The Portland daily press., 1862-11-12
Southern Unionists.

The reported cruelties of the chivalry to-
ward their own people who dissent from rebe
doctrines have been of a character so extreme
that in communities where the laws of hu.
manity are held sacred, the statements, tho
from authentic sources, seemed at first to be
incredible.
On this subject we have some shocking de-
velopments in the speeches of Southern slave
holders-Union men-who have barely escaped
with their lives, and who have recently ad-
dressed public meetings in New York.
The following speech of the Rev. Mr.. Frye,
of Mississippi, we commend to to the consid-
GRAFTON of those tender-hearted sympathizers
with the South, who want to restore such men
as these to place and power again, under the
specious cry of the Constitution as it was -
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Il appear be-
fore you, as your President has said, from the
repudiating State of Mississippi. / will tell
you how | got here; came on the under
ground railroad. lCheersl l was seized by
the rebels, heavily ironed, and placed with
eighty others, in Southern dungeon. NV
crime was that had used seditious language,
or as they term it there, had talked Union
talk. While was in that prison numbers of
us were led out and shot. AT first they sup
piled collins for those who were shot, but the
great number of executions prevented the
supply of coffins, so they dug hole in the
ground, and made them sit down on the brink
OF the hole and there was certain number of
soldiers who advanced and fired three balls in
to the brain, and three into the heart, and this
was the mode of execution. was convers-
ant with a number of rebel soldiers who were
deserters; they were in the prison, and
learned these particulars from them. / had
scarcely crossed the room from talking with
them when / saw the officers enter They un-
chained them, and ordered them to follow
Said one, 'Shall bring my blanket?" NO"
says the officer, in a laughing mood, "you'll
never need blanket again." They were
marched out and shot, but my doom was to
be hung. | was to be suspended between
heaven and earth as an arch traitor, because
on various occasions | had expressed my sem
timents fully. had charge OF churches when
the rebellion broke out, and had preached a
sermon in which l had told my people to op-
pose the rebellion by talking against it. by
writing against it, and, if necessary, by fight
ing against it. Cheersl | was incarcerated /;
in company with friend made an attempt
to escape; my friend got away, but was re-
arrested. They sent after me with blood
hounds - yes, blood-hounds; they hunt the
Union troops now with those animals
The second time | was more successful:
went Off in southwest direction, opposite
from my home, in order to escape the blood
hounds; and | did not leave a single article of
clothing through fear that they would get my
scent. knew that if got away out of the
town of Tupelo, which was surrounded by reb-
el camps, l could get aid from Union men,
My fellow-prisoners labored all day to get my
claims in such condition that they could be
slipnpd n L had tho hands
with me till | could get among friends. Three
OF the prisoners stood up between the guards
and myself, while | escaped by getting under
the floor. had been elected chaplain of my
fellow-prisoners, and L never had a more
attentive congregation. j never preached to
them but some had been taken away and exc
cuted of them to whom had preached before.
After escaped was compelled to live mostly
upon green corn and bad water, and when
reached the Union lines was in the condition
of skeleton, and have not got over it; my
constitution was shattered and all this for be-
ing a Union man. Some days after my es-
cape | was compelled to 20 to a house; / was
becoming very faint, and it required perhaps
an hour to 90 quarter of a mile; l went To
one house, and noticed that there were some
slaves about it. l went away, knowing that
where there were slaves masters are secession
lists. | might as soon have walked nco Tupelo.
e.
have trusted myself with them. | found
another house where there were no slaves
The man was man of herculean frame, and
/ said, in the course of conversation, that the
Yankees were overrunning all the country.
and every man that was able to fight was
needed in the army, and asked why he wasn't
there. His wife gave her mind very freely
She said he was not there, and he wasn't 60
ing there. And she gave her opinion of the
as.fta tsssfel I'll
dition, and they gave me food. | never liked
corn-bread very much, but the corn-breat that
they set before me was the sweetest morsel
that ever tasted. A chicken was killed, and
! devoured nearly the whole.
must not name this man; il would draw
upon him the prosecutions of the traitors. He
said that he did not know the route TO Rienzi.
but he knew a man who did, and who would
show me. He concealed me in a thickei. and
brought this man to me. The man said-''Til
do all can 10 get you to the Union lines (:
you must go 10 that house in the distance, and
stay all day"
l went there, and af night he came with two
horses, aud conducted me 20 a point eight
miles distant. 20 his brother-in-law's, and he
asked him 10 conduct me 10 the Union lines
His brOtheF-iD-law was Union man; he bit
terly denounced Secessionists. lie told me.
while there, that there was a gentleman by
talk" a. they called it-told Of his love aud
devotion for the Union. The cavalry went
and arrested him. and there was a difference
Of opinion among them; some were IN favor
Of shooting him, aud some were in favor oi
hanging him; but they finally got hot water
aud sealded him 90 death. sensationl Then
they hung mp the body aud pus a label on H.
saying that any man who took down the
corpse should be- served In the same way. Ny
friend and bis friends took him down and bur
led bin, and in after time there will be mou-
uncut raised 20 his virtues. MY friend con-
Quoted me 10 the Union lines. had travelled
before only during the night. but We had TO
travel during the day. because there was a
great storm, aud il was dangerous 10 cross the
Tallahatehie during the night.
When got In sight OF the Star-Spangled
Banner, my feelings may be more readily inn
agined than described. At Rienzi. / found
Gen. Asboth; ! believe he Is of this State
and near by found Gen. Jefferson &. Davis.
He offered me all of his cavalry 10 get my fam
lily In. In one case it had required two can
non and large force of infantry TO bring in
some families into the Union lines. | found
my friend, who had escaped when was re-
arrested, there. Now, will say few words
In answer 10 questions that have been asked
me since came North. | intend publishing
work soon that will contain all the minutise.
With regard TO this proclamation, about
which we have heard so much | believe it is
right, and for these reasons: When was a.
mong the soldiers of the Rebel army. found
that they employed slaves. They had slaves
as sappers and miners, as cooks. as teamsters.
as artisans, in the blacksmiths shop making
swords and knives to cut the throats of the
all hyo 4