The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-03-31
Somebody's watching and waiting for hin

And the smiling, child-like lips apart.
Tendcrly bury the fairy0ung dead
Pausing to drop on his grave tear;
Carve on the wooden slab DER his head
Somebody's darling slumbers here"
The difficulty in the way of recon-
struction, of the restoration Of the
Southern States and the Southern peo-
pie to their rights, within the Union,
seems to be the still rebellous opin-
ions and feelings of the States and
people aforesaid. We would like to
ask, and for the purpose of gaining
information, what is demanded of the
Southern people? Have they not
complied with the terms on which they
were to be readmitted to their rights ?
The people of Tennessee, at least,
have so amended the Constitution of
the State as to abolish slavery forever,
except for crime. They have admit
ted the freedmen to his right of action
and Of testimony before the courts
What farther is demanded of them ?
Is it required that they shall give the
negro the right of suffrage, and admit
him to social equality? If such be
the case, they will not accedc to it.
They would prefer to be held in mill
tary subsection for all time to come.
Especially in view Of the fact, that the
radical party endeavoring to force this
policy upon them, refuse to adopt it
themselves. ... n..
The negro in all the Northern States
is rigidly excluded both from the right
of suffrage and of social equality. But
the traducers of the Southern people
say that they are not only still REBEL
ious in feeling, but they are actually
concocting another rebellion, conspir-
ing in secret to overthrow the govern
ment. 1t is difficult for one who knows
and understands the feeling and senti-
ment of the Southern people, to speak
seriously of such Il charge or imputa-
ton against them. Nor would it de-
serve notice but for the fact that bad
and designing men, to serve their own
purposes, have induced honest men to
repeat it.
General Thomas, for instance, in re-
| ply to the question, "Do you know
anything, from information or report,
of secret organizations in the South,
said to he hostile to the Government ~
Answers, IL have received several
communications to that effect, but,
persons arho huue given me this intorma
ton, hape oH desired that Meir names
shouM not be mentioned, and as yet no
accusation has been made in regard to
any one person or class of persons" "
The General continues, that the per
sons with whom he communicates are
truthful and reliable, that disaflcction
does exist, and that he is taking
measures to ascertain the extent Of
it, etc, etc.
If by disaffection is meant, disap-
proval Of the proceedings of the Rump
Congress and ofthe Tennessee Legis-
lature, the acts, proclamations, mes
sages, letters and speeches of Governor
BrOwnlow inclusive, the people of
Tennessee, at least, are very disaf-
fected people. But if it means adher-
ancc to the Constitution amendments
included) and laws of the United
States and to the policy of Andrew
johnson, the people of Tennessee out
side of the radical party) are loyal to
q man.
General Thomas has been imposed
upon, however truthful and honest his
communicates may have been. The
idea that another rebellion is being
hatched, and here in Tennessee, is
simply absurd There is not a school.
boy or bread and butter Miss, if our
little friends will excuse us for the
phrase, who did not realize from the
moment that Lee surrendered, that re-
bellion against the Stars and Stripes,
formerly, and still to he, as We hope, a
sacred emblem, was question of the
past, meet for the pen of the historian,
never to be revived in this day and
generation. im r. --
And one who questions this fact,
must be either knave or fool. He
is totally ignorant of the character of
the Southern people and of the facts
of which he attempts to speak, or has
some selfish purpose, personal or po-
ltical, to subserve. In either case he
is not entitled to credit. If the peo-
pie of the Northern States will only
give the people of the South credit for
common honesty and sincerity, and
, defy the ax-grinders, whether military
or political, harmony and peace can
be restored tomorrow, and the great
republic firmly re-established will 60
on conquering and to conquer.
, We would like, had we elbow room,
to comment on the evidence of Gen
SaxtOn, John Covode and Gen. Fisk
before the reconstruction committee
called, but the danger, possibility
: at least, of suppression stares us in th'
face, and rs the bread and meat ol
several able bodied men, to say nothing
J OF women and children, depeno
9 upon the Monitor, we fOrbear. We arr
extremely anxious that the craft shal
!, not be wrecked. whilst under our pilot
age at least.-.kayrsestoro Monitor.