Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-03-14
For the Knoxville Wing.
Reconstruction.

Mr.. EDITOR You must have observed that the
editorial columns of the Commercial and the Mes
senger of Peace are filled with outcres in favor of
reconstruction, and with denunciations against the
Republicans nterspersed with loud boasts of devo-
ton to East Tennessee.
Let us examine this question of reconstruction,
and see where these Editors really stand-whether
they stand on the side of Unionsm or of Conser-
vatism." These Conservative" are the secession
lists wbitewashed. They are the Southern Demo-
cratic party resurrected. They are rebels recon-
structed.
What party is it that favors this instantaneous
reconstruction? The Democratic party. This party
is in favor of the immediate restoration of the
ceded States to all their old rights Including their
rights to hang Union men, They are in favor of
allowing these seeded States to make what laws
they choose, Including pensions for rebel soldiers
These Democrats are the very men who sided with
the Southern traitors and did all they could to help
the rebellion Men of East Tennessee are not these
startling truths enough to cause you to look with
suspicion upon these Democratic Observation-Disclosures?
Can any good come to loyal men from those who
worshiped the golden calf at Chicago?
What does reconstruction mean? 1t means that
those rebels you conquered the battlefield shall
now conquer you at the ballet box. 1t means that
the traitors who drove you from your homes and
wives, and children, and compelled you to flee to the
mountains amid cold, hunger and fatigue, shall now
come back to East Tennessee and make laws for
you. That is what reconstruction means 1t means
that all your suerings, all your privations, and all
your perils shall have been endured in vain. 1t
Al Al &c u,
Tennesseeans, who died that their country might
live shall be dishonored and consigned to an infa-
nous oblivion. That is what reconstruction means
Who are the men most anxious to be reconstruct
ed Mark them We're they not in the rebel ar
my? Who is loudest in praising President John
son? The galvanized rebel. Who is it that de-
nOunces the Radicals so-called. This same galva-
nized rebel Let, then, the good Union men of East
Tennessee be on their guard. When Southern reb-
els and Northern Democrats are found in company
is best for all true patriots TO get far away from
them as possible.
Who now are these Republicans who are de-
nounced as Radicals? The Republicans are the
men who voted supplies of men and money to crush
the rebellion, and deliver you Union men of East
Tennessee from the despotism of JEFF. Davis con-
scription officers while these Northern Reconstruc-
tionsts doing all they could to aid the rebels
and discourage the patriots. The Republicans are
the men who elected Abraham Lincoln and An
drew johnson, in spite of that Democratic party
which declared the war failure and which
wanted to surrender East Tennessee to the tender
mercies of Longstreets rebel army. The Republi-
CAPS are the men who sent thousands and thousands
of dollars to save East Tennesseeans from starva-
ton, while the Democrats striving to add exile
imprisonment and rebel CONSUMPTION to your;lsts of
sufferings. And lastly, the Republicans are the
men who want now to save the Union saen of the
South from the tyranny of rebel majority while
the Democrats and Observation-Disclosures are i'll favor of
surrendering these Union men to the mercy of a
merciless and traitorous foe
Who, then are the true friends Of Tennessee
Unionists? The Democrats and Reconstructionists
or the Republicans Even if a Union man favored
an immediate reconstruction of Tennessee, he would
have good cause to stop and consider how it was
and why it was that he stood side by side with those
traitors of the South and Democrats of the North
who, during all the late, long and bloody war,
wreaked their special vengeance on Eas! Tennessee
swept her fields with fire and sword, and strove to
make her one huge aceldama of slaughtered pa
triots.
Now consider Union men of Tennessee, why is
it that all these whtewashed rebels are in favor If
reconstruction? Why is it they all want Tennessee
back into the Union? Think you these doughface
patriots want to be reconstructed out of pure benev
olence and good feeling for the Union of Ten
nessee? Can their interest and your interest be the
D. Io1 LNo
servatives are trying to deceive you They know
what the result of reconstruction will be. 1t lciH
make them your masters. They will outvote you at
the ballot-boI. Every important Office in the State
will be filed with reconstructed rebels. All the
laws of the Union Legislature will be repealed with
scorn. And East Tennessee will be ground to
powder between the upper and neither millstones of
their tyrannous and tratorous hate. There will be
no military then to help you-not even eolored
soldier Yes, Unionists Of East Tennessee, it will