Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-02-17
For the Chronicle
Letter From Nashville.
No. 2.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE,
Feb. lst, 1864.

Eds. Chronicle The masses OF the peo-
pie of this State are watching with intense
interest the conduct of quite number OF
the leading spirits who were instrument
al in bringing Tennessee to its present re-
lation with the United States Govern
ment, at and before the ordinance Of Sc
cession was passed and ratified by the
vote of the people. They are led by
making the sgonizing contrast between
the violent secesh, and revolutionary
speeches of such men as Hon. E. II. Ew-
ing. before the war, and the more recent
candid reviews of their past acts, and
their present relations to the Federal
powers to see, that these leading men
have given up ali hope of the Confeder-
acy being a success, at least SO far as re-
lates to the State of Tennessee. -
This apparent dependency on the part
of leading men, has perhaps done more
than any and all other influences COM
bined, to mould the public mind in fa-
vor of the Union. | might except the
presence of the Union army within the
State. The very severe punishment the
people of this State have already received
for their folly, is regarded by most of
them, as sufficient to allow them to re-
turn to the Union upon such terms as
the magnanimity of the Federal Govern
ment could and would offer them. The
masses of the people are clamorous for
peace upon any honorable terms. No
doubt that if the "pOr poprR' could have
been heard throughout the South, the
rebellion would have been ended long
before this, but it will be remembered
that militaryis one man Government +;
a despotism which has no limit in arbi-
trary compulsion, and but little consider
alton for personal rights; and upon this
altar of self-sacrifce the masses of the
people of Tennessee feel that they have
thrown themselves where they must re-
main until restored by force of Union
arms, and their State organization re-es-
tablished, under the auspices of the Fed
eral Government.
Into this whirlpool of confusion and
anarchy the people of this State have
madly rushed, under the intoxicating,
monomaniacal idea taught them by polit-
ical demagogues, that their rights had
been taken from them, and that they
were nothing more than "base ignoble
slaves, to horde of petty tyrants" and
kings, in the shape of of Yankees at the
North Nor is this condition of affairs
confined to the State of Tennessee. Yes
terday l was told by an intelligent desert
er from the rebel army, that whole regi-
ments from Mississippi and Louisiana
would desert en- masse. if once an oppor-
tunity presented itself, and that the fruit
of reaction of sentiment in the rebel
ranks was only held in check by military
despotism. l referred to Hon. E. II. EW-
ing, because he is representative of the
State, and was guiding star in leading
the State out of the Union. He now ac-
cepts the Presidents proffered amnesty,
and urges the people of Tennessee to re-
turn to their allegiance to the Federal
Government. He seems to think that
the State has been ground long enough
between the upper and neither milestone,
and that the duty of Tennessee, neither
to the North or the South. should keep
her in her present helpless condition,
but that decided stand should be taken
in favor of the Administration, because
it seems to be the only hope of the State,
and the country. Now when the time
has come that such men as E. II. Ewing
Gen. Burrow, and other representative
men, can see it for the interest of the
States in rebellion to ground their arms,
may we not measurably hope for speedy
and feyorable termination of the war
So far as | can learn, the Proclamation OF
the President is regarded as a generop:
one by the people of the South, who have
intelligence enough to comprehend it
although some think the amnesty should
have included all in arms against the
---nt. 80 IS TO insure its accept
- to this confusion
IoVernni~. - Guides
ance, and put an en-
ana bIoodshed, and allow the ta,s,
political demagogues, who have lad ,ba,
'ou'n 70 the very verge of ruin and des.
ruction' to be punished at the bar of nub-
lc opinion, after the reaction of pnblic
eminent is fully established, which fri.
unal they think will do them annie
lstice- They seem to think that the
outh has already received a suf;c;on,
aptlSm OF blood to deter them for Al {
asst one generation, from another sucb I
azardous experiment, and that the mere :
atter OF vengeance should sink into r
compared with still great i
enuslon OF blood, and a longer contin- r
Ition OF the devastation and m;sarv in u
dent to civil war. p
AHey argue that previous to the war. si
e bulk of Tenne'seeans were opposed Re
secession or revolution, but unfortu. n
tely the epidemic swept over the coun- "
like tre over the prairie, and the peo- a
) became monomaniacs upon the ques- 81
n OF secession. "They seemed" said OF
old citizen of this city to me, "deter- Is Is
ned to have fuss, )" and in this ferment- Of Of
condition of the public mind, thou WI
ids enlisted in the rebel army. who II
uld have taken up arms for the Gov So
'ment had there been mastering Off st,
here to have taken them in. They Ell
re pow had their fuss, and are satisfied da
are willing to quit. ! am sauguipe an
The view that the great bulk of the m sn
pie of the South are waiting, and pray by
for the rebellion to be put down. wi
m those who at first contributed tba;r WI