The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-06-22
The shorter CatechIsm as Applied TO
secession.

ErOm the wheeling lntelhgencer,l
At New Greek, the other day, Col. Tom.
Ford, Of the 32d Ohio, engaged in couyersa'
tion With an old reaidenler who had taken q
seat on the bench beside him.
Have you lived long about here in.
quirod the Colonel.
"Yes," said the old man, III have lived in
this (Hampshre) county all my lien
&c supposs, tn o. said the Colonel, " you
know all about how secession commenced
here-who commenced It, and how II has
been carried ou,'
Yes,p again said the old man, land
will tell you how tried to expose II at the'
start to the people. Ny opinion did not
pass for much at the time as owned no big
farm nor any nlggers, but think 1t would
pass for something now.n
Well, how was 1t ?" inquired the Colo.
mel
Colonel Parsons was one OF the main
getters up of it. He advertised to make q
speech over In Romney after the ordinance
passed, and and several of my neighbors
went over to hear him speak. Just as he
was about to commence, / took the liberty,
as was an old scquain lance OF the Colo.
ne's, to ak him a question. So l said,
Colonel Parsons, we have come over here
! tonight to hear you make your speech in
| favor Of secession and before you begin l
wunt you. to tell me and my friends here
one thing What is it, said the Colonel
why, want you to make speech tonight
without ever mentioning the nigger once
Me aud my friends who own no niggers,
want to know why we should be Secession.
lists viii you please tell us, Colonel why
men who own no niggerS should be seces.
soniists2"
"Well, what did Col Parsons say ~ asked
Col. Ford OF the old man
Why, he came the nearest saying meth.
ing that ever saw said the old man.
AT last he said that he wouldn't speak on
such terms, that be was going to Fpeak on
the whole subject"
"Well, what did you say then" asked
Col Ford
" l said, )" continued the old man, "uow,
Col. Parsons, you know that aside from the
uiggcr, there is nothing IN this Secession
and you ought to know that all the slaves
that now live 10 the country live 10 the
slave States, and that you will not Increase
their number a single one by secession, but
On the contrary that you will bring about
the escape Of hundreds OF them before you
get through with the job you are undertak
iugI'
Well, bow did Col Parsons take your
talk 2" asked Col. Ford.
why, " said he, che got mad like al
the secessionists did in those days, wher
Union men opposed them-told me 1 wal
an abolilionlst, aud that the South was go
ing to have her rights. And now hain't i
come out as told Col, Parsonsl" asked th
old man. HASN'T the South lost more mig
gers since this war commenced than she eve
lost in the whole time before, and isn't sh
10 fair way to loose them all Aud here
said he, we people who have always live
by uur own work, have had to bear the rui
that the,y pride.swer negro aristoclat
have brought upon L have had to bee
, it, and my Union friends who were with N
that night have had TO bear IL. Aud all (,
4 what' Why, because these niger owne
wanted 10 break up a Government in wbiC
,, people like me, who owned 10 niggers, az
had to work for a living, were on an coaaliI
o With them. tell you, continued the o.
- man, II owe them nothing but curses at
!. war, and they are getting plenty Of Il
10 first now, from huudreds Of their miserab
N dupes around here, and plenty Of the 9th
from the Federal Government
n Col Ford, getting up aud taking the o
N man by the hand, said be had TO aoknow
,r edge that ms much AZ he had heard again
I secession, be had never heard II as COT
II pletely and strongly expressed In 80 fc
words before