New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-19
THE PRAYER OF LOYAL TENNEs-
BEE,

minent peril which menaces the loyal people OF
that State. the Union Central Committee and the
German Union Central Committee have united
in memorials addressed to the President and TO
the Congressional Committee on Reconstruc-
ton, setting forth the actual condition OF the
State, and imploring the protection Of the Coy
ernment against the Rebel majority which Is
soon TO resume the political control OF the
State The men who thus lift their voices
speak for all the Unionism there IS
in Tennessee. these memorials having been
unanimously adopted by the two Union Com
mittees of the State. They who sign 1t
are the representatives Of the 10000 10y
alists who resolved III 1861 to stand by
the flag. who entered the Union army
10 the number of $4,000, and who have
dared and endured more for The Union
than any equal number of whites in any other
State. Having won, as they believed, nc VIC
tory for which they fought, they nevertheless
see themselves about TO pass once more into the
power of the Rebels at whose hands they and
their families for four years have suffered every
conceivable outrage and wrong To avert that
miserable fate, they make this appeal; moder-
ate, manly, eloquent with the ierYor OF an un'
dying patriotism, and more eloquent with The
pathos of despair.
They declare that the great Secession ma
iority Of Tennessee remain unchanged III their
sentiments, sympathies, and passions; accept
ING peace because they are disabled from making
war, submitting to results they cannot reject,
and protesting loyalty because they have a
halter around their necks. Against this ma
iorty. the sole protection Of the Unionists
during last year has been the Provisional Gov
eminent supported by the military power OF the
United States By DISTINGUISHING all Rebels
elections have been carried by a Union minority,
and State Government so chosen is in1opera-
ton. Yet the Legislature dared not execute
the full power conferred on it by the
Convention, and the Suffrage law based
nominally on loyalty is imperfect, easily
evaded, and proved Intellectual in practice.
Spite of proclamations from Governor and
President, and the resistance of the military,
the Rebels took possession in many cases of the
polls aud in twenty-nine counties the election
for that reason was declared void. The policy
of Acknowledgement has proved failure, and
there can be no doubt that at the first general
election the entire civil and judicial power Of
the State must pass into the hands Of disloyal
and defiant majority
The purposes and feelings of that majority
are no matter Of question. Professions Of
loyalty they sometimes condescend TO employ
but they cherish toward the Unionists of the
State a spirit Of implacable revenge, and to-
ward the negro a contempt which cannot toler-
ate his condition OF freedom. They sustain
large number of Rebel journals, while single
loyal paper struggles for its existence The
Rebel merchant or lawyer monopollZes business,
while the loyalst staryes. The Rebel clergy
man breaches to thronged houses, while loyal
minister is q missionary TO hostile people.
The Unonist is rejected from society; hatred Of
tho Yankee and the Government is inculcated
by ministers and teachers; the bushwhacker
and guerrilla, in every township, defeat the
Unionist for local Offices; no Linconite" gets
Justice from O Rebel jury, and to put negro
on trial is equivalent to his conviction and sen-
tonce to the utmost penalty Of the law.
Every day this ldi.loyal party is becoming
more compact and powerful 1t commands
every agency to operate ON public opinion. 1t
has five wel.sustaiued and alphabetically
papers in Memphis, four in Nashville, one in
Knoxville. and a weekly in each important viii
lage. Its pardoncd but still popular leaders
and clergy who glory in having begun Rebel
lion. and who throughout the war were the
Predetermined men in the South, stil
mold as they please apublie sentiment which
trusts. and will continue TO trust them. That
party will cast 10000 votes. Its hostility TO
the Government, to the Union, to the loyal
citizens. and to the negroes, is shared equally
among the common people and the leaders
If the military power of the United Statos
withdrawn, this party will take possession .
the State, and their passions, prejulices i'm,
rh,entments be reflected in its wh0lc admin
ttraton. 1t may be assumed
First: That not only will all power be il
Rebel hands, but that all the acts of the Rebe
State Government, including the removal an
destruction of the State banks and Stat
Treasury, the conscrptions, the oOn6Scaton
the property of UnionistS, and al TIE acts {
Rebel officers, soldiers, and gUeniras, viii b
egalsed.
Second: That services to.hy5onlederate caus