Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-07-13
Rebels view on Veheps Rights

General JEFF. THOMPSON made a
speech to his soldiers at Jacksonport,
upon surrendering them, which is re-
ported in a St. Louis journal, from
which the following passae es are taken:
Many Of the 5000 men now s. = around
me, very many Of you, have been SIX. XXI.
fDr the last three years in the swamps with
III few miles. your own homes-skulkinS
duty-anu during that Tine have not seen
your own children. | see many faces about
me that have not been seen by mortal man
for the last three years. and what have you
been doing all that time? Why, you have
been .y,ng IN The swamps until the moss
has grown SIX inches long on your backs;
and -uch men call themselves 'chl 'alrous
sDluiers.' a lew weeks ago Genel al Reyn-
ulds sent flag OF Truce to my head quar-, rs
anu | sent ouI TO gather up respectful.
force to meet those officers. and not one Of
you responded. A few days later, whrn
Colonel Davis and Captain b 'nnett, OF
General Dudge's staff, bore dispatches to
me from that general, again attempted to
call about me enough Of you to make re.
spectacle show, and how many OF these
brave 5000 men reported at the call2 One
sore eyed man ~ih green goggies. But you
rally IKE brave and gallant men around
Uncle Sans c0mmissary stores, and | now
come to surrender you, and hope you will
make better citizens than you have soldiers.
"Those of you who had arms, with a yery
few exceptions, have left them at home, and
those who had Governmcdt horses have
failed to report them here. Now let me
say to you one and all, those OF you who
T have retained your arms, as soon as you get
home take them to the nearest military
post and deliver them up, or burn them, or
yet rid OF them In some manner, tor as sure
as there Is Godin heaven if they are found
in your houses, just so sure will your houses
be burned to the ground; and hope TO q cd
r every one OF you who keep good arms OF
property Of any kind in your houses will bt
hanged, and you will too.
E "Now | want you to go home and work
hard and take care Of your families, work
I early and late and get up at night and see i
t your crops are growing. Above all thing
9 avoid political discussions If any mar
o saysn'gger to you, swear that you neve
y knew nor saw one in your life. We hav,
4 talked about the nigpers for forty year
and have been out talked, We have tough
= four years for the niggers and have bee,
VI -W'lPpou' dhu now " IL not you
q put, the Yankees have won the niger, ant
. will do what they please with him and yo,
" have no say in the matter: ifthey want hiu
J. they will take him, and if they say that yo
must keep him you have to do it and n,
mistake. toll you that you have no sa!
IN the matter, and you oughtn't to have any
:, 90 home and stay there, don't 20 any wher
y but to mill, don't go to church for tn
Vt ministers will put not in your heads and &c
II you into trouble. BE good citizens, an
then those Of you who have been good
y honest, aud brave soldiers have nothing I
n fear; but warn those you who have bee
, nothing but sneakiDg, cowardly jay hawkers
: cut -throats. and thieves, thata just retribu
+; tion awaits you, and hope to God that III
a. Federal authorities will hang you wheroye
!. and whenever they find you, and they wi
u do it sure
A.
l. DO not complain f you are not PEI
IN mltted to have Voice in elections and civ
t, affairs. You have forfeited all such right,
A. and 1t now becomes you to submit to sue
;, laws aud regulations as the Federal author
t. ities Tay deem proper to enact. l believe
10 aud know that they will do the best the
II can ior. you, especially if you show henc,
forth that you now desire to merit thei
s. confidence by strict obedience to the law
" where you may reside. We are conquered
subjugated; we have no rights, but mu,
u accept such privileges and favms as tn
d Government may see proper to bestow uI