Having stated that I would make no effort to
escape, was taken with nv guides and nv
son, BY some ten menbeTs OF the guard to
Cuub rsnd Gap, where we were delivered to
Golf N. Walker, By whose direction, after
remaining there few hours, we were sent to
Abingdon, Virginia, from which point we
were taken to Richmond.
Having, long since, determined to endure or
suffer any possible consequence that might re-
Fult from the course | had conscientiousiV
adopted in our recent troubles, I INDUCED in
DO vain mUTmurs eT rzgret5, and, being IN the
hands Of the military power, deemed it useless
even 20 inquire at Cumberland Gap upon what
charge 7 was arrested, or what disposition
was TO be made Of me. had formed deter
miGation 20 ask no quarters a the hands Of
the military OF civil authorities, and to make
no comPrsmist or concession; but, when !
reached Abingdon, ] was much grsti6ed to find
Col John Baxter, at tae risk OF HE O~n life,
had magBanimousiy volunteered to 90 to Rich
moad and &C as my counsel sr otherwise reR-
der any lawful assistance in bis power. At
the same point I sisO met with DR.. Jeptha
F0wlkes, wd0 was acting 10 the Ch racter of
q peace commissioned to East Tennessee, and
wA0, although bad only slight personal ac-
olaiaisace 1uh hin, manifested there, and in
A all subsequent proceedings, q zeal and solici-
e tu3sf0r the quiet OF this division OF tbs State,
bsan nd for my Own discharge upOn honorable
terms, which I regard as above all praise or
commehdadon. To ny Interview with Doctor
Fowkes al Abingdon, he exhibited 20 me q
letter which greatly modified my views, al
though ] did not choose, considering the sus-
picion which might attach ts my motives as
prisoner, to aFoE either to him or the suthori-
ties a. Richmond the extent Of the impression
which had been made. This can only be IN
deTstood by reminding you, very briefly, OF the
position occupied by ne in my speeches, pub
icatioDs and private conversations.
Youwui remember that, ,immediatelya after the
bombsr6meat of Fort Samter and the Issuance
Of the Presidents first procla nation, took
the gr0uHd that It was cur duty IN East Ten
nsssee 70 be neutral if possible, but, if forced
70 take sides, to sus' ain the government, al
though We condemned the policy OF the PTesi-
dent in not guaranteeing the fortress. | vas
also Ii favcr of submitting to the will Of a
majority Of the people of sur State, should it
be contrary 70 ny own views, rather than en-
gage II civil waT amCDg ourselves. The for
mstion OF military league ana the passage
fA-- dor
which those acts were due, impressed me with
a strong conviction that Il was the intention
Of our State "a h0ritas, by fhe creation OF
Home Guards and otherwise, to ove-a8e the
people Of East tennessee, to preveHt fair
eiacti8a on the 8ch Of june, and to compel Us
TO submit 0 what regarded as the uDconsti-
tatiouaI acts of our Legislature. advised the
people ever where, publicly and privately, to
arm theuseiFes as they best could, and 10 call
on the government OF the United States TO sus-
"a them with men, money and arms.
Tne reason why ] thought il our
duty no te submit to the result Of the election
of the S.b Of June were fully stated in the
declaration of grievances adopted by the
GreenviIle convention, Whics Wsg prepared BY
me, sltboush The resolutions we're wholly
- ifereut from hose which I submitted. Ny
? Resolutions. while distinctly declaring an un-
aterabls purpose not TO submit to the action Of
an uuconstitutiouai majority, contemplated ne
division of the ate, but simply asserted that
the Uaion counties Of East Tennessee, and
all other Union counties in the State, which
saw proper to cooperate with them, would, in
this period OF TeVoluti0ns be The legal State
and should proceed at once 20 exercise sli the
powers and functions Of government. L was
also proposed, in one Of my resolutions, for
the sake cf peace, that We would maintain a
position OF neutrality in every respect, eX-
cept that situated as We were, we would not
oppose the formation of volunteer companies
ia oUr midst, or sbdsaVor to prevent the trans
portstion Of men and munitions Of war along
our railroad, Unles 0ur rights were actually in
vsded or disturbed.
Although these and other resolutions which
had prepared were not adopted, scquiesced
in those which were passed, and urged upon
tde people tse propriety Of q military organ
izati0a Fer defensive purposes. NotWithsta nd Z.
ing he refusal Of our Legislature at its last
called session to pass various obnoxious meas
ures which bad been pFcposed, l inferred from
the general tone Of the pubic press ihata fixed
purpose existed to introduce troops into East
TenDessee, ret only to hold the railroad, but to
compel ouE people 10 submit o z course Of ac-
tion which we regarded as unconstitutional.
To prevent cur Own su5jugatioD, l advocated
the PTopriety Of seizing the road at all haz-
ards before military possession Of il sbobld be
taken bV treeps from distance, and urged
that We should earnestly invoke the immediate
and elective cooperation Of the government.
MY aavice was not followed, Is the course in
dicated was regarded ss TOO hazardous and IN
certain, and when the troops were stationed
among us and was Frequently consulted as to
the course TO be pursued, l uniformly advised
the people TO abstain from any acts Of resist
ance, unless they were positively assured of
undcubted aid from the government OF the
United States. Had ] reached Washington, I
would have urged such relief, but the state
Fnent that / had maps ard diagrams Of the
passes in the CHAMBERLAIN mountain is utterly
destitute OF truth.
TIE eoviction that il was the determined
uurpase Of cur STATE authorities to use military
force against us, was as already stated
gre7t!7 modified by the following letter fro
Gfsi, Gen Polk who bad the chief cOmman,
of tie military forces of Tennessee, sld which
was 6rs5 shown to me, as already stated, a
Abingdon:
INTERPRETATIONS. DEPARTsIET 70. ..
8EMPaIs, TESE.s July g, 1851.
s7a CO. Rste-fson T0p7, Judge J. Cafgthers, Dr. Jep
The FJwlkss. Col. y. 81. Lealherman:
GrETLEmEE: I an satisfied that man
Of orr fellow csuhtrvmen in East Tennessee
have, by tie course Of events, been forced int
taking position in regard 10 the question
11sg8ing between the North and the South
sghich is hardly in Keeping with their nstura
relations, and from whiea it is our duty in
spirit OF inagnsnimity, TO do what we can {
relieve thea without entering into the ques
fiouq at issue, feel confident that if they ar
assured BIZ their southern fellow counhyme
Of thsir disposition to treat them with kinC
ness. and 20 respect their manly feelings
Cwhils they are making provision Tor the pro
lection Of our own Tennessee soil against in
vsson from lie Eor5h,) hey viii have n
reason to be sggIieyed BY the presence Q
troops ID their midst.
"Tbey must see that the policy Of tn
United States government, or rather Br. lin
eoIa's roUerHmeat, is 90 0Feuun and subiugat
ms. and they also know that it is thrssteniR
70 do this through tie passes Of the Tennessee
mountains.
f" What are we TO do then? But one thin
ia left as, and that is to place troops at all G
these points at which we are most exposed.
"This assurediy in the face Of the fac,
alluded TO, should form no Just ground Of con
Dlaint on the part Of any candid man Of sens'
at is upoa every account desirable that 4
irritating language, or any offensive hearin
shoula be manifested By the troops toward eli
izeps In East Tennessee or elsewhere, and ii
Commanders vill doubtless see that this is n'
done. Your well known character and pos
fiop in reIstion to the public questions whic
have sgftatated us, mske it in my opinion veg
uroper Office for you to perform, &c go to OF
feUew-citizens Of East Tennessee, and wit
l. 4 L. ~irn Nran