The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-03-03
Confederate Contracts. ctr.

Confederate Contracts, etc.
The Bristol (ya.) correspondent Of
the Nashville Union and american, un-
der date Of the 23d Of February, writes
that paper II letter from which we Ok
tract as follows S
"The late decision Of the Supreme
Court, touching contracts made during
the war, based upon Confederate mon.
ey, has produced quito a, sensation
throughout this country, and vii be
most certainly tscd-to excuse Or cover
upa great deal yof, ~rascality. Much
property changed hands as often as
two or three times for Confederate
money. In many instances negroc
were purchased With the proceeds OF
such sales. In other instances the
money was retained until the "collapse"
came, when they shared the same fate
of those who had purchased negroes.
There are again other instances in.
which large estate holdeps sold proucr.
ty and speculatcd in the proceeds, and
lost, who, with the classes enumerated,
are expressing dissatisfaction and init.
mating a determination to take advan.
tage ofthe decision in question p''
There are doubtless some mitigating
circumstances attending contracts made
during the war, with which, the parties
suffering might ~justifably refuse COM
pliance, but as a general thing there is
no justification in the appeals being
made from these "Jona fde" contracts
to the advantages to be gained by. the
decision in question. w
Honest men will aot take advantage
of this decision, though it comes from
the Superior Bench, unless they have
really been swindled and received no
compensation for property sold. Knavcs
and dishonest men will naturally take
the advantage offered-and but for the
existence oflaw, these same men would
flch the dimes from your pocket, or cut
your throat for your purse.
1t is said that the time to test mems
souls is in the hour ofrevolution. But
we dissent, with the assumption, that
the first few years, following such ma
tioual CONFUSION, and general disinte-
grafton ofsociety in the absence of
properly executed laws, is the time to
test the moral stamina and integrity of
man.
Men whose integrity and moral worth
was never, for once, impugned, and
whose walk and conduct has been a
guide for the rising youth, are among
those who claim indcmnitication under
this decision !1aEl0
"Oh, shame, where is thy blush
consistency, thy yotaries ?" Such is
tile corruption Of the age and the ten
dency to destroy the influence brought
to bear or the reconstruction and re.
cuperation of society. The political
recuperation of the country is depend
ent upon the integrity of society.
The hostility towards the negro in
Fast Tennessee is not in the least aba
ted! The legislation in reference to
this unfortunate race, for their good, is
ill-timed and productive of evil. A
contempt for the authors and supper
tiers Of this legislation is freely express
ed. by those whose loyalty cannot be
questioned. Appeals to them only in
cites their disgust and inyective. The
organs of these african measures and
radicalism are not sought for, whilst
the bold and digniied Conservative
journals of the country are being read
and p~artonized with a zeal that speaks
omniously for the future politica health
of the country"