Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-08-14
Words of Warning from Tennessee.


termination.
God and liberty. ESCOBEDo.
->e-<-
Words of Warning from Tennessee.
Hon. B. H. Hill sends to the Coronicle d;
Sentinel the following letter received by him
from gentleman in Tennessee. NJ. Hill
says: "The enclosed letter was not written
for publication, but it is SO excellent take
the liberty of asking you to give it to our
people. know the author well. He has
one OF the purest hearts and best iutellects in
Tennessee"
CLARKsYILLE, Tenn, July e6, 1867.
My Dear ir:-I read few days since
YOUR great speech made at Atlanta. l am
truly glad to know that you and others are
advising your people not to accept the mis-
called Reconstruction Bill. Is it not enough
that our soldiers have been slain-our coun-
try made dcsolate-our property stoen--our
cause lost? Must we, to this melancholy
train of dire disasters, now add personal deg.
radiation and national disgrace? Never! Few
of Us brought out OF the war anything but
our selE elEreSpect. Let us preserve that until
we 60 to the grave, where our Cause and our
heroic dead are buried
But, considered as a mere question of poll
cy, to what an entertainment does this Recon.
Struction Bill invite your people! Are the
| people of Georgia anxious to exchange the
Military Government of General Pope for
Brownlow government 2 If 80, would warn
them to pause and reflect. Tennessee is said
l. ,tl,. Of
Georgia Behold the condition. pitiable and
melancholy, of this once proud commonwealth,
and shun i similar fate. Your condition un-
der Gen. Pope, is Paradise to ours under
Brownlow. Remain Territory forever-pe
titiou Congress to coutinueyou as Territory
under military ruler rather than curse you
with 4 Brownlow government and call you
State in the Union. Aud your people are
mad if they suppose the Reconstruction Bill
means anything Lut a Brownlow government
far the Southern States after they are recon
structed. The government in Tennessee is
the only living representative land it is a true
and faithful onc) of the Congressional idea Of
a reconstructed State. White Radicals and
negroes are to be the voters. Laok ct the
| action of Congress in reference to the Ken
tucky members. There it was conceded that
every member elect could take the test oatb
but they repudiatcd this test, went behind the
test oath aud said their constituents were not
loyal. What is this but saying that no people
who are not Radical shall have right to rep
rcsentation? What is this but the Brownow
idea, full ticdgcd, that none but Radicals
should vote? Or if they do, Congress will not
allow their representatives TO take their seats.
1t is q great mistake to suppose there is but
oae Brownlow. Charity 10 our kind would
Incline US to believe that there is but oae ;
bat this is q mistake. There are meaner men
more abandoned scouadrels-in the Radi-
cal party in this State than Brownlow. This
may seem incredible, but it is, nevertheless,
true; and you will fad Brownlows in your
State to oppress and persecute your people
men lost TO all honor, all shame, all sense of
Justice. wish every man in Georgia could
witness (God forbid that they should ever e1
perienc.) the reign OF terror and despotiSm
under which the people of this State now
groan. They would pray God that they might
remain Territory until Gabriel's trumpet
should sound, rather than ever emerge into
such State! There are about 3 900 white
men in this county: out of this number
about three or four hundred Can vote, whilst
tue negro vote will reach about 1000. A
company Of negro militia is now stationed in
our town, to be here on election day to incte
riot and Eunilate the white people. At our
next county election We expect all our coun.
ty Offices to be filled with few Yankee
thieves that have settled amongst US, and the
balance with negroes. Brownlow's election
Ct is an abuse of the English language to
call such a farce an elcction) is foregone
conclusion. Etheridge has made bold and
gallant fight for the freedom Of the white
man, but he will be defeated. Brownlow,
under the Infamous franchise law (which has
been pronounced Constitutional by the Brown
low Judges composing our Supreme Court,
has the power to set aside the registration in
any county he sees fit. So you see the only
difference between you and US is, that Gen.
Pope appoints your civil rulers and Brownlow
appoints ours. The people of this State would
hail with shout proposition to exchange
places with you.
But am writing more than l intended l
merely wished to thank you for your bold
and eloquent speech, and to assure you that,
in my humble judgment, your advice to the
people of Georgia is sound and wholesome.
Very truly, your friend,