The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-11
Editor and Proprietor.
THE TORN PREACHERSINT THE PEN-
TTEET1AHSY AT NASHVILLE.

NASHVILLE, July 3.
have availed myself of the OPP
poEtunily of visiting the imprisoned divines.
A permit obtained from the Provost Mar
shAl, walk through the hoksun, and ask for
admlltance Al the door of the State PeRlten-
tiary. Going ap narrow pair of stairs, lam
shown into room, and find therein the persons
whom seek, DR.. Sehon and Mr. Baldwin are
old acquaintance, and are heartily glad to see
me, The Others extend me a hearty welcome
and sit down for short conversation.
The apartment IS about twenty feet square,
and is ventilated by an iron grated window,
and a small transom window having commu-
nieatlon with the hall havejust left. Inthese
narrow limits the five prisoners are Kept,
sleeping ON cots distributed through the room,
and partaking Of the prison fare-pork, beans,
and corn bread-at the table below, TO which
they are conducted by an armed guard three
times each day. Half an hour each day they
are allowed to remain in private with their
families, after whi h they remain IN the quiet
seciusion of their room.
What They Think OF it
In my conversation with DIR. Sehon, regard
ing hls arrest, he referred to short converse
tion occurring in this city in February last, in
hlch he has been represented as having said
"a those with whom he was conversing: ''ls it
possible that you have come down with these
Yankees 10 murder US poor Southern peopleH"
Having been one of the persons addressed
| gave the words of DR.. Sehon precisely
they were spoken. He said, on meeting with
Gaddis and my self: ais it possible that you
young men, whunA have prayed over in your
| boyhood, have eome down mere to aid in cap
turing US Southern people r The remsrk
was made in laughing way but yet was just
| such as have set 1t down. In its former YER
sion il found is way into quite number Of
! Northern papers, somewhat l think, TO the
prejudice Of the reverend gentleman.
In regard 10 tue more immediate cause Of
/ e arrest, they assert that no charges were
made against them They were required to
take an oath of allegiance to the General Gov
ernment bul declined doing so, as the terms
were such in their family relations they could
not voluntarily do so, and the declaration as
serts that the oath must be voluntary On
| their part. AT the same time they deny ever
having, while in the discharge of their duties
as clergymen, either during tie Confederate or
National control of the city, introduced tha
political agitations of the country III their ser
mons in their prayers. They have never
been required to take the oath of a. 'iegianee to
the Southern Confederacy, and there was 20
reason that such an act should be demanded by
Governor johnson, they holding it to be the
duty of every minister to hold himself TO the
supervision vi HIS tOHEtNSdtluu ulAAtti SLS
powers that be, without taking any part in
the conflict now raging throughout the land
What VIII be Dane w 18th Them
have thought proper TO devote this much
space to these persons, because some Of them
are well known in your city, and have many
friends there. No one will dispute nly loyalty,
l think, and this in connection with the facy
that have no great partiality for ministers
will, | bel ,-arrant the assertion that
dare speak n in the matter, aud detail
the circumst, as they really exist. This
know haS q. arf g'len s1d that in
very few days 49, De taken hence and
sent across our lines into those of the Confed
eraey, have closed the story as far IS / an
concerned. As it is, they think they are ~
justly confined, and hold they are imprisouec
for conscience sake, not beng abe, according
to their mode OF thinking, 10 do what was re
quired of them, and not having the power an
der rule which ignores the '.habeas corpus
to obtain a hearing before lhe civil courts.