Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-03-22
A letter to Bill Arp.
BEAR WALTON, Tenn,

MIR. WILLIAM ARP-SIR: The
tone of your letter don't suii my
ideas of loyalty. | want to know
what right you have to speak as
you do, about our pious Governor.
Too many men have got to speak
ing the same way. l guess some
of them will get suppressed if they
don't mind, just like Mr.. Thomas
did, who thought he was elected
to Congress. But didn't the Gov
ernor do him nice? Didn't Mr..
Arnelps loyalty point to him as
the most fifteen man? Didn't he
declare that he wished the Gov
ernor's family was bigger, that
they might get more offices?-
Sir, this is the way to speak of
rulers.
Don't you know it is treason for
a "reb' to speak disrespectfully of
GOVERNOR mean aloyal Gov
ernor? / reckon you don't, for
you seem to think you have a right
to speak out just as Independent
as if you had never been subjuga-
ted.
Now, Mr.. Arp, let me ask what
you understand by being subjuga-
ted? Idon'tthink you understand
it at all, according to our Tennes-
see ideas. Do you reckon all
you've got to do to be subjugated,
is to quit fighting, lay down your
arms, take the amnesty, obey the
laws, pay your taxes and attend
to your own business? If you do
you are nightly mistaken, l tell
you. President Johnson seems
to have got some such foolish idea
into his head. But, sir, that ar'nt
the way. No, sir, by no means.
Haven't our Governor and Legisla-
ture demonstrated that often
enough to have it understood? |
tell you more is wanting. You've
got to feel mighty bad and say SO.
| reckon you've reason to feel so.
If you don't because you did Sc
cede. you can because you didn't
succeed; because you got so badly
licked; because you lost all your
property-especially when you
know that some other man, who
didn't buy it, is enjoying it. And
then, sir, you mustn't indulge any
sympathy for any one who has
been a rebel--never approve an
act of kindness to one. Do you
suppose the "Good Samaritan"
was loyal man?
What if Mr.. Breckenridge is
out of money? Amt it treason
for Mr.. Bruce to furnish him any,?
Don't itprove that Mr.. Bruce amt
reconstructed; that he is about to
break out in rebellion again?-
What if General Lee does need a
home? Isn't it proof that the
men can't be trusted, who help to
buy it? What if they did love
him, almost adore him, as their
commander? What if he did do
everything in his power to pro-
mote their comfort, to mitigate
their sufferings in the dread ordeal
through which he and they passed
for four years? What if he has
lost his magnificent patrimony in
the struggle in which he and they
made common cause? Isn't he
subjugated now? Isn't it treason
still to love and admire him.
Isn't it an insult to all loyal men
to make him President of a col
ege? What if foreign papers,
journals and authors do unite in ,
oronouncing him worthy of uni
versal love and admiration? Can +,
ne vote? Is he worthy to be trus- ,
ed as a voter? Mr.. Trimble's ;
is proof positive to the ,
contrary. No, sir. he couldn't :
AXE our Tennessee oath. There,
'ir, you will find what will make
! man worthy to participate in adj c
ninistering our purified Govern t
nent.
Did Lee ever desert? Did T
General Cheatham, or Stewart, or S
Brown? No, sir, they held on a t
title too long. Can they vote? f
Iy old friend Capt. A. D. Sertor ?
avs, if they were considered great a
nen, they weren't quite as smart t
s he was. He saw more than
wo years ago, which way the cat
you'd jump, and he jumped the $
anne way, before it did. Now,
e can vote and they can't. Can't "
e swear to his loyalty, and, more Q,
han that, can't he prove it'll u
hen, there is DIR. J. S. Kulker, G
IL