Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-08-01


Men cannot well mistake the nature of the strug
gle through which we have passed. 1t was imagi
nary State Rights taking up arms 10 murder th
nation; and as the conflict went on it was loyalty
graphing in life and death struggle with treason
1t was humanity against inhumanity. Il was civil
ization against barbarism. 1t was law against in
surrection. It was liberty against slavery. 1t wa
| right against wrong. Our nation trode the wine
press alone, yet the god of nations was with her.
Travelling in the greatness Of her strength leaning
on the arm Of the Almighty she came out of thu
fire and blood of the revolution the first power o
the world. Through her Secretary of State She send
few lines to Louis Napoleon, and she makes haste
out of Mexico. She says TO Austria, " The Monrot
doctrine will be enforced" and Austria furleught
her transatlantic army, and poor Maximilisn i!
left trembling for fear that Phil. Sheridan may Ego
fer him.
We never can do enough for the men who have
borne US safely through this terrible ordeal. His,
tory will unite up their virtues. Poetry will en-
balm them. They will be craven on monumental
marble Posterity will celebrate them TO the latest
generation Those who survive will represent Us in
all civil and judicial Offices in Legislative Halls in
| the Congressional Chamber, in the White House,
and on the Supreme Bench. To-day 3O,o0O,00O of
freemen come with their offerings for the graves of
100000 martyrs of liberty. The author of " Life
among the Pines speaks of meeting Rachel Som
ers, Tennessee woman, in the Nashville hospital
in 1863 just after she had closed the eyes Of her last
son. She had given her husband and four boys to
the Union army, and they were now all gone God
help you, my dear women" he said to her. scan you
bear your trial ?" a. have given my husband, she
replied, land all my sons for the life of my country
and much as deplore their loss, if the nation lives
1 am content Noble woman! When the names
of 1sham g. Harris and John Bell, who opened for
US the gates of war; shall have been forgotten, the
| name Of Rachel SomeTs will be mentioned with pa
triOtic pride and affection. o how many fathers
and mothers and wives and sisters are sad to-day
/ 81 h,1I-1
their loved whose weary lives wore out in Sails
bury prison, or in the pen at AndersOnvle, who
died in the hospital or on the field of battle. Lib
erty weeps for her martyrs to-day. And yet the
nation IS all the dearer for this costly sacrifice to
preserve it. While you bring garlands for the brows
OF the living, fetch flowers also for the graves Of
these fallen heroes Brave boys were they, gone at
their countrys call, and gone alas to return to US
no more.
Some of Us were soldiers. When in the army our
minds went forward TO the time when the war should
end and peace would reign, and the Fourth of July
should come and professions form and march to
stirring music with banners waving, and We should
fight battles over again, with Of the trials
or dangers of actual war. We expected toCaTry our
regmental cOl0rs and captured battle flags and to
mold our heads up proudly that the Declaration Of
Independence was at length carried OUT and liberty
proclaimed 70 all the land. Some Of US were run
across the mountains, some captured and imprison-
ed snd with bayonets and sabres at length found
our way back TO our Tennessee homes
We expected TO say, as we do say, that secession
or rebellion q crime, one Of the deepest and
darkest in the annals of the race; q crime 10 be
pented of in Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges and
out of them in the State and in the nation in the
church and out of the church; in time and through
out eternity; that no President can pardon it, no
church whiten il 4; no law efface it.
We expected to say, IS we do say that the lead
ing rebels should be appropriately punished, and
treason made OdiOus.
We expected to say, as has been said among Us in
unmistakable terms, that some rebels who made
themselves most active in running of Union men,
and in insulting and depressing their wives and
children, would do well quietly TO move to some
other settlement where the avenger OF blood would
be less likely TO disturb them.
We expected to say, as we do say, that all others
who take the oath of amnesty and give evidence of
sincerity, should be treated kindly, and that when
the duties we owe to the dead and the living do not
forbid if they will not their treason, and work
heartily with Us in building up the nation, but let
by cones be By-gones, will act towards them in
the spirit of a true and noble generosity.
