The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-12

from "bumter" aiready enveloped the I
country in mist and the forms Of quon-
dam patriots could be but indistinctly |
seen. They fitted through the thicken-
ing glamour, like ghosts in the witcbiDg |
hour, ARd taking the stronger side, they
moved about with such facility and ces
lerity that they were but dimly seen, aud
with difficulty recognized by their
friends. Your friends looked for you in
the columns Of the 'Journal." Many
thrObbing heart followed the anxious
eye as it glanced over the pages Of the
good, brave, and patriotic old journal"
not alone to see pohsyS you were, nor t0lat
you had done, but more TO see hoe you
had performed your task, and to greet
you with the "well done" of other days.
But those who knew you best, looked in
vain. II was said you were absent from
Louisville, and present or absent, they
knew IL was not you who appeared in
the columns Of the. Journal"
They found in your stead, though the
public generally did not see II, an inter
Looping stranger, who loved the country
less, and feared (perhaps loved) her enc
mics more. He assumed to be Editor,
and to speak Cor the Journal" and be-
cause people knew "PRENTIoE" alone as
Editor. of the Journals" though they
would not recognize Prentice in what
was said, they were bewiIdered and con-
fused. The hands Of Esau were held
out to them, butt was the voice of Jacob
they heard.
With the Proclamation Of the Presi-
dent appeared also a telegram from the
Governor of Kentucky, refusing Ken
tucky's quota of troops. The knavish
and disloysl MAooFFIN could not wait to
reply respectfully, and in the usual way,
but made haste to publish his treason to
the world. tIg.
The Journal Joined MAeoTFtN in his
dAstardly refusal to furnish troops to aid
in preserving the Government. 1t led
off in this incipient treason, 1t fell
from its exalted position of other days,
and ignored and stultified the whole
course of its long life. TWAS the "recule''
of the Old Guard at Waterloo, and the
cry of "sauve qui peut" re-echoed
throughout the ranks Of its friends every
where.
But the Journal did not so 10 secession
nor to treason, nor yet to disunion. II
went emily little more than half way
Ostensibly it was not for JEFF. DAVIS
and the rest twas only not against The
Government IL was not for aiding il
the treason directly, but simply stood
between the traitors and honest men
whilst they destroyed the Government
1t was for neutrality, or as MAaoFFIN anC
his gang delicately lisped il, armed
neutrality" Kentucky would not fgh
| in the struggle, ESQ the Journals posi-
ton was, and was meant TO beg, and n,
body should 6ght on her soil, nor pas
over it to fight any body else. Ken
lucky was to be q porcupine in thi
great struggle for national existence
Her bayonets, like the sharp pointed
quilts of this little beast, were to poin
in all directions and against everybody
The friends of the Government and tn
enemies of the Government were alike t
stand alOof. She would have no enemies
and wanted no friends. Her sScre,
soil was not to be invaded. The Hes
SLAMS" were not to pass over it to figh
her Southern brethren"
OF course the Journal knew, a,
every body else knew, that the traitor
had no purpose, or desire, to pass Owe
her territory to attack the Yankees
they only wished TO be "let alone" ant
to that end, to keep Kentucky botwce
them and mischief--and neutral Ken
lucky answered this purpose infinitel,
better, than Kentucky seeded 70
Kentucky neutral, gave them quiet rest
ing place on the border, where they coul
observe their enemies; obtain supplies
and munitions Of war; enlist soldiers {
fight the battles of treason; seduce
corrupt, and demoraliEe the people, an
in all this be safe. And the kind an
Obliging "Jou,1tal," in armed neutrality
} furnished them wall of fire, betwee
them and the "NOrthern vandals." The
did not fail to profit by this favor The
wentto work; every species ofyehicle wa
brought into requisition in convey in
, supplies away into Tennessee from Ken
, lucky, which every one knew were to /
I used in the destruction Of the Govern
|. ment; and in open day, and any dSl
troops were enlisted in Kentucky an
4 marched boldly through the streets
D her cities and towns and along her higE
: ways, TO join the traitors, In fine, Ken
: lucky neutrality gave TO the enemies
1 the Government every possible advau
Q tage, that her secession could hay
furnished, without any single evil thi
I might DO expected TO follow the crime
7 treason. Neither the secessionists then
!. selves, Of the traitor army, nor the
d active friends out of the army, nor y
d their neutrality friends, who woul
d neither fight nor run, suffered in q