The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-05-29
a Brother of Rx-Pre.ident Polk speaks.

a Brother of Rx-President Polk Speaks.
A correspondent of the Louisville Journal at
the recent Tennessee Union State Convention
at Nashville, thus reports q speech made by
Col. VIM. H. Polk, brother of the late Presi-
dent, James K. Polk:
He took the rOstrum and proposed an hours
adjournment for dinner. "No," was the re-
spouse. "Well," said the Colonel 81 suppose
you are feeding on patriotism, then z" He knew
not, year ago, when he should be permitted
again to address his countrymen, or whether it
would be one year or ten before the old flag
waved over the State. He happened to be in
Nashville the day that Tennessee was stanpeded
out of the Government. He heard the song of
inebriates deriding that glorious emblem he
saw his eountrys flag dragged and torn down
and trampled in the dust through the streets
he almost lost all hope, when ne saw old men
who had been the preceptors fhis life by their
example, gray-haired men weep at the degrade
ten Of the stars and stripes. Deeply moved,
he had sworn to devote all his strength and ex-
pend the balance of his existence in the effort
to cause the old flag to wave over as again
He had sworn it as fervently as the oath of
hannibal against the tyranny of Rome. Here
it floats again, beautiful and bright, and now
let all join with him in the oath never to see it
torn down, never! neverl 80 help us God
NEED darenthesize to picture the scene that
foollo"ed this impassionea eloquence. 1t will
be memory of my lifetimel Freemen of Ten
nesseel YOU are safe if you are united; your
countrymen can no longer be torn from their
hearthstones the mother need no longer fur
lively whisper the note of patriotism in the ear
of her child, If you will stand by the affairs of
your faith, baptized by the blood of your fathers
We need not 90 back to tell the causes which
have led to all these disasters, but let us ask
what shall our future be The question is now
addressed to the minds of the people Of Ten.
nessee, shall We submit to marauding parties or
bands of thieves, who are proving about the
country, or shall We buckle on our armor to OPP
pose them He saw many manly faces before
him, and exhorted all to prepare to drive the
marauding robbers from our soil. He no
military man, but if this feeling animates the
hearts of the people of Tennessee, we shall hear
no more of John Morgans, and he would go as
private in the ranks to drive the inceudiaFies
from the State. We are setting fearful haz-
ard it was no ordinary stake we played for
each man of us here to-day is marked. What
is our stake Is it political place Or pscunia-
ry benefit? What is it 7 We hazard the safe
ty OF our wives and babes, and he is coward
who will not battle with bare arms and breast
for their defense, The msrauders must 60
down or We mast GO down The Union must
permit secession to place its heel upon our
necks, Ga we must crush secession and keepits
aiders down until they yield obedience to the
laws and impi0re the forgiveness of the father
who reared them and gave them all they have.
Till then let every Tennesseean resolve to de,
fend the soil from an invaders tread-whether
of Southern fire eaters, Northern abolitionists,
or marauding thieveB