Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-13

FROM tne tttchmOhl EAomlnef.I
In peaceful times we have all narvelled
at the enactment Of Solon which declared
infamous the men who in periods Of ciyick
violence, taking no part with either party,
should remain neutral amid the agonies Of
the stricken Commonwealth. These latter
days have enabled Us TO do Justice TO the
profound wisdom Of the old Athenian. A
class of men has been developed by the war
against whom we would gladly invoke the
penalties Of Solon's legislation.
Some days ago, the Federal Senate called
upon the Treasury 10 explain the fact that
there were Revenue officers in the Soath
who had not taken oaths Of the strength and
TO the quantity prescribed by Congress. The
Secretary Of the Treasury, in replying, has
used words which will go with thrilling de-
Light to the heart Of every honest man in the
South. We quote from the document,
which lies condensed before us:
I'm most Of the Southern States "nedrly
essry man AZ Jog Rspsnsss officer was at some
time, either engaged in hostilities against
the Government of the United States, or
holding State or Confe5erate ofice.s-.Ness
fork Tines, December q, 1865. go
gsHere we have, in the brCsdest sorm and
on the highest authority, The recognition Of
a, truth which, familiar a. il i. to all Of ~,
has never, for the benefit. Of the world al
large and Of our Northern fellow citizens.
been 30 clearly and concisely stated. The
words betrsy sn acquaintance with the so-
cial condition Of the South, and knowledge
Of Southern men and character, which do
infinite credit TO the Secretary's Judgment.
We trust that they will not be lost on Con-
gres or on the people. fs sr-. 81
We gentlemen Of the South have not Of
late been used TO compliments. We have
been called traitors and villains 50 often;
so many papers and preachers and politi-
clans have joined in picturing to US our de-
prayities, that il wss- hard for even conscious
innocence to throw of the sense Of guilt If
our own cousciences still slumbered, those Of
our rich neighboss were painfully alive 20
cur transgressing We were beginning.
therefore, 70 distract our own sense Of right
and wrong, and dread lest, in attempting 70
by moral blindness. IL the men whom
through long years We were wont 70 regard a.
models of private and public virtue we're In
fact knazes and piokpockets; II our .Iacksons
and cur Polks, and all the host OF our sainted
dead, were, a. the Harpers maintain, bu.
lucky villains on whom the bullet did pre-
naafurely the wosk Of the halter II Chief
Justice Taney, whom We had reserved a.
a-throp<h ali bis tract ofyesrs
Wearing the Waite teWer VI q blameless life.
was in truth the at-ocious criminal whom
Thaddeus Stevens but the other day con-
signed 10 infamy on earth and to flames in
hell; then was i sursly time that We should
turn for enlightenment 70 those who.haki 81
caped our errors. Wickham might ve
thought for consideration, be moved 10 IN
struct us In the duties Of citizenship and
Barbour spare time from Congressional at
tendance " enEghten u on the beauties and
profits Of loyalty.
II Is painful 70 have ones moral eonyie-
tons unsettled We were bswildered when
called upon 10 condemn those whom We had
long admired, and 70 ace IN men whom We
had despiaed the worthy claimants Of polit-
ical prefermens The Secretary has done 4
good service 70 the South ia recording his
conviction that the men who proved false to
one duty are not fit 70 be trusted with anoth-
er. More and more clearly, as preiudices
dear away, the northern people will
;. that, with the exception
Of few coasistslt Snd conspicuous Unionists
who could be numbered on less than the ten
fingers, all honest men in the South were,
during the latter years Of the war, banded
together IN the Confederste cause. The diff
ferenees which we're then fell, we're no longer
those Of political theory or Of abstract doc
trine they we're difsrences in manhood, In
character, and ia public spirit. We have
known longer, ard We know better than our
Northern friends can yet know them, the
class Of men described as Southern loyalists.
The Secretary Of the Treasury Is right.
Wherever in the Southern country ycu ind
a man sufficiently honest and respectable 70 ,
be trusted with the revenue, you viii ind
him incapsb!e Of swearing that he rendered
no service 70 the struggling easlss On which
were embarked the honor Of his State aud
the lives and fortunes OF his eompatriots.