Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-15
East Tenn eSeee.
II A
[FRoN ouR OWN CORRESPONDENT. !

[FRoI OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
KNOXVILLE, May with nnumersble false tele-
grams and many blood and thunder speeches, the
secessIonists have succeeded In raising an excite
ment even in this usually quiet city.
The constant military array of passing troops to
Virginia, and the almost constant roll of the drum
at the recruiting office must necessarily have their
effect.
Still, East Tennessee is loyal to the Union. The
old bannerfoats to-day in many parts of the city
from liberty poles and house-tops.
Governor johnson made speech of three hours
to a vast crowd on the goth. His remarks were
greeted with immense applause whea he declared
his determination to live and die by the stars and
stripes He did not reract from his speeches in the
Senate last winter He showed his sincerity by
boarding the lion in his very den for at the very
time he was speaking about 400 soldiers drill
ing at the other end of the street. aud would doubt
less have tried to pat the Union crowd to rsut had
they not been overawed by numbels,
Report says that Middle and Western Tenne =
united upon this question and will go unani
mousy for secession. If such is the case the voice
of East Tennessee i'll be hushed up and its people
forced to submit to the powers that be. At present
the feeling were so strong in the upper counties,
that men who were drumming up volunteers had
to flee for their lives. In other counties resolutions
have been passed declaring their determination to
hang any man who attempted TO get volunteers to
fight against the Federal Government.
All of our citizens, who enjoy the largest share of
public confidence. still declare themselves for the
Federal Government. Mcssrs. Nelson and Maynard,
members of Congress from this and the district
above, are speaking for the Union
About 1000 troops have passed through here
within the last few days for Virginia-400 of them
from Kentucky l 600 from Middle Tennessee the re-
mainder from Alabama. The Alabamians are well
armed and in uniform, but the others expect arms
in Virginia. One company of cadets from Alabama
had their tickets issued for ball at the White House,
tie 4th of July. JEFF. Davis may decide otherwise,
but the soldiers certainly think that their mission is
to attark Washington. The officers say they will
have Washington within thirty days. and one colone,
more sanguine than the rest. swore. in public
speech that he would march his victorious soldiers
into Wall street and pay them off.
AS the trains reach this point the officers are
called out, some of their sympathizers here are
called out to make a speech, and all of them seem
to think that he who villify Mr.. Lincoln most
makes the best speech The charge of advocating
nothing left unsaid that calculated to exasperate
ths people against the Government.
EAST TENNESSEE FOR THE UNION-A prominent
merchant in Knoxville, Tenn. who enjoys unusual
advantages for ascertaining the real sentiment of
the people, writes as follows to q friend in this
city. The letter is dated Mayl:
Andrew johnson spoke to a very large crowd of
citizens of the county on Saturday last. He was
enthusiastically received. and spoke with great elo
quence and effect. | fear our Legislature may
of Union men and will give twenty thousand
jority. Middle and West Tennessee may OutvOte
us, and probably will am still for my country
and its flag. The stories you in the papers as
to the insults to Senator Johnson most OF them
bogus. He is well received at home, and dra VS.
tremendous crowds. He was insulted at Lynch
burg. Va but his nose was not pulled. The assall-
ant fled from Johnson pistol and would have been
shot down had not the conductO prevented Johnson
from firing. Lynchburg dlsgraced itself in allow
IL. A4I.. Il
by himself, and frightened the rowdies out of their
wits when they attempted to insult him.
"Johnsons speech here splendid one. He
intends canYassing part of the State. We are
having some excitement Military companies are
forming for the protection of Virginia but the
heart of the people is not with them, and he will
outvote them here. People tired of secession
The Butchery of UnOffendIng Citizens
of Missouri.
The st. Louis Republican, heretofore one of the
most uncompromising Union paper, has the follow
ing comment upon the note addressed to Gen. FROST
by Capt. LYON commanding him to surrender
We call the attention of the country to the state
ments of this note which may be regarded as the
ayOwal Of the reasons jusufying the General Gov
eminent for breaking up encampment formed in
direct mpliance with the laws of Missouri in
ry particular. There is not solitary statement in
it which Is supported by respectable evidence
there, to support the Constitution of the United
States and of this State and when this is the case
we have as good right to suppose them free from
the faint of perjury as Capt. Lyon or any man in
his command. The camp was not, "for the most
part as is alleged "made of those secessionists
who have openly avowed their hostility to the Gen
eral Government, and have been plotting at the
seizure of its property and the overthrow of its au-
thority." So far from this, the camp was compos-
ed of men more loyal to the Government, better
acquainted with its institutions, having greater
interest at stake in its welfare and preservation,
than Capt Lyon or any or all of those of whom he
has the accidental command. They have seen mill
tary service-they know what the law requires of
them-and they would shed their blood for the Union
quite as freely as those who make such high-sound
lag pretensiOns.
The charge that they were receiving at Camp
Jackson, from the Southern Confederacy, and
der It's flag, large supplies of material most of
which is known to be the property of the United
States,o if true, was not known until after it had
been determined to crush out Camp jackson at all
hazards. As to the well-known purpose of Gov.
jackson, having in direct view hosttes to the
General Government, and co operation with its enc
mics > not sentence can be cited from any of
his communications to sustain the allegation; and
when it is said that his well known purposes had
Just been responded to by the Legislature in the
most unparalleled legislation" it is fact on record
that not solitary law had passed that body having
any relation to this SUBJECT at the time the note
written. Not one solitary law. No ordinance of
secession had been introduced. No such act was in
contemplation None has yet been introduced and
none will be-. Everything of this kind was wisely,
left to the Convention, and if Missouri ever
breaks up her connection with the United States,
it will be because of the action of a body
Of men who, loyal to the Constitution have yet been
driven to it, by such illegal, desperate, unmany
and bloody acts as distinguished Captain Lyons com
mand on Friday last, when from very wantonness,
they fired upon and murdered unotfending men,
men and children. just such acts of fendishness
may so far exasperate the people of Missouri to
precipitate them into revolution, but there has not
been any time any to apprehend that, left
to themselves and unPPoyoked by such Outrages
have disgraced this command, Missouri would have
failed in her loyalty to the Constitution and the
Union.
We know not what Governor Jackson may do in
this exlgency, but it is plain to that he ought
demand of the President Court Martial of Capt
Lyon, and full investigation of the csuses which
led t. and the orders. by whomsoever given, which
preceded the murder of so many of our people, If
innocent citizenss thus to be killed eff, and the
Government sustai-s the act, the the exist.
ence OF this military despotsm is made manifest and
acknowledged, the better fer all parties.