Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-02-25
Coming Back.

In single copy of the Nashville Union,
that for the 4th instant, we find comments on
no less than three public recantations of re-
bellion, one by D. G. Humphreys, of Alabama,
another by Major T. Fl. Williams, of Tennes-
see, and third by Captain J. NJ. Streetman
OF the Fifty-sixth Georgia regiment-all of
whom appeal in different ways to their fell
low citizens to leave the rebellion and return
to their allegiance.
Mr.. Humphreys was candidate for cleo
ton on the Douglas ticket in 1860, in Ala
bama; he afterwards became violent rebel
but when the Presidents Amnesty Proclama-
ton was issued, he forswore rebellion, and
took the oath to obey the laws. He now ur-
ges the people of Alabama to return to the
Union and oppose themselves, in body, to
the rebellion He tells them that the "Con-
federacy cannot succeed; and that if they
want to save themselves, they must turn
against it and help put it down." With refer
ence to slavery he says:
"Upon what terms may the Union be re-
stored? Just as it was, save the feature of
African slavery. 1t is evident that the South
must make a material change upon the ques-
ton before she can again live in peace with
the world. Nations more formidable in all
the elements of power than the Southern
States, have often been forced to yield to the
pressure against them, and to change their
policy. This great moral, religious question
they should meet like men, as becomes
Christian people. We should meet it openly
and boldly, and if the voice of Christendom is
against US, yield to that as the voice of God.
We have undertaken to fight out OF 1t, but it
sticks the closer to US. We cannot shut our
selves up within the cotton States and def
antly proclaim to the world that our system
is peculiar to ourselves, and that 1t must not
be investigated"
Major T. 81. WILLIAMS, of Tennessee, lately
of the rebel army, spoke on the I'd instant at
Nashville to the same purpose. He said:
"Manv of his companions in-arms told him
when he announced his determination to re-
turn home, that he was disgraced man-but
since that time some of these same fellows
had told him that they were disgraced in the
same wav Near two hundred of his old regi-
ment were now in the federal service, and
more would be there"
He had been a Shareholder, but was ready
to lose his slaves rather than resign the pro-
lection of the Stars and Stripes. Some Sc
cession sympathizers, he added, called the
proclamation of emancipation uneonstitution-
al. He asked them eff they wanted the
Constitution administered? If they did they
were fools, for it would hang them and all
their friends now in the rebel ranks, if caught
for the penalty of treason Is DEATH"
The Georgia Captain urgesh his fellowsoldiers
to leave the rebel ranks and return to their
true colors. He tells them:
"The rebellion must finally fail better
that it should do so soon and before the last
poor fellow in the ranks is sacrificed to crafty
the obstinacy and pride of the rebel leaders,
who in the last extremity can save themselves
by flying to foreign country, which you
cannot do, for the want of the means of liv-
ing there"