The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-04-30


spent amid the hills Of Western Penn
sylvania. Dwelling in a locality noted
for snakes, I often came in contact with
them, knew their names, habits, and re-
sorts. Often when q boy have / stepped
with my naked foot, upon their Shiny
forms. Being so accustomed TO them, il
is not to be wondered at that l at last
paid little attention TO them. But an in
cident which occurred in my sixteenth
year, aroused me TO a sense Of the danger
by which l was surrounded.
was working on a farm whilst bind
ing a sheaf Of grain / experienced a
sharp pain in my hand, l hastily with
drew il a small wound upon one of my
fingers, was all that was visible. Think
ing that l was pricked with a briar, l
returned my hand to the sheat Again
I felt a sharp pain, and jerked out my
hand 0ih q CoRperhead clinging to it. l
shook off the reptile; il attempted TO
glide off into the stubble, looking very
innocent, as much as to say, a never
done anything in my life; "Let me alone
II Oant peace" But, sir, l had the
damnins proof OF his guilt upon my
hand, and | / killed him. That however,
did not put a stop TO the effects eff the
bite. For weeks l hung between life and
death. At last a good constitution tri-
umphed over the poison, and | recovered
From the hour | was better | have hated
the whole 0phidian tribe. And now
sir, did | not do tight in killing ha
snake?
Ever since that little affair in the apple
orchard, between the Old Serpent anC
Mother Eve, the serpent has been th'
emblem Of duplicity and treachery.
The appropriateness of the appella
ton, "Snake in the grass" as applied +
certain persons, all will admit, and tina
the application of the name cooper
head" to certain traitors and fools ii
the North, is just, who can deny?
The leading Copperheads are traitor
their dupes, also traitors, are fools.
Now. sir, what course shall we pursu
toward them? We have long know
that they were capable Of harm; but F
long as we did not feel the eject of the
poison, we have let them alone. No
that they have displayed their malic,
their hatred toward the Government an
the country, have bitten the body pO1it
: and inserted their poison, they may al
tempt to glide off into security. Sha
we allow them to do so, or shall we puT
ish them. l say, kill them! Are the
not the enemies OF our country of OF
free institutions? Have they not dor
all in their power TO retard the progress
of our armies?
Why then, if it be right to make WI
upon the enemies Of our country in Il
South, not pursue a similar course Il
{ vard their enemies in the North :?
!, The masses in the South can offer son
: Excuse for being in arms against the Fec
cral authorities. After their leader
: had inAugurated this infamous rebellio
association, influence, State and person
pride, were all brought TO bear upon Il
people, and by these means many we
FORCED into the experiment of secession
But Northern traitors are so by choic
G birds Of a feather flock together"
8 The order Of Gen. BURNSIDE is a stt
> in the right direction; i enforced, it wi
do much to crush out Copperheadism.
Some persons may entertain scrupll
about subjecting Northern traitors
severe punishment. To such | woul
say, Are not those sympathetic traitor
~prolOnging the war? Are they not aiC
ing and abetting treason? Are they n
: "firing in the rear?" Then treat the
d as they deserve. The Government, Il
masses of the Nation have applied the
shoulders to the wheel, the wheel of pr
gress. Onl onl it MUST and WILL re
whilst time lasts,And if reptiles perish b
e meath its mighty tire, tits well.
"The truth is mighty and must preva
e The eternal years of God are her
whilst error, writing in her chains, shs
die amid her worshippers.p
a If the Army Of the Cumberland
should be compelled to return North, {
a snake hunt l would not give much f
the life ola CoPpe,head,
a Soldiers, what say ye?