New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-22
EMERSON ETHERIDGR TO THE
PRESIDENT. |,
An Issolens Letter.


The Hon. Horace Greeley--the wisest and
among the best Of present endsonce %
his newspaper He wrote in behalf OF the "eolored
race" am emboldened by his example TO invoke your
attention 10 the condition OF the unfortunate WINES
Residee know how you are surrounded by poLucai
and religious patriots who daily approach the throne
of Executive grace TO assure you OF their love OF oo
try and detesaiOn of place. and TO oher up thel lSr
nsyer. for the restoration OF your health ana the
prolongaon Of your invaluable life. Perhaps some one
Of these may see this communication ana present ~ 10
fbe attention of your Exceency In this press upon
preoious time make estimate OF the intervals You
20 cbeerfuy devote to the crowds OF contTaDands WHO
constitute so much Of the elite Of the capital:
know the magIanimous Datnie oil Your Exceiiency,
and fear the sad announcement have 10 make VIII
prove injurious If fatal to the delicate sensbiies
IF vour noble and generous heart was arrested Ut
nv home in Dresden Tennessee, Friday last Chang
mans day) by detachment Of armed soldiers, whose
department and appearance would do honor to any ser
vice. They are known IN tue Army Regulations as
'colored troops but to their shame be it spoken your
old friends still persist in calling them "niggers"
They were commanded and directed by four or hve
white men who arrested NE Mr.. ADDER RIG. from
which infer they claim lagerbeer nationality. L
deem il my duty report that your old friends OF the
seceh persuasion still persist in their iIeasonaoie pTae
tice Of calling the personnel OF such expeditions id
Dutch and nggers." You will doubtless, be renewed
10 hear that the expedition was a success. Though l
had timely warning Of the approaching RAID preferred
surrender TO hopeless resistance; and the command
reached this city without material loss treating me-
since my arrest with courtesy and Kindness for which
am grateful
/ have been here five days; and though have not
vet been able obtain the names Of my accusers or
copy Of the charges, any upon which was arrested
have obtained from other sources Information upon
which rely of the causes and motives of my arrest
am charged with using reasonable language against
the Government Of the United States and the govern
ment Of Tennessee and with Speaking dsrespectfully
of yolr Exceenoy and OF the Right Reverend iliam
o. Brownlow who, unmindiul that the Constitution OF
Tennessee excludes all ministers from civil office. Is
now claiming TO have successfully seized the office OF
Governor Of said State. Further and truly. that have
given professional opinion. dec arng that the slaves
in Tennessee have not been made free by law. As
will no doubt be held prisoner until dtr tae psndinS
election farce IN Tennessee IS ore propose to indulge
portion Of nv leisure in giving you concise statement
OF some things did say and the circumstances under
which have provoked the military dspeasufe Of that
grand army, Of which you the Commander IN Chief
a public meeting OF all the citzeIs OF Weakiey
County Tenn was called at Dresden Saturday. the
day Of july est 10 consider the best course TO be
adopted for the Interests of all That meeting very
large and was addressed by William T. Caldwell and
myself The object of the meeting, the character
of Mr.. Caldwells speech. and much of my OVID, may
be easily Inferred from the following resolutions which
were unan mousy adopted the close OF the meeting
ali but me last having been reported from the commit
tee on Resolutions.
ing held at Trenton Gibson Co., which addresse
for three hours. Isaac Sampson one Of BrOwDlow's
newlvapponted Circuit Judges. having, as he said;
full civil and criminal jurisdiction TO arrest and try all
offenders, was present. He had one of Brownow's
Sher ana several Of his Justices OF the Peace present
and in their presence be addressed the multitude from
the same stand had occupied; yet he did not much
as hint at nv arrest; be ouly threatened the people
sih inrdsiOH Of Federal troops (meaning negroe) to
deter them from voting for me. AT the close of the
meeting resolutions precisely similar 10 those passed at
Dresden were unanimously adopted. | was unani.
