The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-27
Selections.
TENNESSEE,

- N&eohS3 "Aeh WI
rible odds against them-for the majo-
rity of the people are rebels, more Bit
ter, more malignant in feeling, and
more devilish in purpose, than they
were during the wal. The law dis
franchises rebels, but the law will do
no good unless it can be enforced. In
this State, the loyal men have had the
strength and the pluck to enforce dis
franchisement. In Tennessee, the re-
bells are proportionately much stronger;
they have been greatly REINFORCED by
the detection of Johnson, and much en-
couraged and strengthened by the opi-
Mon of Attorney General Stanberry,
and they are receiving aid from all the
Copperheads and rebels in other States.
Their hope is to exclude so large part
of the loyal vote, white and black, and
to force the registration Of so many reb-
els, as to give them control of the State.
Knowing that the contest is a desperate
one, they spare no efforts. In all quar-
tiers, falsehoods are most shamelessly
used; IN many places gold, and in ma
ny 1OiSS
whole counties, the negroes are deter
red from claiming the right to vote, and
white loyalists dare not instruct or en-
courage them; reign of terror pre-
walls, and rebelism rules as absolutely
as it did when men were murdered for
wishing the success of Union armies.
In other counties, the rebels have con-
troll of the courts or local organiza-
tions, and, if they are permitted to ap-
and admit the disfranchised.-To meet
this danger power has been conferred
upon the Governor to appoint registrars,
but the rebels have attempted to get
the courts to exercise the appointing
power, and if this resistance to the law
is not efectually crushed by the Cover
nor's frmness, it will enable the re-
bells to capture the State.-The violence
and bitterness of feeling prevailing
seems almost incredible to the people
of loyal States, but the people of Mis-
souri,, who have happily passed through
the same trial, can we'll understand it.
1t is a fight for life. If the rebels win,
loyal men cannot live in Tennessee.
In some quarters, already, they are in
constant peril, and are protected only
by the militia. A Conservative vic
tory would put the whole State in the
power of rebels; laws securing the in
struction of negroes or granting them
suffrage would be repealed, the disfran-
chisement of rebels would be ignored,
and at the next election the most ma
lignant rebels of the State would be
preferred for Office. The same spirit
that hunted the loyal men of Tennes-
see through the mountains for years,
burning their dwellings and numbering
their wives and children, needs only
the stimulus and opportunity of politi-
cal victory to break out in all its for
mer violence.
1t is well to remember these things,
and to realize the imminent peril of the
loyal men, before condemning the mea-
sures which they are compelled to
adopt to secure a loyal government.
For, in truth, Tennessee was hardly
ready for reconstruction. Her admis-
sion to representation was probably
hasty and premature. The ablest Rad
icals opposed it, and with success, un-
til the passage of the negro suffrage law
seemed to give assurance that the loyal
voters of the State would be able to
sustain themselves. The Radicals of
Tennessee then asked for admission, and
the Conservative Republicans in Con-
gress clamored for it-for they fancied it
would help the party in the pending cleo
tions. johnson, from the first, had been
peculiarly anxious to secure the admis-
sion of Tennessee, and there were tim1d
Republicans who had mania for yield
ing to his wishes. Hence, when the
Radicals of Tennessee themselves ask
ed for admission, and gave assurance
that they would be able to sustain their
loyal government, Congress yielded.
We still hope and believe that the
Union men will not be overpowered,
and that the desperate contest now
pending will prove to be the last strug-
gle of defeated rebelism, but it would
have been safer to have spared them
the peril to which they are now expos
ed. Had Tennessee remained under
military rule still longer, it is probable
that the establishment and maintenance
of loyal government would have been
comparatively easy and safe. Never
theless, whether the reconstruction of
Tennessee was premature or not, her
loyal men deserve hearty sympathy
and willing aid in their struggle. They
cannot turn back now, and must crush
rebellion or be crushed themselves
They will do it at the election, if the
laws are enforced and obeyed; if the
laws are resisted OF deied, we trust that
the Union men will not lack the power
to sustain them. Remembering that
violence always begets violence, they
will be careful never to begin or pro-
woke it, but will insist upon the en-
forcement of the laws. In this State,
in the last campaign, there would have
been bloody work if the loyal men had
not been prudent and patriotic as well
as firm. Adhering rigidly to the law,
and at the same time fully prepared for
any conflict that might be forced upon
them, they secured a fair election in
most of the counties, and achieved a
victory from which rebellion will never
recover. We, hope and trust that the
Union men of Tennessee will be equal
ly successful, and that the struggle