The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1866-10-12
soliloqUy of a southerner.
BY ''BRICK" PoMERoy.

after all. We were ssBdt handful of COW
ards'' before the war killed off half Of US,
yet the great big North is afraid to have US
in the Union. Weuns helped to make the.
Constitution, and helped to make our COM
mon country great, and when We saw dan
ger of our rights under the Constitution
being ignored after we had been educated
by the AbOlitionists to believe we had the
right to secede, and, to save ourselves, did
secede. Dog gon US if these same men who
wanted US out didn't want us back againl
They said we were bill of expense to the
Union--that it costs more to furnish US
mails, revenue officers, etc, etc, than it
come to- and when We wished to relieve the
liberal North of this taxation on our ac-
count, dog gou US but they incurred more
expense to keep us in than we were worth
when we were in. And they didn't want
US to work negroes, yet were willing to sell
them to as and to buy all the negroes raised,
and pay US in gimcracks for the same
They said we had better go out. We took
them at their word, for such good Chris
tians as populate the North must be honest;
and they sent armies here to drive US back.
They said we'd a right to secede, and ad-
vised us to do so. We took the North at
their word. Then they said we could not
secede.
And they sent soldiers and thieves down
among us. While brave men fought US,
thieves stole from the things we bought of
them, and now insist on selling them over!
We could stand their fighting; but, dog
gon 'em, not their stealing! When we sent
our wounded home, we found our homes
were burned, or our goods stolen. They
destroyed or stole all we had, then blamed
US for not caring for their wounded!
They carried on war against US to drive
US back into the Union. And when we
were driven back, they discovered that we
were out of the Union!
They wanted US to send members to
Congress, and they sent them back home.
They say the war was a brilliant success.
They say fighting alone can restore the
Union, and STILL when the fighting is over
with, say war divided the Union. We have
been subjugated- repudiated---disposses-
sed-disfranchised --contrabanded-re
strueted and desolated.
We have quit fighting, yet are warred
upon. We want peace, yet are promised
war. We want to be in the Union, yet We
are told we shall not come in. They call
us infdels, yet forget Christianity them
selves.
If we are now without money, influence,
power or prestige, why is the North afraid
of US?
If we are expected to be good citizens,
why do not. the radicals of the North sci
the example?
If we are not in the Union, where are wei
If this is our reward for disbanding our
serried ranks, what was the use of disband-
ing? Why not keep on fighting? If We
are conquered, why not go on with th'
war, renew the murderous crusade for cot
ton, mules, niggers, jewelry and furniture
The men who fought US like brave met
now say that fair play shall be the order 0
the day. The towards, thieves, and plum
derers who robbed and desolated and desc
Grated US, now are anxious for another wa
upon us, that the balance of what we hav,
may be stolen from US, and their pocket
still farther filed, and we are blamed fo
not laughing at our own funerals.
We are asked to sing melodies Will
sitting on bayonets. We are asked to dane
while the slow match is burning still bright
" in our cellars. We are asked to sit sti
and be insulted by men who stole from u
who insulted defeuseless wOmen-wh
stole while others fought.
We are asked to be good citizens, whe
we are treated like bad citizens. We ar
asked to believe others who viii not beliey
us, even in tears.
We sre asked to grow flowers in'She fac
of wintry blasts yet piping from the NOrtf
and to deck our graveyards with flower
while dogs are barking at our heels.
The North claims the religion of II
country, yet jabs and stabs US with Pur
tanical hate.
All we want is peace. We wish to repa
the damages the war made. We wish
live as brothers of common heritage, y
are treated as servants.
AS one of the Southerners I try to be-
all of lhis-I try to smile-I try to dane
while our cOnquerers are fddling in drum
en- glee-I am in earnest in asking for Il
peace which was promised US, if we di
banded our armies. keep faith with |.
North, yet the North will not keep fai
with US. And tell you, if We can't la
the peace and the rights promised US, Ii
is burthen and we had as well lose it
once. But I will wait awhile-for sure
the sense Of national honor has not GU
died out in the North. There is a bett
day coming another year will tell t
story.