Inousy nominated for Congress, and the pretended
Senator and Representative from that County were
unanimously 1uesIed 10 resign.
was 10 have addressed similar meeting at Paris
Henry Co., on Saturday last and wonld have done Sc
had not been arrested. AS the offensive words are
alleged to have been spoken in my Dresden speech
(they were substantially repeated at Trenton) l vii
give you accurately and concisey can, that sale
OF you at Dresden. Indeed, VIII give you the precis
words OF nv exordium in which you we're first person
ally alluded Addressing myself to tie audience
said
Of Rebellion In all respects, the mos, astonishing in IN
worlds history astonishing because oi the numbers
intensity of the conflict 1t only less astonishing tina
the encountered 1t has ended
sources md nuGbers Tie Rebellion over IL leaders al
sp sss 81 s for he, s as and ifS
Throughout the South have yielded the contest Their su
mission been graceful unanimous and in all apparent
faith Not an armed Confederse be found within I'll
limits of the State The Federal Government proessed
stSon s1thoSiy Wherever i opposed hi. d
supreme within the entire limits o. the United states
opposition is anywhere attempted; nor indeed ca
any be Organized. Why. then | ask, threat
ened with despotsm nexcusabe rebellion Why ar
free elections denied the Union aud qualified
the Ststel Why have nonesidrntt and ouneers aropn
Federal camps without yonr tnowroge consent and
defiance of protests and appeals Leen permitted to
the high and responsible places of and 70 declare them
OF that Rights whose principles
viosble. and your Constitution excepted cat Of the genera
xoers Of Goronmen'P Why offensive rulers being
the loyal people of the State by those who Jointly
sponsbe for the wan Why bands Of armed negroes per
pit,ed 20 over the country punderng and sutng tn
tmid defeneelessl And than these why yo'
and whose soul. are unsaiDed by treason compelled e
dram this Of shame at the hands Of those who m
original isstsato' Of The Rebellion"
beg leave to assure your Excelency that, in usnl
the words "oRIGISAL EsTIGATORs OF TIE REBELLION
alluded to you; further that spoke in no Pckwick
ian sense. And now that may invoke your clemency
not for myself but for those who listened to my re
marks frankly confess that Submitted certain proof
Of the truth OF my charges told the people that th
first time ever saw you yOn were harsnl uing thu
multitude TO prove AbOlitionist; that IL was
somewhat raw and gusty day" and that your yehem
in the open air caused you TO contract tbroa
disease from which, unfortunately for the country yoJ
profess have ecoyored alluded TO your early
speeches in Congress- i'll which yon Iesorted 10 the bit
est personal abuse Of John Quincy Adams because
OF his religious anti Savey opnions 10 your
tial confession that God had killed of Gen
Harrison because he was Aboltionist.
also told the people that you had. in 1856. In
the State of Tennessee, proposed that ever,
Southern should 'oin In one fraternal hug" and
plunge into rebellion, if Fremont aud Dayton were
elected. In addition to this informed the audience
that heard you in the Senate in December, 1859 de
bounce Mr.. Seward aud the Republican party wholly
Brown" whom you then stigmatized nothing more
than murderer, robber thief and traitor" said
also, that you not only supported Breckenridge, the
candidate OF the ayowed disunonists, but that after the
election Of Lincoln. after the meeting of Congress in
December 1860 and only day before the assembling
OF the Convention which declared South Carolina out OF
e Uaion, you had in the Senate Of the United States
maze laD0red speech embracing part of two
SELF, 10 a contingency which has long since hap
pened to Join these Rebels 10 parish in The las
breach 10 burn srey blade Of grass and TO make YOU
grave IN 'he last t,ltrenChnents" of Rebel freedom
told the people that heard this speech during the de
livery Of which Jefferson Davis offered you a most IN
provoked insult the effect of which viii not now at