Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-05-18
y. G. MERCER, Editor.
SUNDAY MORNING, MAY IS, 1862.
The REBEL Newspapers of NASHVILLE,

The rebel Newspapers of Nashville.
II was a sad day for Tennessee when
every newspaper at the Capitol proved
treacherous TO the cause of free govern
ment and went over to the army Of the
oligarchy. The influence Of the press is
almost infinite at all times, for it reaches
everywhere, and penetrates every nook
and corner in the State, Despite all the
ribaldry and foolish spleen uttered by
self constituted censors against newspa-
pers, the press is after all and above all
other powers the controlling influence
exerted on the public mind. When that
influence is welded by corrupt and sell
fish men deplOrable is the result. Nash
Vile and Tennessee felt the curse of vas
cillating, time serving and unpatriotic
newspapers during the ascendency Of
rebel power There were seven newspa-
pers here and all played the part of Judas
and sold themselves to treason. There
was not one editor who dared TO call his
soul his own, but all got down in the dust
before Baal and blasphemed the true
God. Oh that there had been some one
who had deserved we'll of mankind and
won eternal honor by boldly speaking out
for freedom with clarion voice, in that
dark and trying hour! Alas, there was
no one on the editorial tripod in whose
veins flowed heroic blood One Of the
worst of these rebel journals, because it
at first professed loyalty, was the RepaJ-
Ecqn Banner. When this paper went
over to the traitors it filed the public
mind with all sorts Of direful fears, and
absurd reports and villainous calumnies.
We give some extracts from its issues
during the first of this year.
what the Union Army wilt DO.
If the enemy succeed in penetrating the
valley of Middle Tennessee, he has gain
ed fopt-hold which may not be easily
wrested from him, and which will carry
death and desolatioa IN lis tyack II the city
Qf Nashville tall into his hands, we may as
well pronounce a last farewell to peace
and prosperity in this region, for he UiH
surety burn IL 10 Tie ground. And if the
barriers, which we are now opposing to
his front, be overturned, and his army
succeed in lifting its standard within our
territory, and proclaiming its authority
over us, we may as well ring the death
knell of liberty in Tennessee.
The woeful spectacle, which such
horrid contamination would surely pre-
sent, can hardly be conceived.
No nation on earth tCoaiH be halt so Affect
No people half 50 doUn-tro4aen, No rulers
half 50 don1ineeyisg, arrogant and unp,incj-
pleR The lot Of orr poorest slaveg a0ouH be
Tar preferable Degraded, depised, and IN
suited on all hands without a recourse
from the atrocities, or a refuge from the
malice of individual vengeance; without
a guarantee of law for protection Of olg
person or h0aor, or sentiment Of public nor-
ais on virtue for the preservation Of our no.
men from abuse and lOyORq, we should not
be long in dwindling away 10 the pitiable
state of all vassalage and serfdom. We
should be wiped from the face of the
earth Our soil would quickly pass into
the hands of our masters Our swords
would soon be metamorphOsed into
scythes of slavery. Nothing would be
left us but the legends and traditions of
our by-gOne glory, our rags and disgrace.
The l0hoie policy cfHe enemy Is 10 lag ,OaSte
and ertciminate. Where he cannot cor
rupt, he aims to destroy. Where he can
not purchase cO-action, his object is to
compel submissiOn-not only that Of
deed, but Of thought and conscience
He who wishes to live like freeman, and
die at peace with his own SOUL had bet
ter beware the supremacy of the mon
strOus tyranny into which a once noble
government has fallen.
People Of Nashville, this is what the
Republican Banner taught you to dread if
the Union army-the most gallant, the
bravest, the most lenient, and we'll order
cd soldiers the world ever saw-should
enter your streets. No wonder you were
panic-stricken. No wonder that you
trembled lest your houses with all your
little ones should be burned down by the
loyal troops. No wonder that mothers
shrieked in agony as they saw in fevered
Imagination their daughters defowered
before their eyes, by our troops. The
Bonner taught them that this would surely
be the awful result But again, in the
Srue spirit of BEAUREGARD's notorious
proclamation, il harps on the same string
Of Beauty and Booty"
Tennesseeans, come cut; out Of the hills
and the dales, with Gods blessing resting
upon your brave hearts; out, armed and
uplifted with the strength and sinews OF