Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-05
"Thersi,a Providence thu. shapes our epd,,
Confederate COurt--Charae of SeditIOn
and Hs b LION.

The case OF II G. SosvclL was called up yester
day in the Confederate Court The warrant wa
read by the District Attorney which substantis Iy
charged the defendant with living aid and comfor'
to the citizens of the United States now waging :
most unjust and unhoy against the Confeder
ate Stats nd that he would rejoice to see tn
Stars and Stripes" now the emblem of tyranny
waving over the capitol of th- Stste, AMI that
hoped and believed that in a short time the NOrthsrr
Government would be victorious. by which condue
and conversation the defendant was dangerous
man to the Confederate STATES and such converse
tons we're reasonable and had tendency stir VI
rebellion and sedition III, Confederate States now
being at war with the Government of the United
States.
We understand that the proof clearly established
the fact that she defendant had stated that he would
rejoice and that he believed in short time the
and stripes would triunphaaty wave over the Capt.
to that be had been for the Union aud still for
it, also that some of the ctizsns had requested him
net to speak ia such way against the Govern
ment, of which he citizen The proof showed
that he disregsrded such sdmonitions, which werv
given to him from The best OF motives, by patriotic
and loyal citizens
After the tessim my WAS coacluIsi the District
Attorney said that be did not propose to argue the
facts Of the but merely desired explain the
Distinction between this case and number OF
Others that we're tried by his Honor at Knoxville
some time age. 4 large majority OF the votes in
East Tennessee. had been cast in f4vsr of the
Union, and there pubic sentiment had be n in
favor of the Federal Government, aud the persona
who were arrested and found guilty were not aW are
of the ensrmity Of the of nee they hsd committed
In these cases. his Honor had very properly exten-
ed mercy to the accused; ani the District AttOr
ney stated that he gr4tifed at this cemency on
the part of the Court, believing that such
hsd produced salutary effect, the persons whc
were arrested having voluntarily taken the oath
allegiance to the Confederate States. and we're
Soyal cftizeCs But how different the case now b.
Gore the Court
The testimony established that the defendant is a
mlu OF wealth and intelligence, and that there is
but one senument in EIddle Tennessee and the city
of Nashville which is enthusiastically in favor OF
the Confederate States, which the people of the
State have united their destiny by overwhelming
majority. Yet the defendant, in defiance of a unl
sersa public sentiment has taken sides in favor OF
the Northern Government against Our own beloved
country.
Such conduct en- his part, showed that the true
sentiments of his heart against u.s. and that ii
wa better that he should remove to the North as
Othsrs had done, than to amongst Us, an
enemy to our Gozernmsnt and people.
The court decided that the defendant was not an
alien enemy tut that the proof clearly established
fhat his feelings and sentiments were hostile to the
Confederate States, and regretted that any one in
their limits entertained and expressed such hostile
sentiments, aud expressed hope that there was
no other individual here who entertained such feel
ings.
But the proof having established the charges IN
Che warrant he would therefore require the defend
ant to enter into recOgnizAnee, in the sum of tel
thousand dollars, for hIs good behavior during the
war and also to give two securities in tae sum OF
five thousand dollars each, Tor hls faithful perform
ance of his Obligation, and also to pay the costs OF
the suit s
We trust that the decisive yet, under the cireum>
stances lenient judgment of the Court in this
will serve deter other misguided citizens from pur
suing course of sedItoB against the GOvernmen
calculated to do themselvs much grealer injury
than they can poss.0l, DO own country and
countrymel. WAC aCe nov nEIAel W.T.
AgAlns: a Despotsm, tl- -esrsss T hts Of man.