Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-16

loyal paper is sustained with difficulty; he
might discover that the rebel merchant or
lawyer is full of business, and growing rich,
while the loyalist either fails or Is driven to
pander or dissimuiate. And he may find
that the rebel chaplain breaches to overflow
ing houses, while the loyal minister is in
truth missionary in an unfriendly country.
But he viii hardly go into the social circle
TO learn that the Union man is not admitted
into society or into private families; to find
that hatred of the Yankee" and contempt
for the Government, are incnlcated by rebel
ministers and teachers; nor will he visit the
township election to learn that the BUSH
whacker and guerrilla can defeat the most
respectable Union man for constable or JUS
tice of the peace; or to the courts, to learn
that the despised 'Iincolnite" fails to get
justice at the hands Of a rebel jury, and that
the putting of a negro on trial is equivalent
to his conviction and sentence to the maxi
mum penalty of the law Yet these and
many other manifestations betray to the res
ident observer the malignant temper Of the
majority of the people.
A party exists in the State which is every
day growing more and more compact and
powerful, which sympathizes with the men
and principles of the rebellion. 1t COM
mands every agency to operate on public
opinion. It has Eve well sustained and ably
edited papers in Memphis, four in Nash
vile, one in Knoxville, and weekly in
each of the important villages Their par
iened, but talented and still popular leaders
are with them; hundreds Of rebel ministers
who glory in having led off the rebellion,
/ and who have beeI throughout the war the
bloodiest minded men in the South, are still
in the confidence of the people. All these
appliances, acting in harmony, mould pub
lie sentiments as they please and command
party Of over two-thirds of the white men
of the State. Free from restrictions upon
suffrage, they will probably cast ninety
thousand votes in the State. nEH
1t is sad delusion and dangerous mis-
take TO suppose that this hatred of loyalty,
contempt for the negro, and alienation from
the Government, are confined to the politi-
clans or leaders, as they are termed, and that
the common people have been all the time
| loyal. 1t is certainly true that a portion Of
the Southern people went into the rebellion
reluctantly, and that few were actual ly
forced into it, but it is equally true that nine
tenths of those who went in reluctantly came
out the bitterest of rebels. The process Of
firing the Southern heart, and Of educating
the Suuthern mind for treason, had been
progressing for many years, and had reached
all classes Long before the war, the COM
mon iaborer had learned to curse the Yam
KEGS and Abolitionists, and to talk about
negro equality and his rights in the Terrific
ries. Filled with murderoas hate, they have
fought four years against their country
They have denounced, and heird it de-
nounced with every breath. They have
suffered cold, hunger and wounds in an
effort TO destroy it. They have slain It's
defenders, and seen their comrades fall
in the same cause. The laws of human
nature forbid the idea that they love their
country. Indeed, it may well be doubted
whether the capacity for patriotism is not
extinguished in many of them. Your me-
morialists regret to say that as yet the loyal
lists of East Tennessee, brave and noble as
they are, have not kept pace with the spirit
of the nation in extending civil rights to the
negro, and consequently there exists want
of harmony among ourselves, but they do
not doubt that that patriotic and rural peo-
pie will soon take position worthy Of their
fame. But in any event, all legislation
looking to the elevation of the freedmen in
a moral civil, or political point Of view,
must come from Congress and not from the
State Legislature. 1t may be that the pres
ent body may pass seme favorable laws,
probably they will, but it is easy to see that
they will be swea away by the next Gene
raj Assembly. fn
Surprising the supervising power of the
General Government Withdrawn from Ten
nessee, and assuming that, to some extent at
least, the passions, prejudices, and resent
ments of the majority of the people will be
reflected in their legislation, it is difficult to
anticipate the true policy and the character
of the civil and judicial administration
'VlaioL will prevail 1t NAV be safely as
sumed:
First, That so far as possible, in Legisla-
lation and the bestowal of patronage, and the
management of all public affairs, the late
| rebels Will be the preferred class, and that
all the acts of the rebel State government,
including the removal and destruction Of the
State banks and State Treasury, the disarm-
ing and conscripting the people and the i'm
pressment of their property, and all the acts
Of rebel officers soldiers, and guerrillas,
| will be legalized. Those who have been
robbed, wounded, and imprisoned, will 60
unredressed, while those who have inflicted
those injuries will be justified in law as they
| row are in public sentiments.
Second, is even now the case in many
| localities, services rendered and wounds re-
| ceived in the Confederate cause will be pass
ports to preferment while TO have taken
| sides with the cause of the Union will be
| equivalent to judgment Of infamy, forever
consigning the offender to ebscurity and dis
| grace.
Third, fthe Legislature does not vote
| thanks and medals to Southern heroes, and
| unite with other Southern States to pay the
| Confederate debt, it will be from fear Of pol
icy, and not from want of sympathy or de-
| sire.
| Fourth, As far as possible, restrictions
| will be thrown around the negro, and his
! elevation in the scale Of being discoun-
tenanced if not actually prohibited he
| will be excluded from the courts, from
common schools and probably from all
means of educatioR1from business and
privileged occupations and perhaps from
the acquisition of property.
Such, we apprehend, will be some Of the
results of well known laws of the public
| mind. and it requires but little speculation
| to anticipate still further and more ulterior
results 1t is very questionable whether
| East Tennessee will submit 10 a rebel gov
eminent. Her people will never tamely
succomb TO those who have pursued them
like bloodhounds for four years. If she
| does not resist by force she will refuse her
revenues, and scorn to send her Represents
tives to take seats in the Legislature com
posed of rebel officers and guerrilla leaders
| Union men viii feel that they have lost and
the rebels won and that their martyrs have
fallen in vain. Even now, in many local.
ties, they are crushed BY the power OF num-
bers and actually afraid to speak like free
men. tt1 q E1El1 Eaei1 81 q a
Loyal emigrants will turn aside to more
congenal parts, and the South will be left 70
herself to resume her former rate Of pro
gress. fii'f
The negroes will be forced tG seek an asy-
lum in other Lands, or perhaps they will be-
c1Tne declining race, relapse into barba-
| rism, and disappear from the. face Of the
earth, an event confidently predicted, and
in fact, hoped for by the secessionists.
4 Your memoralists do not presume to point
out the means of cverting the direful results
they have attempted TO foresiiadow. They
simply ask protection. They pray that the
Government viii not forsake them BY with
drawing it, direct agency in our affairs
thereby delivering them TO their tormentors
Your meinoralists will say, however, thai
they desire to be represented in Congress-
The loyal people Of Tennessee have not for
feited their civil rights by the misfortune o
being surrounded by rebels. And if diff
culties should occur hereafter, AZ is to b
feared, in that event they desire 10 have
voice in the councils of the nation nut /