The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-16


q condition not uncommon With selfish
men-ihs more impstuous Of his patri-
otto Southern neighbsrs might have iaid
violent hands on him. lie was regarded
a dangerous person, unfriendlg TO the
south, end the Vigilance Committee iFe-
quently discussed bis case without
coming to any determination.
Time rolled on, but Smith remained
siubbornly in his pl see. When the stars
and bars went out glimmering, early in
'62 and toe grand old stripes and stars
came IA proudly, Smith was still a Union
man. Cold-hearted as be is, when he
looked once more on the old flag, be felt
= tear dsmpen the corner Of bis eye.
But mark you, now, the sslGsa nature Of
the man. By keeping his own counsel,
be had preserved from the rebel foragins
parties two or three hundred barrels Of
corn, twenty or thirty thousand pounds
Of bacon, and one or two hundred bush
els Of 9hest. These be intended to sell,
and expend the proceeds in making his
family comfortable. Portions of them
he did sell, while Gen. Buell. command
ed this department; bu. subsequently,
during the patriotic struggle for the re-
moval Of that General fcraging party
called on Smith and "cleanod him
out" cat frst lie entreated the
leader Of the squad--if indeed it
had any lea5er-to leave him enough
for bis own family; hut finding this in
e1sclusl, lie beiOught him to leave
vouchers. He was justly rebuked for
his penuriOusness, by being told that if
he was loyal man he would rejoice to
give al be had TO the Government, where
as, il be was . id rebel, he deserved
TO los5 all he possessed; in either case,
be should have no vouchers. as the
forsging party went beyond his house
70 "press" from some of bis neighbors,
one who seemed 70 be an officer babe
Smiths wife have al her chickens coop
ed, assuring her ihst on returning the
soldiers would be so disorderly it would
be impossible TO govern them, snd they
might catch all her fowls if they were
left at large. As the party returned, this
very same individual ordered the chick
ems, coop and all, to be placed on one of
the wagons, and to Mrs. Smiths consier-
nation, instead Of paying for them, or
even giving voucher, placed his thumb
to bis nose, Wagged his extended fingers,
said she was , good, sweet creature, and
rode of in a gallop.
Now, mark the difference between
these men, Brown and Smith. While
Brown is 60 thoroughly loyal as to de-
clare, he is in favor not only Of every
thing the administration may have done,
but all that it may do, Smiths selfish
nature has been SO shocked by the tri6ing
circumstances herein mentioned, that he
declares himself entitled to all the rights
of an American citizen, says he has been
shamaiully outraged, and in short so
demoans himself, that several mule con-
tractors say be is = cOpperhesd, and a
Qaartermaster's clerk has been heard to
denounce him as a secessionist. Such
narrow mindedness in Smith, will of
course disgust eli true patriots, if they
content themselves with mere theory;
but if tie human family were fairly es-
timated, and the preponderance of Smiths
over Browns were considered, perhaps
wise statesmen-eyen wise Generals -
would adapt their measures OF policy to
the more numerous class.
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