The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-19
No RIgbtto be Treated as Prisoners
OF war.


A Richmond paper states in a para
graph, which we print elsewhere, that
Governor LETcHgR will demand from the
Confederate Government the surrender
Of all the Virginia Federal prisoners, for
the purpose Of treating them "as traitors
and not as prisoners Of 1oar." So fierce is
the hate which the rebels cherish towards
all such men as the citizens Of Western
Virginia and East Tennessee who refuse
10 be bound by the illegal acts of rebel
State Governments. The Confederate
leaders profess TO believe that the citi
zens Of America owe djtyJour allege1aces,
and obedience TO an act Of the Central
Government, if it conflicts with the voice
OF State, subjects citizen to the drime
Of treason To such pitch is this abb
surdity carried, that this Richmond pa
per asserts that Governor PrERroNT and
United States Senator WILLY, and hun
dreds of other loyal Virginians, who are
now prisoners Of War, will not be treated
as prisoners of war if they fall into the
hands of the corrupt and imbecilo au-
thorities of Virginia. They are to be
hung up like old JoHN BRowN. We might
stop here and inquire to whom would a
citizen Of Virginia look for protection
were he wronged by foreign nation--to
the Government of his State or to tho
Central Government? Certainly to the
latter. Their allegiance is due to the
Government which protects; and the
Central Government, being the one which
grants the highest form Of protection,
it follows inevitably that the allegiance
of the citizens is due not to the feeble
State which has no power TO protect but
to the Government of the people of all
the States combined. Let us see whe-
Their Governor LETCnER will dare TO carry
out his magsterial bullying. He will
have a heavy account to settle if he does.
Perhaps IsHAM G.. Harms would like TO
follow his example, and hang all Tennes-
scans for treason who do not obey a mid
night treaty, which sold them like slaves
TO JEFF. DAVIS, ratified at the polls when
muSkets glittercd over the llot-box,
and the mob was ready TO tear TO pieces
all who dared to vote against it, The
fact is that the Rebel leaders have intim-
idated us by their braggadocio so long,
that they believe they can subdue us by
mere dint of words alone. This threat
of LEToHER's is to deter Union mon in
Virginia from joining the Federal army,
and to us it seems an indication that the
old traitor is becoming alarmed at the
signs of discomfort he sees around him.
But, instead Of intimidating anybody, il
will impel thousands to enlist under the
national flag. These threats will aid in
stead of hurting us. They are growing
as rabid as mad dogs in the Rebel Capt.
ital; as we see that the Enquirer urges
that no more prisoners be taken, Now,
these ragamullin, whisky-tub editors
and Governors are utterly swampcd-
desperate-God lorsaken. They feel the
presence of hemp around their throats
already; and knowing that they cannot
escape just punishment, rave like damned
spirits; bowling over the burning morl
of hell. They will counsel and urge
anything. Nothing is too savage and
ferocious for these poor devils. But we
hardly think that such counsels will be
approved by the people of the South
men who have wives and children and
some lingering feelings of Immunity
about them. These men will not very
long delay TO cxtricate themselves from
the clutches of the harpies and vultures
of Richmond, who care not for honor Sc
they can have power