Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-12
FROM EAST TENNESSEE.
Correspondence of the Union and Americana

Correspondence OF the Union h1u Am A0AH'I
am glad that the old UNION AND
AMERICAN is alive. Never was there a
time, perhaps, when the press was calculated
to extend greater influence for good. The
people are disheartened and depressed.
Some of them can see nothing but trouble
and oppression in the future; and all feel
that time alone can tell what is in store for
them. The country needs the influence of a
fearless, conservative, and honest press. The
people need to be encouraged in the good
work of building up anew that prosperity
and happiness which we once enjoyed. We
have had enough of strife, enough of blood
shed, and enough of politics. We now need
quiet, peace, and honest. industry. The
people, the real people, the bone and sinew of
Tennessee, all endorse the policy of Presi-
dent johnson. They believe that it has for
its object the good Of the whole country, and
that if he is let alone he will bring order ont
of all this confusion. Here, in East Ten
nessee, we have tasted the bitter fruits of
extreme measures. First, the Confederates,
forgetting that freedom of speech and free
dom of opinion are the very foundation Of
republican institutions, ruled with an iron
rod until they had run those who would have
been their friends out of the country. The
SUCCESS Of the Federals brought on retalia-
ton, and many who were once among the
best citizens of the country have been driven
away. So that between the upper and
the neither milestone, East Tennessee has
been ground down almost into dust, Poor
East Tennessee She never has been I'M
derstood, and she has always been slandered.
The Confederate soldier from other States
was tsught that when he entered East Ten
nessee he was In land of tories, BUSH
whackers and bFidge-burners, who deserved
no mercy. And the Federal soldier, com
ing into East Tennessee, was told that the
Southern men there made it business to
hang Union men, and beat their wives and
daughters, from sheer cruelty. But, thank
God all this is passing away. 1t is true
that the dockets of our courts are loaded
down with damage suits, but many OF these
are now looked upon az mere faroes and
the time is not far distant when our people
Will ItlTH llldl ldN-SullS lCllu W rum
the country, The whole people of East
Tennessee have been impoverished. Both
parties have been humbled; the rebels by
their utter overthrow, and the Union men
by the loss of their slaves, for which they
certainly had q right to expect that the gov
eminent would al least pay them
and many of them now think that
even this is doubtful. All this has
resulted in producing more honest industry
in East Tennessee than in any other portion
of the South perhaps. The few rebels that
are left here ask no other privilege than TO
be allowed to move along in peace, and to
make a living for themselves and those de-
pendent upon them; and all the better
classes of Union men heartily accord to
them this poor, but blessed privilege,
Among the favorable signs of the times,
for this unfortunate section, none is more
gratifying, than that great revivals of reli-
gion are springing up all over the country, |
at which ex-rebel and ex-federal soldiers are
seen at a common altar, seeking of the Al |
mighty Father forgiveness for the sins of the |
bloody past. And when, in better times, |
some future Bancroft or Prescott shall rise !
up to write the history of the great civil |
strife, he will tell the world, that much that
was said concerning both parties here was
alse, utterly false.