We expected 10 say, as we do say, that men who
voted Separation, and drove from our homes, and
who tried to destroy the nation, ought TO take, and
should be willing to take, modest position IN the
great work of reconstruction in both church and
State and if they wish to forget their treason,
and to make no unpleasant illusions TO the injuries
they have done and to act towards them as We do
towards the loyal people of the land this the course
they will be sure to adopt Too much blood has
been shed for us otherwise in any way to overlook
the guilty parties. The crime is too great 10 pass
out of mind, at least for one generation.
We expected TO say, or hear others say that the
men who took part in crushing out this rebellion
have achieved for themselves an mperishable fame.
They left their counters their ledgers their offices,
their plows their families their homes, and taking
their lives in their hands, they crossed the noun
tains, formed themselves into regiments OF infantry
81
sword, sabre and gun, they fought their way back
and delivered from Confederate thraldom and op-
preston. They. covered themselves with glory at
Nashville, az Franklin at Stone River at Murfrees-
boro, at Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge and on 8
hundred other battle-delds. What if John Bell and
other leaders plunged in the rebellion, their tried
patriotism held them true to the banner of their
fathers. When slavery sprang at the life of the
ton, they drug its grave. Many of them perished
while crossing the mountains; many Of them sick
ened and died in the hOspital many of them sold
their lives on the field of conflict and many of
them lived to see the stars and stripes lifted up in
triumph wherever the flag of treason had faunted
its defiance and they here TO rejoice this 4th
of July sndto thank God that the for the Union
has been fought through, and an honorable peace
proclaimed, and also for the abounding evidence
that the fruits Of the struggle are not to be lost I'm
mortal honor to these conQuering heroes. The ora
tor and the poet and the statesman and the historian
will tell the story of their sacrifices and generations
yet unb orn will gratefully cherish their memory.
Phillips, Lieut. Col. of lst Tenn. Infantry, Capt
Sneed, I'd Infantry, and Capt. Morris I'd Cavalry,
who fell at Stone River; General Saunders, who
gave up his life at Knoxville, and Nc Reynolds of
Blount county, and some other gallant spirits are
not permitted to rejoice among the living to-day;
but Majors Gamble, Dunn, Hutscl, Blenkenship, |
and Cunningham; Adjutant McToeT Capts. Z. and |
J. Goddard, Mcconnell. Rowan, Grer, Faulkerson |
Bingham, Farmer, Hood, Walker and Wallace, the |
eft-handed sharpshooter; and Lieuts. Allen, Grant,
Armstrong, Safie and Carpenter, with others from /
our own county are roll of honor, and they /
share with us in the festivities and gratulations
Of this glorious day. Thanks TO the wives and |
daughters sisters and mothers and to the true heart
ed yeomanry who upheld the cause Of their country,
but our snceret and loudest praises TO these heroic
stood by thenl-our husbands, sons brothers and |
neighboTs, who threw themselves into the breach !
and fought gallsntly for all that we hold dear
The past at least is secure. The glory they have
won will not be forgotten till the last syllable of re-
corded time Palsied be the tongue that will not !
speak the praises due these surviving heroes OF the
war Withered be the arm that will not rally around
them while they live in all kind and generous off,
ces.
East Tennessee performed unimportant part |
IN the great national drama. nemmed in in our /
home, the myrmidons of the rebellion /
supposed they could crush out the liberty-loving /
spirit of our people. The Louisiana Tigers and /
Texas Rangers and Mississippi Devils as they loved
TO call themselves tried to rivet in chains Those
days and months Of agony, who can forget them ?
How many ionged for and sighed after deliverance
long before deiyerancc came? Gov Brownlow ,
battled mantully, and the masses stood grandly by
HIM Capt. Douglass, of Sullivan county succeeded .
in piloting over 1000 patriots into Kentucky. and
ro ri of arrfl MAJ,