Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-02
The Preservation lof our Nationality.

The preservation of our nationality is the
great question Oh questions. Beside it all
others sink inao utter nothingness. The
National Government, on the one side, and
the rebel government on the other, are the
broad unmistakeahle issues. He that is
sincerely for the Union, is also in favor of
Hsing all the power of the Union to destroy
the rebellion. To be for the Union implies
also the idea of the use of all the means of
preserving the Union. lie, therefore, that
processes to be for the Union, and yet hesi-I
tates to use all the legitimate means that
are necessary to preserve it. is for the re-
beIlion, and is traitor He that uses his
influence to weaken the government, and
cripple it's military measures, if not in de-
sign traitor, performs the work of trail
tor. He that gives aid and comfort to the
enemy, by counseling peace and by with
holding his aid to the government, is trail
tor at heart. Ali who are for tho Union
will support the national authorities in all
necessary measures for the suppression Of
the rebellion.
In this great contest, we unreservedly
declare for the government and against the
rebellion We are for the Union as it ,ras,
or as 1t is, or as 1t may be, but still for the
Union Any way, and under any changes,
it will be better than the rebel government
If old things are passing away, and new
things are appearing, this is the fruit of re-
bellion. If our laws are silent, if all civil
proceedings are suspended, if we have no
voice in Congress- if the armies in our
midst maltreat our citizens, if we are under
the dominion of muskets, if many of our
rights are denied or forgotten in the glare
of military pomp and power, and if loyal
men are treated by their loyal brethren as
enemies, before the word of complaint passes
from our lips, let us recolect that none of
these things would be, if it had not been
for this accused rebellion. Let your wrath
and your blows be turned upon the heads
of the guilty. The rebels have caused your
houses to be burned, your property destroy
ed, your life to be insecure, and your son or
husband to be murdered. They were the
first great cause of all your sufferinss. If
you are losing your slaves, if you curse any
one, curse with all your heart the traitors
who broke the bond and the covenant by
which you held them. They struck the
shackles from your slaves. They brought
the Northern army into your midst to eat
out your substance, perchance to wantonly
rob you. They lifted their wicked hands,
in defiance, and red with blood, against the
government, and provoked the contest of
arms All this is their work But for them
and their wicked acts, none of these things
would exist. We must, therefore, hold them
accountable for all we suffer and endure
Let loyal men remember that their only
hope of protection and social equality is in
the Onion. Under the sc-called Confede-
racy they would receive only reproaches,
shame and eternal ostracism. Infamv and
degradation would be their portion, and
their children's portion for centuries to
come. No act, or word, or deed, or prayer,
can, in the estimation of these traitors.
wipe cut the disgrace of being for your
country. All Union men have passed the
fatal rubicon, and there is no retreat. We
must move forward. One government or
the other must perish. We state the issue
broadly, but not broader than the fact. He
that is for the Union is for the use of all the
power and means necessary to put down
the rebellion. He that is not for their use.
is, whatever his professions, for the rebel
lion