The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-01
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Doubts have existed as to whether
the rebel Government does really ez-
empt the wealthy shareholders from
military duty, while the most rigorous
conscription has been applied 70 all
other classes. But the proceedings of
their House Of Representatives on last
Friday leaves no longer any ground for
unbelief. In the summary of proceed
ings, copied from the Richmond papers
into the New York Herald, we find the
following:
Mr.. s. n. Leach: A resolution that
the Military Committee inquire into
the expediency Of repeating SO much of
the law as exempts persons owning tif-
teen able-bodiod slaves. Adopted.
Not only are large shareholders per
sonally exempted from military duty,
but their oyerseers, also. This appears
from the speech of Mr.. Orr, of South
Carolina. In regard to this class, it
seems, the military authorities had been
empowered to detail them to stay upon
the plantations; and Mr. Orr complains
bitterly that an order had been issued
by the War Department (No. 79) re-
7oking the details.
So it appears that the rich slavehold-
ers are not only permitted to remain at
home, but they have poor whites de-
tailed to look after their slaves. In the
meantime the poor whites are merci-
lessly conscripted and dragged away
from their families to fight against their
country for the accursed institution of
slavery. A more refined and thorough
system of tyranny does not exist upon
the face of the earth than that which
prevails in the rebel States, and vet
there are creatures in the loyal States
calling themselves Democrats who are
the earnest apologists of and sympa-
thizers with the rebels. 1t is greatly to
be lamented that they cannot be ex-
changed for the oppressed poor whites
of the South, who would make loyal
citizens of the Union.
The defence set up for the odious dis
elimination in favor Of the wealthy
shareholders is that, without their pres
ence at home, with their overseers,
there would be failure of the neces-
sary supplies of provisions. 1t is al
legged that the slaves will not work un-
less they are watched, driven, and di
rected by white men and this is the
plea tyranny is never without plea)
( n the exemption of the whole class of
wealthy shareholders from the terrible
ordeal of fighting for the extension and
perpetuation of slavery. The slavery
of the blacks makes it military ne
cessity to degrade the poor whites, and
make of the slaveholding class priv
legged order. If we admit the validity
of the plea, as a military necessity, the
fact only serves to demonstrate more
clearly the impossibility of securing
liberty and equality among the white
race so long as the enslavement of the
blacks is tolerated In free State no
such determinations in favor of the
rich at the expense of the poor could
ever be necessary, and would not be
borne for an hour
In the past, when the country was at
peace, Southern demagogues-and there
are no demagogues so base and false as
those who advocate slavery-were sue
cessful in making the poor whites take
sides with the cause of slavery, by
keeping perpetually before their ina
glQaIlOQS bne Qf6dQeu alternative OF
negro equality. But the terrible ex-
periences of this war cannot fail to
open the eyes of the Southern masses
to the reflection that they cannot make
themselves parties to the oppression of
the negroes without bringing upon
themselves and their children equal
oppression and degradation. Deeply
do we pity the poor whites of the
South we pity them that they have
for generations been the dupes as
well as the victims of the slave Oligar-
chy; and we pity them, above all, that
they are now doomed to fate as re-
voting to the pride of freemen, and
even more cruel, than the ordinary con-
ditions of chattel slavery. But it is a
consolation to reflect that they have
received a lesson which will effectually
cure them of the blindness which has
heretofore made them the tools of the
depots; and when this war is over, no
class of men in this Union will hate
slavery and its upholders of the South,
who have been cruelty forced 10 fight
its battles, while those most interested
in it have been exempted Washington
(0L~o..ta1.