Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-10
yEMPHTS APPEAL
EK.GOV. HAR.RIs.

l.. EX-GOV. HAB.RIS.
A correspondent of tie st. Louis Re
publican thus casts retrospect Of ex
Gov. Harris political course, in connec
ton with his return TO Tennessee. The
sketch is truthful and mssterly, and loses
none Of its force from the fact that it was
written by "loysl" Union man who
was not one Of the political followers Of
the ex. Governor in the dsys Of accession
In former letter mentioned the re-
turn OF Gov. Isham g. Harris to the
State of Tennessee; in this, q retrospect-
i've glance st his character as poliu-
I clan, with a conjecture As TO the position
be may occupy upon the page OF impair
tial history, may not be out OF place, CT
without interest to the readers Of the
I Reptblfcdn. What / have TO say on this
j subject is founded on facts ETlOtC7l to your
correspondent, not TetGteG-fRcts which
I no candid man will deny, be he ever so
prejudieed- Careless observers who look
upon events happening in Tennessee and
I in the South from standpoint far over
! the borders of reconstruction, may fancy
| that the day on which Isham q. Harris
entered this State as returned exile,
and gave himself up" to VIM. g.
/ BrowulOw in the State Capitol was a
great day of humiliation to Seeesslonlstsi
/ and Of proud satisfaction to Unionists.
| Careful observers from a home stand
point. in the light OF facts which cannot
! be denied, see just the reverse. They see
pyramids of shame casting their shad-
ovs over honest Union men. They see
the blush of confusion upon the faces OF
such men-not because they have done
ANYTHING themselves of which they sre
ashamed, or because their the0lies, at the
inception of the rebellion, Of the effect
IL wOuld have upon the South have not
been thoroughly verified by facts; but
because the sins of pretended Unionists,
against heaven and in their sight, are
such as would cause felons to blush, il
they were committed in the name OF
felons.
While the mischiefs of sectional poll
tics were threatening the country with
war, Gov. Harris. as a politician, was an
object Of special dislike among UnlOnists.
Though his course might have been the
result Of honest conviction, they thought
it extremely violent and injudieious.
Many of the most influential men ot the
State, who afterwards were constrained
to become rebels, opposed him with oit-
terness in the earlier days OF the strug-
gle Gov. II. was considered nre-eAter
was even characterized as an lncenolo
arv And vet, what do we now md ?
W. find thai the most violent speeches
of Tsham q. Harris, delivered to the
naonle Of Tennessee, and the most exeit- |
inc passages contained in his messages on
the eve Of Southern insurrecuon, read
now in the sunlight of subsequent his
tory. become fearful prophecies. Nay, |
they have been more than fulfilled-snd /
the end is not yet. !
Gov. Harris told the people that the
Republican party sought to iiberate their
.Iaves-to deprive them Of property for |
which they had paid millions, without
allowing them one cent of compensation.
The Unionists hurled back the charge as
a caIumny upOn that party. Ihey dis
apprOved its designs, but this was not
among them. And even the New YORK
Tribune indorsed the disclaimer. Gov.
went farther, and proclaimed that
the tendency of the Republican party
he persisted in calling IL the Black Re
publican party; did he not we'll in so per-
sist;ng?) was to bring the negro into
equality with the white people,
in the Southern states. BY
many amiable Tennessee UniOnists-and
oy some not so amisble, your correspond
ant among them-this teaching OF Gov.
n. was thought to be outrageous misrep-
whether willing or unwil-
ing. And when they so proclaimed 1t,
Northern Republicans of the highest
standing in that party indorsed their
Ipnial Governor Harris was still more
. atrocious - be charged that the teach
ngs of Black Republicanism tended to
lring the negro into social equality with
he white people. I remem Der well how
.Dgry Union men would grow when
Iov. Harris msde this charge. Some
yentlemen of mild temperament, who
considered well their lauguage-some :
wen as gentle in their denleanor as my
Tue!e Toby-would denOunee the declsr-
.tion as that Of reckless demagogue. !
But o ! what do we see now, on the day !
which places Gov. Harris at the feet Of
statue? ..
I cannot remember that Gov. Harris
q his worst moods, ever told these white +
,eonle the negroes would be set over \
hem as political and even as social mas
ers. Yet the white people Of Tennessee,
N the dav Of Gov. Harris return from :
xile, are under the heel Of the negro, /,
nd are ground down and rantalized by :
nep viler than the negroes themselves, :
mployed and paid by the negro. They :
re under men who steal for the negro, !
nd in the negro's interest, and are in !
eturn supported by the negro, out of the y
lipt fund raised by his tLefts and theirs.