American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-05-30
From the Memphis Appeal. May %.
The Traitors Convention at Nashville.
The Moral.

The Moral.
Now that the clouds of defeat and
disaster are temporarily gathering about
Us. we may expect many weakened and
timid adherents of our cause TO grow
pale with apprehension at the final result,
and go over. like their predecessors, the
Tories OF the Revolution, in a cowardly
stampede to the enemy. A trial such as
that through which we are passing in
this war, is the true and only sure test
of ones loyalty. 1t separates the chat
from the wheat-the dross from the gold.
and leaves no middle ground for the
skulking neutral, who. like the bat in the
fable of the war between the birds and
beasts. is ever ready to embrace the
prospecting cause of the victor In fine
| it sharpens the lire OF demarkation be-
tween the only two parties under our
government-PATRioTs and TRAITORS.
These thoughts are suggested by our
perusal of the proceedings of the Conven-
ton of traitors and renegades recently
held in Nashville, for the alleged pur-
pose of seeking to bring about 1.-The res
toration OF the former relations of this
State with the Federal Union" Among
its members are several very prominent
citizens, and formery respectable gentle
men Of this State-but not one whose
loyalty to the South has not heretofore
been suspected. The president of this
reasonable assemblage was WILLIAM B.
CAMPBELL of Wilson, well known through |
ont Tennessee some years ago as man
of influence and integrity, but now so
fallen and disgraced that there are ''none
SO poor as to do him reverence" Il
was only eight months ago, that upon
being rendered by the President brig /
adler generalship in the Confederate ar
my, he assigned "the feebte state of lis /
health" as an apology for his refusal of
the position. Now the vile hypocrite as
serts that ''in the midst of this right of
rebellion, patriots have looked for the
restoration of the old flag as earnestly
and anxiously as the Jews of old looked
for the Holy Land from the captivity of
Babylon" and consummates his treason
by calling upon all to resist the Confed-
crate armies and "help in restoring the
supremacy of the law over Tennessee"
and reinstate her in her repudiated and
loathsome utilization with the abolition
States of the North.
WILLIAM III. Polk. also, participated
in the movement-the veritable traitor
who, one year ago, dared present him
self before the people of Tennessee as a
candidate for the highest office within
heir gift. We remember hearing him,
~ I;e eDaoob or O1J E,IIo., II II =;
his city, Indignantly denounce as foul ,
;a!umnies the imputations that had been
cast upon his loyalty by portion of the
press, at the same time avowing him
elf as not on Y sympathysing with the
Southern movement. but as being forever c
opposed to the reconstruction of the old {
Union. Now listen to the treacherous {
harlequin. "a year ago." he said. "he
lid not know whether it would be one or 7
en- years before he would be allowed to c
peak in Tennessee ;" but the cold flag" f
vas now restored" and cit flies over US, {
nd he swore now. and he appealed to t
be large audience to join him in the oath.
ever TO see it hauled down again. c
lie is said to have exhorted the people a
0 'gird on their arms and drive away
be plunderers. eff the heart of the a
eople of Tennessee responds to it," add /
d the miscreant, IL will 90 as a pri- n
ate in the ranks and aid my oppressed
ountrymen in driving the marauders {
-om the confines of our State" .
In addition to this. VIM. B. STOKES e
ave in his testimony that "tbe rebellion n
as unjust and causeless. and had not b
lie shadow OF pretext." "Tennes- 9
ee," he said, "was As much to day in V
he Union as ever The South was in
le wrong. and ought not to succeed 1t
as the duty of the people, betrayed as h
ley had been, to return to their allegi- D
nee, and to leave those hyenas. their n
aders, to the penalties ofjustice" p
EDMOND COOPER said: .All through h
lie night of the rebellion his heart had IL
eat in concert with the Music of the ii
nion''-that ''there was no cause for the &
.bellion," and he warned the disloyal D
lat the lettering power of the revolted n
tates would be swept away by the Fed b
al government like chaf before the te
inter's storm" c,
II A.,