The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-10-25
An Alarming Evil.


for months connected with the rebel
army, is not turned loose upon society,
~ perhaps on taking a non combatanfs
oath. While this work Of release is CO.
Jog on within our lines, we hear Of cold
blooded assAssinations Of loyal men by
the companions and associates Of these
iti released rebels. Wheeler's soldiers on
their last expedition into Bedford county,
took Jacob Moulder, discharged Fed.
esAl soldier, aged sixiy-iive, and one Of
the most upright and inofensive citizens
Of that county, dragged him out Of his
bed and hung him to tree. The
murderers then went to the residence Of
German, . man of excellent character,
tore him from the arms of his wife,
dragged him into thioket and shot him
through the head. They also hung a
third Union man, in the same county,
and doubtless practised similar ouirages
wherever they marched. Clayerhouse
never committed murders more brutal
among the prosecuted covenanters Of
Scotland, than Wheeler has committed
upon the persons of many of the best
citizens of Middle Tennessee, whose sole
offence was their devotion TO the Union,
n, aud opposition to the accursed rebellion
While this innocent blood is reddening
our State with copious streams,
what is to be seen almost daily
at the various Federal headquarters (?
Instead Of retAliatng, we release. Union
nae men, loyal men, who are on the side of
a7'e the government, are forever harrassing
aud annoying our commanding officers
with petitions for the release Of some
captured rebel, whose hands have proba-
bly, helped 10 shed innocent blood, and
.a1 who has certainly aided and abetted the
murderers of our loyal fellow citizens
These mediators between justice and
rebels are 30 elAmorous in their interces-
sions in behalf Of some personal friend,
who has got only . part of his deserts
by being lodged in jail, that they do not
allow the General commanding, the Pro-
~ vost Marshal or the Governor, time TO
perform the necessary business of their
\ respective offices. They are worse than
ds the "importunAte widow" of the New
far Testament, who gave the judge rest
neither day nor night. They are the FIRST
to visit headquarters in the morning, and
the last 10 60 away at night In fact, if
the guard be not unusually stern in per-
forming his duty, these Union petitioners
for rebels will dart past him into the
officers dining room to season his soup
with their entreaties, or bolt into his
sleeping apartment 10 beg some clever
fellow out Of jail while the distracted
ss functionary is trying to compose himself
for the night by muttering Pater Nos
Ter or Now lay me down 10 sleep"
These well meaning Union men who
nm. inteEcede for rebels upon whose skirts
IS rests the blood OF over three hundred
Thousand men, always represent the par
ticular case which they have in charge
as possessing extraordinary claims upon
- the authorities "He was forced into
1.-The rebellion !" Z" he always was Union
man up TO The time he joined the rebels
she always was such clever fellow
his family are such good Union peO-
pies" he did command q rebel COM
pAny but he never was rebel at heart"
These statements constitute perhaps
nearly All the reasons offered for the ro-
lease OF many of the most mischieyous
rebels who have scourged society. Sup
pose they are all true, what do they
proYe2 Nothing at all which will au-
L. Of al "a
10 turn rebels loose upon society. In
the administration of justice, il is the
business of the authorities to look al
the acts and conduct Of men, and not upon
their famiHss. DISPOSITIONS and thoughts
Actions are all that we can Judge men
by correctly; We cannot open their
hearts and read their wishes and
thoughts And even il we could, what
would it amount to Why tell us thai
mans theories are those of an honest
man, II his conduct is that of villain I
And what docs a rebels cleverness
amount TO, when we remember that John
Morgan and Dick McCAnn are both rep
resented as wonderfully clever men
Ia Il any apology for rebel 70 say
that ho knew he was doing wrong Will,
be was committing treason against hi
country, or does not his consciousness o
guilt rather sggravats his crime, and in
crease the enormity Of his sin?
WereproAch the Federal authorities io
lenienoy to rebels, but the fact is tina
this lenieney is forced upon them by tn,
impoFtunate representations of men wh'
profess to be loyal II Provost Mar
shall, or a General on his arrival here, il
Immediately surrounded by a crowd O.
Union men, who give him many reasons
for the release of almost every rebel whC
isbrOught before them for punishment
he must either conclude that lOyalist,
and rebels in Nashville are on a level, OF
else that the former are such weak ad
~ he - 4 A -