Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-01
FROM EAST TENNESSEE.
Interesting Political BiOgraphy--WhO
are Our Native Radicals.

Correspondence Of the Union and Americana
- EAST TENNESSEE, July o. 1866
Is it not remarkable that the most bitter
| prosecutors of rebels in Tennessee, are those
who, at some period during the war, were
either apologists for or open advocates Of
the Southern cause? Many of this class
having abandoned their former political
| allies, now seek to deprive them Of political
| privileges, for entertaining opinions which
| they themselves held proclaimed through
the press and enjoined by legislative action.
| ! will illustrate my meaning by a brief
sketch Of the political biography of certain
! gent emen Of East Tennessee, of more or
| less prominence during the last five years.
GEORGE EDGAR GRIsHAM.-Beiore me
| is an imperfect file of the Jonesborough Err
! press, published in the early year Of our civil
/ war. It was decided advocate Of Southern
! independence. BY il the Southern causewa
| defended and our citizens earnestly exhorted
TO devote themselves to its triumph.
The last number before me bears date about
a fortnight before the occupation of East
Tennessee by Gen. BURNSIDE. The name
Of Mr.. GRESHAM, at that late date, was still
nailed to the editorial masthead Of that re-
bellious sheet. Mr.. G.. afterward became a
Captain in the Federal army. He escaped
the bullets Of the "rebels" aud traitors"
and is again on the tripod. He now edits
the Jonesboro Union Flag an intensely
Radical sheet. lie swears that the doctrines
Of the Jonesboro Express were pernicious,
traitorous develish-that all who embraced
and adhered to them latter he forsook them
deserve all the pains and penalties de-
nounced against " all sich - by Radical Lee
gislatures and Congresses. Such is the
meaning, perhaps not the language of the
gentleman's present utterances.
Hon. r. f. BUTLER, Col. S. X. n. PAT
TON, JAMES BRrrroN, jr., Esq, J. MONROE
MEEK, Esq.
All of these eminent Union managers
were members Of the rebel Legislature Of |
186I-62. As such they voluntarily took an
oath to support the Confederate States Con- |
stitution, and all Of them, if am not misin-
formed, accompanied the Legislature in its |
hasty migration from Nashville to Memphis |
During the session Judge BUTLER pub |
licly announced his purpose to raise a regi- !
ment Of volunteers for the Confederate ser
vice, and some Of his friends assert that he |
actually solicited the aid Of a Mr.. GRAYsoN, |
Of his county, in such an enterprise, but how |
this is, ] am unable TO say except from pub |
lie rumor. Judge BUTLER afterwards, l |
think, entered the United States service as
pension and claim agent" and is'reputed |
to have amassed q fortune in that perilous |
business
Col. PATTON likewise entered the United |
States service and has been most fortunate
in securing the services of the edi tor Of the
Union Flag as a chronicler of his brilliant
achievements
During the sitting of the Legislature Mr..
BRITTON issued a circular denOun5ing most
furiously the Lincoln Government as an in
sufierable usurpation, TO be resisted to the
death, and invoking Heavens curses on him
self if he didn't mean what he said.
These three gentlemen, as did also Mr..
MEEK, when in the Legislature, voted for
resolutions declaring that the separation of
the Confederate States is, and ought to be,
final, perpetual and irrevocable; and that
Tennessee lOiti under no circumstances entertain
any proposition, from any quarter, tChich may
hare for Us object the restoration or rocOaStrltc-
ton Of he tate Union on any terms or conditions
whateUer" Chat thewar should be prosecu-
ted, on our part, with the utmost vigor and
energy until our independence and nationality
are Internationally acknowledged by the United
States" That Tennessee pledges herself
not to consent to lay down arms until peace
is established on the basis Of the foregoing
resolutions"
A pretty fair rebel record is not this, Mr..
Editor?
Have these gentlemen redeemed their
pledges made under the solemn sanctions of
an official oath? How stand they to-day |
Col PATTON is a member of the present
Legislature, seeking by his influence and
votes to deprive of their political rights
those who devoted themselves and fortunes
to the maintenance of the solemn pledges
which he imposed upon them.
Mr.. BUTLER, who now holds a commits
sion as Circuit Judge, under BRowNLow,
charges the grand juries Of the country, that
his constituents, for obeying these solemn
legislative resolves, are guilty of treason
against the State, and for the same thing,
Messrs Barron and MEEK, each Of whom
is an executive appointee to the Office of
Prosecuting Attorney, are accommodating pelf |
in prosecuting these same persons, and de-
them as traitors deserving all the
penalties and iniamy attaching TO such an
offence.
This looks to me like the chief culpril
turning States evidence against accomphces
whom he had inveigled into crime, and
pocketing the rewardof such treachery. The
accessory is excluded, while the principal
enjoys the honors and emoluments Of Office
in a reconstructed government
There are many other loyal men Of this
section, some Of greater, and some of lesser
leaders Of the radical cohorts,
who can boast a record fully as immaculate,
to whom / may pay my respects as time and
inclination prompt NIDETTE