The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-08-02

TFrom Tho Missouri Republican.
ETHERIDGE TO
THE PRESIDENT.
why Etheridge was Arrested.
Caustic Review Of President john
son and Parson Brownlow.

2. - b
COLUMBUS, KY, July Ii, 1865.
TO HIS ErceHeacy, Andrc,O johnson.
President Of The United States:
The Hon. Horace Gre, lev--tbo visost
and among The best Of your presont
friends-oncc addressed your DISTINGUISH.
ed, predecessor through The columns Of
his newspaper. He wrote in behalf of
the "colored race.'' I am emboldened
by bis example to invoke YOUR attention
to the condition oftbe unfortunate wb;tcs
Besides, l know how Won are surrounded
by political and religious patriots. who
daily approach the throne Of Executive
grace to assure YOU Of their love Of conn
try and detestation of place ard to offer
up their ferycnt PRAYERS for tho rcsrora.
tion of your health, and the nrolonoation
Of your invaluable life. Pcrbaps some
one CT these NAV see this communication
and present it to the attention Of your
Excellency. In this press rpou precious
time, | make DO estimate of the intervals
you 50 cheerfully devote to the crowds of
contrabpuds who constitute 90 mncb of
the elite of the Capital
l know the morpapimous nature of
your Excelleucy, and | fear the sad an.
nounccment / have to make will nrove in.
furious, if rot fatal, to the delicate sen.
sibilitics Of your noble and generous
heart | was arrested at nv home in
Dresden, Tennessee. on Fridaylast (bonc-
mans day), by detachment of armed
soldiers, whose depo,tmept and onnenr.
ance would do honor to apy scrvice-
They are known in the Armv Rcpula.
tions as "colorcd troons.n - but to their
shame be it spoken. YOUR old friends still
persist in calliup them 0niooersn Tbev
were commanded and directed by four or
five white men. who arrested me os Mr.
Adder.rir, from which inCer thew
claim lager beer nationality / deem
it my duty to report that your old friends.
of the sccesh persuasion. still ncrsist in
trcasopablc practice Of callinp the ner.
sopnel of such exneditions etd-.d
Dutch and niggers." You will doubtless
be relieved to hear that the exnodition
was success. Though / had timely
warning of the approaching raid, I prc.
ferred surrender to homeless resistance
and the command reached this oity with.
out material loss, treating me. since NV
arrest, with courtesy and Kindness. for
which l am grateful.
/ have been here five DAYS. and though
| have not yet been able to obtain the
names of my accuscrs, or copy of the
charges, if any, upon which l was arrest
ed, | have Obtained from other sources,
information upon which | rely, of the
cause and motives of nv arrest. l am
charged with using REASONABLE language
against the Government of the United
States, and the Government of Tenpes.
see and with speaking disrcspectlully
of YOUR Excellency, and of the Right
Reverend William G. Brownlow, who,
uumindrul that the Constitution Of Ten.
nessee excludes all ministers from civil
office, is now claiming to have successful
ly seized that Office Of Governor of said
State. Further, and truly, that l have
given professional opiniop, declaring
that the slaves in Tennessee have not
been made free by law. As I will no
doubt be held prisoner until after The
pending election farce IN Tennessee is
oper. I propose TO indulge norton ormy
leisure in giving YOU concise statement
of some thing. [ did saw, and the cir.
cumstances under which | have provoked
the military displeasurc of that Grand
Army, of which YOU are the Commander.
II. Chief
A public meeting of all the citizens o(
Weaklev county. Tennessee was called 0t
| Dresden on Saturday. the lst dav Of Julv
last. to consider the best course to bs
adoptcd for the interests of all The
meeting was very large, and was address.
ed by William ?. Caldwell and myself.
On the following Monday, July Sd, q
very large meeting was held at Trenton,
Gibson county, which [ addressed fol
three hours. Isaac Sampson, one ol
Brownlow's newly appointed Circuit
Judges, having, as he said, full civil and
criminal jurisdiction to arrest and try al
offenders, was present. He had one ol
Brownlow's Sheriffs' and several of his
Justices Of the Peace present, and in
their presence he addressed the multitude
from the samc stand | had occupied YET