Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1862-04-02
G50oO IoIititaI 3|caoiag.
A PORTED AND PITHY LETTER |

a FOlHIED AND E1IA4- LAfTEht
Tenresseean on the state Of AfaIrs,--''Iszsabc =
Dent Like 1t !-IIe GrulnbIeth In & 'FOOt-NOte.'
To the Editor QfHs Ner0 York Tribune:
SIR: Allow me space in your columns to
say
L It is with much regret that I mark the
surprise Of fNortherners and Northern presses
at the discovery of a strong Union senti-
ment in Tennessee" and elsewhere in the
South.
Three months ago, I took occasion faalong
letter, published in the Tribune and copied
into many other journals to give to the pub
lie detailed expose of the state of affairs
South In that letter claimed, and I now
repeat, that the Unionists are, as to nu4nbers,
in the majority in Tennessee. Senator john
son concurs with me in this opinion. sodoes
Mr. Maynard. So does Mr.. Ethoridge Colo
mel Trigg, R. J. Meigs, Esq, now o. your
city, and every other Tennessee exile with
whom I have conversed. Are we all mista-
ken2 or what sinister purpose have we to
subserye in making an unfounded statement
Of so grave a nature?
II You chronicle with delight that old
men she'd tears ofjoy upon the ascent of the
old flag up the Tennessee. I venture to as
sert there are this day in Middle Tennessee
twenty thousand men anxious to inperH their
blood upon the battlefield to share in the i'm
mortal honor Of crushing out the most un-
gracious rebellion known since the secession
of the devil and his angels from heaven to
helrs abyss. Twenty thousand Ihope the
Government viii give them arms and
chance.
III The Union party of the South is com
posed of one-halfthe regular Democrats, four
dlths of tie Douglas voters, and three ffhs
Of the Bell and Everett men.
". Now I come to answer tizg -s,ii,-rr1ff.s-
ting queston-lylly are not Southern Union
men in the Union armies?
For the same reason, Sir, that Northern
are not in the Secession armies.
The other side in Tennessee armed first-arm-
ed under the Governors proclamation and the
Of the Legislature. There were no
arms left among us. We could get none from
We were subjugated-prison-
ers of War.
My voice was for war from the beginning
war for preventing enIistmentsi in our neigh
borhoods for the Southern ConGederacy. But
my party .overruled me, on the ground that
display Of bravery under the circumstances
would be mere Goolhardiness Ileft the State.
Y. And now some unpalatable facts. The
Democratic party had so long talked of Sc
ceding, that the mass Of their own voters and
Of the Wings never would believe they would
attempt secession in fact. The mass Of Ten
nesseeans were so amazed that a rebellion
should break out without a decent bill of
grievances, that they still regard it as mere
party trick to make the Administration back
down from the Chicago Platform; and hence
they took no active part against them in time
to be effective.
In Tennessee, we were Wings and Demo-
Gratis, between whom, as parties, there al
ways has been a bitterness political and So
eial, which for years I expected to result in
appeals to arms, in addition to the duels and
isticuTs frequently growing out of it. Mr..
Lincoln's proclamation came out, and the
question was: Who are YOU for. Lincoln or
Davis? We old Whigs-Union men-repli
ed:
Gentlemen Democrats, you have arms, we |
have none. You see We can't light you. We
.hink it very ungracious Of you to ask us to
light for you. This Is a democratic rebellion.
got it up-you must fight it out. We
wash our hands Of this great treason. We
,annot help You; we viii throw no obstacles
n your way. Ifyou whip Lincoln we will
yield you the undivided glory of that achieve
nent. Il Lincoln whips you, yours be the
shame r.
Yes, but replied the Democracy, ave
ire fighting for the rights Of the South!"
We replied: We don't seeit. We only |.
zee that you are beateu in an election-oust- |
ID from place-and you now make war for
,Gice. We concur with the Northern people, !
hat YOU are unfit to rule this nation. We /
.annot fight to reinstatc YOU"
That is what we said.
VI It so happens that the leaders Of the
Southern rebellion are personally and politi-
ally the most odious men in the South. And
renee, even If we did not care a straw Tor the
Union, we would rejoice to see them beaten
n the contest For ten years, Toombs, Da-
is, Sldell, Mason Hunter, Yancey, Rhctt,
Iarris Is Co, have been as hateful to South
IN Union men, as ever were Weed, Giddiags,
1reeley, or Wendell Philips. And yet you
re surprised that Tennesseeans shed tears Of
oy, as defeat after defeat overtakes these in
arnal traitors! Let me assure you the most
news that ever came to Tennes-
ee was that of the battle of Manassas
hank God, we can offset that now! J