The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1866-04-27

ers from the South followed this precedent
when they came to Washington, spent
month in negotiations with Messrs. Seward,
Holt and Stanton, asking "audience to ad-
just Ito use their own words) in a spirit of
amity and peace the new relations spring
ing from manifest and accomplished revo-
luton in the government of the Union
and as an earnest acknowledge the fact,
the surrender of Fort Sumter was demand
ed, and it was acceded to by Mr.. Seward,
who gave Judge Campbell assurances au-
thorizing him to say to the commissioners,
"I feel entire confidence that Fort Sumter
will be evacuated in the next FIVE days"
Fortunately, in the days of the Hartford
Convention there was General Jackson, as
there is now General Grant.
The British had felt his power through
out the war in the Southwest, as we'll as the
vigor of the navy on the seas, and when
the Essex juntO commissioners arrived in
Washington to renounce the Government,
the victory of New Orleans and the news
of peace met them. They lost the voice
which they had come to utter when they
found the roar of the British lion hushed on
the ocean and on the plains of New Orleans.
They went home, but they were not pro-
scribed. The government of New England
had sympathised with the foreign enemy,
but the mass of the people had not as yet
been forced into the ranks of the enemy
their means had been largely contributed to
support British power under the awe its
presence inspired and the influence the
traitors among them exerted.
But none of these men were punished.
Maine, which was in fact under the law of
its ensign as a conquered country, was not
considered out of the Union It's officials,
although they observed the orders emanat-
ing from British authority, and rendered
important service to that Government. and
were in fact guilty of treason, if the power
of compulsion, though not exerted had not
justified it, were not questioned by our
Government further than to draw from our
! courts decisions that submission to power
that could not be resisted rendered treason
able act justifable.
But now the tables are turned, and there
is no such allowance for the people of the
! South, who were under duress while the
conspirators were establishing an absolute
usurpation over them by military force, and
the leading men in the administration going
out and that coming IN, at Washington,
were bothsunited in negotiation with vhat
IyusuTpation, to acknowledge ''Psace and
amity'' with it, as the result of ga manifest
/, and accom- Ished revolution III me Govern
ment of the Union, " and this confirmed by
the promise of the Premier that the strong
holds of the United States in the harbor Of
| Charleston should be surrendered to that
.usurping Government.
The men who stood by the Union in the
South until the whole region was given
over by the Government bound to protect
l.nem, but which, instead of interfering in
their behalf, was captivating for their sur
render, had no alternative when thus per-
mitted to be environed within the military
lines Of the foe, which expelled everything
Union beyond their border, but submission.
| What right has the National Government
now to hold these men subject to penalties
for acquieseing in their enforced condition,
and yielding to theiwill of the State Govern
ments and the military power thus estab-
lished, and going into the war, more than
fGhe United States had to hold the men of
Maine liable to punishment for giving aid
aud comfort TO the British army there in the
war Of 1919?
The districts there found 30 difficulty,
after the war was over, in getting repre-
| sentation in. Congress. There were hottest
oathes imposed to exclude them. Why
! sd the conspiracy of the Calhoun junto
bring. greater punishment on its innocent
victims than,did that of the Essex junto and
! fits Hartford Convention? The scheme of
each was equally criminal dissolution of
the Union-but the means of the latter were
much more invidious, for foreign force
vas introduced into the heart of the coun-
try hostile to all the essetial principles of
our republican system.
And is there no atonement IN the calami-
ties with which the unfortunate masses of
the South have been visited from the des-
potism of the usurpation which would never
have been put over them lad not the treach-
cry and collision of the National Govern
ment notwithstanding in the utter ruin
which succeeded from the invasion of our
army, which necessity made destroyers, to
) plead for justice and generosity to the vic
? TINS OF a war guiltless of its provocation?
! The whole South has been field of battle
= all its agriculture has been, to a great ex-
D tent, PROSTATE for four years. Towns and
e homesteads innumerable have been swept
t away in flames.
S Half million its most vigorous youths
{ have persisted in battle-countless millions
r Of money, invested in the means of produc-
0 lion nave been lost, and It's proudest cities
are in ruins. Charleston remains like tie
ruins Of Cartbac.s of Ill - o,.,.,.y.y,,; 10 n