The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-18
A tn.,rue,,ve Contrast.

The following narrative of rebel, or rather
helish cruelty, is from the Nashville Ifess
ard Time.
"Frem areliabie gentleman just from West
Tennessee we learn that the rebels IN Opon
and Henry counties. who have heard that the
present Legislature intends to enfranchisd the
freedmen. are Infatuated at the idea that fheir
former chattels are to be admitted to the Ibal-
t.box, while they are excluded In cdnse-
quenee. they are wreaking their vengeance
on the poor, unofending blacks, Threatening
to kill alb who do not leave that section OF the
common country. Large numbers of the col
ored population inundated by threati, or
already experiencing persecution or erdonal
violence, are departing. Our informant Stop
ped over night at Union City on Monday and
reports that he heard as many as thirty shots
! fred during his stay. Rme aimed at nearoes
and others discharged in the air to alarm
them. As may be imagined, a reign of ter
ror exists among the poor, defenseless drea>
lures at that point. We also learn that me-
gress, living in that vicinity, was recently
seized by a party of rebel rutians, and her
person violated by six of them in Eion.
She has since departed the place in terrof for
her life. The desperadoes have also lleft,
dreadng arrest aud punishment. While
these outrages are committed almost entirely
by the desperadoes Of the community, lit Is
noticeable that they are encouraged 10
their hellish work by the winks, mods and
chuckles &c those who ought to be using their
power to bring such rascals to justice
The Union aaa Dispatch, OF Nashville.
says:
aGen. Lewis. Commissioner Of the Fried
mems Bureau. returned yesterday fror, d trip
to East Tennessee. The report be givds Of
the condition and prospects OF the colored
population throughout that portion Of the
State Is extremely encouraging. Colored
schools are rapidly on the increase, and the
relations existing between the freedmen and
their employers is of the most amicable and
satisfactory character. There seems to tie an
increasing interest in the cause of education
ald the moral aud religious status is beeom-
ing, he thinks, more elevated.
Contrast the statements above. ii rebel
West Tennessee the freedmen are being treat
ed with degree Of barbarity that would dis
grace the tiends Of darkness. In loyal East
annessee the conduct of the white pkope
toward them is characterized BY moderation,
Justice, humanity and good sense. 0nly q
year ago, however, the East Tennesseeans
were most bitter IN their prejudice against
colored people. while the repels everywhere
were Boosting that they were the freemen s
best friends. So true is it that the blessings
OF heaven follow in the train OF loyalty: and
be who is true to his country is gradually and
surely raised by the very operation OF the sen
timent Of loya,y above all that Is narrow, low,
vulgar, preindiced and mean; while be who
is false TO the Government Or his fathers is
cursed with the loss of every other virtue and
rapidly deeeneraies toward the tarbarism of
| the Comanehe or the musderous ianaticisas OF
the Thug. The once ignorant mountaiueers
OF East Tennessee, enuobled and inspired by
| devotion to their native land, viii ye, leadthe
whole South in the grand march which the
nation Is making toward higher civilization
and toward the inevitable era of equal rights
! for all.