Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-03
1.-THE POOR WHITES 1.-THE RADI-
GALS AND PRESIDENT JOHNSON.

From the Knoxville Messenger of Peace.l
The Radical press of some Of the North
ern States exult considerably concerning
the testimony Of Gen. Fisk given before
the Reconstruction Committee. Gen. Fisk
stated that the prejudice against the freed
men existed more strongly in East Tennes-
see than in any other section of the State
especially among the Union men who fought
in the Federal army and did their best to
put down the rebellion. The Pittsburgh
PENN Gazette a Radical, negro-equality
sheet, says, strange as this may seem, it is
80, and "is only accounted for by the fact
that East Tennessee was settled mainly by
the class known as the poor whites of the
South, who owned few OF no negroes, and
between whom and the negroes there has al
ways existed a bitter feeling concerning
superiority"
This same dirty sheet says that the few ig-
norant Shareholders of East Tennessee al
ways did their best TO foster this jealousy be-
tween the poorer and the more ignorant
classes Of whites because these poor whites,
as the Gazette terms them, had votes and
therefore were serviceable in keeping the
the negro under" But now after the war is
over, so says the Gazette, "the poor whites
nave not yet Decn dDle 10 conquer tntlI pre-
judices." Such insults heaped upon the
brave East Tenhesseans are quite common
and frequent with many of these Radical
journals The only credit given to the loyal
people of East Tennessee by these Radicals
is, as they say, "their love for the Union was
deeper than their regard Tor the STAKEHOLDER"
This, comparatively speaking, is merely
an mixing 10 show the manner in which the
r Il l..
the Radicals. The Radicals never come in
contact nth many Of The common people or the
poor whites"-they kROg ueTy iihlc about
their sentiments. They are generally persons
of position with whom they come in contact
or with whom they have conversation.
These Radicals never bear in mind the
fiery ordeal through which East Tennessee
has passed-the sacrifices laid upon the altar
of freedom and constitutional liberty-the
lives and treasures lost-the blood and car
mage Of different battle-grounds-all thrown
in the scale for the trEe principles of the
old National Banner-the Flag of our
Country-of Washington, Jefierion, Jack
son, Harrison and other sacred characters.
Thes, il will be seen that East
Tennessee is branded and stigmatized by our
Radical friends as 'the poor whites" of the
HOuln. IL InatttfS not Wn0l lnbultA OF CON-
formations may be heaped upon the people
Of East Tennessee by the Radical press of
some Of the Northern States-they are in
teiligent enough TO know that this is n white
mans Government and that il must be es-
tablished on sound basis Of Federal
Union.
They never turned their backs upon their
homes, their wives and children and all that
was sacred and dear 90 them in life 10 battle
for negro equality and their own impover,
ishment They are now beginning TO feel
more forcibly the great issue before us they
feel that President johnson has offered us
the opportunity of reconstructing the Union
ON the basis that this is whitc mans GOuaR-
faenf. They now know who'Fred. Douglass,
Stevens a Co, are-President johnson has
told us that they, and their followers are
traitors to the true principles of our Govern
ment, and we all in East Tennessee as gen
eral thing believe him-the great Magistrate
Of the United States The issue forced itself
upon him; he was compelled, in Justice TO
his countrymen, TO make the fatal blow.