Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-20
II niun aud 9ispateh.
SATURDAY, July &c, 1867.
Largest ClreuIalion in Clty and Sac.
----=----
GIBSON COUNTY.


for RadIeaIIsrn- Radical sun set,
I'm the west-An Interesting letter
Correspondence Of the Union and Dispatch.
In a letter / wrote to you last week ]
promised that l would give you some par
ticulars Of the expected discussion between
Col. G. S. Cameron and A. j. Fletcher
The honorable Secretary, (of war; however
to the establishment of everybody, declined
participating in any such discussion, bni
when both were heard, no one was left ia
any doubt 1ahy he should decil "a assj
fair discussion. Separate stands were
erected for each Of the speakers, and each
harrangued the people from his own ros-
trum. Col. Cameron spoke in the fore
noon, stated that he had been to the various
appointments Of BrownloW's Secretary, and
that each Of them he had solicited divis.
ion of time and an honorable discussion,
but 30 far he had failed to obtain Fletchers
consent 10 any such arrangement Col.
Cameron is one of the most cogent and
interesting speakers it has been my fortune
to listen to. His speeches are interspersed
with much wit and sarcasm, and was pow
erful throughout. 1t was a perfect extin-
guisher of RadicaIism, and the effect of
his telling blows could be plainly seen BY
their exhibitions Of restlessness and dis.
honorable attempt TO call of their forces in
an ignominious retreat. For his oficious-
ness in attempting to persuade the colored
people (priUdtely) not to listen to the
speaker-that he was Rebel in disguise
"A certain member Of the Radical Exeeu
tive Committee for this county, and dirty
scribler for the Memphis Post, caught
particular thunder. Col Cameron, at the
time he was informed Of this Radical ma
neuvering, was exposing to the audience
the Rebel procliYities Of certain prominent
leaders Of that party ia this State, such as
Fletcher, Arnell, Stokes, and others, who
were now the most Yociferous against the
reimbursement of those who had aided in
the rebellion. But he said il was not
necessary to 60 abroad to hunt up
the proof that the vilest prosecutors
Of the Rebels now were those
who stood convicted before the country
Of having been apostste Rebels themselves,
that instances of such character could be
found IN every community; that among his
hearers to-day, doubtless were numbers of
men who held gun receipts given by the
Radical candidate for Floater, Col |. J.
Roach, and the Commissioner Of Registra-
tioa for this county, both of whom he was
credibly informed, had collected up guns in
their respective neighborhoods for the use
OF the Rebel soldiers TO shoot down Fed.
eral troops. Here be was handed a slip
OF paper informing him of the dastardly
attempt to seduce the cOlorcd portion of his
audience from hearing him. He inquired
Of his hearers if any one present knew this
reptile that stranger as he was, he would
venture the assertion that he, too, was an
apostate Rebel, and that his displeasure to
Eebels could be traced back TO some disap-
pOintment at their hands. An ex-Rebel
present promptly rose up and testified that
the Doctor was candidate for 'Surgin" in
the 41th Tennessee regiment when it or
ganized. Never did a mortal receive such
a skinning operation as did this officious
individual at the hands of Cameron. The
laying he has received at his hands and
and Mr. Etheridge's, (who also had 10 pay
his respects 10 his presumptuousness,) will
not soon be forgotten by this apostate Reb.
and Radical committeeman. Mr.. 4. stated
that he had in his possession at the time a
lengthy letter of eight foolscap pages, which
he could read TO the crowd if the Doctor
denied it, urging him during the war to
abandon the Union cause raise a Rebel
brigade, and that he (the Doctor would
back hiln andaccept the position of Brigade
'Surgin"
Col. C.'s speech was listened to very at
tentively by his numerous hearers, a very
large number of whom were of the colored
class, and seemed 10 be delighted with this
" genuine live Yankee" who had served
during the whole war in the Federal army,
and produced a certificate of his honorable
discharge, when informed that the con-
trary was asserted, az stated above. Much
good was accomplished, notwithstand-
ing the insidious efforts of the Radi-
Gals TO counteract it, There were two
facts developed by the speaking on Friday
last. One was that Radical speakers are
determined to shrink from discussion of
the issues with any Conservative, and the
second was that their leaders will not listen
to Conservative speakers, nor suffer others
to DO so If they can prevent il. If the
Conservatives and the Rebels, whom they
villify so much, were TO adopt the same
policy, land why should they not retaliate p
their speakers would have precious slim
attendance.
The honorable Secretary (of war;, Mr..
Andrew Jinkins Fletcher the apostate
Rebel as Col. Cameron styled him-let
off the bile from his gizzard in the after
noon. He very oourteOusiy waited until
this hour, because he could not speak all
day, and he dreaded Cameron's following
after him. Accordingly, before Col. Cam
eron had quite finished speaking, he very
| p0iitelU had the courthouse bell rung as a
| signal for all 10 attend who wished 10 hear
| the disappointed Brigadier and acting
| Governor of Tennessee speak. And such
a speech il was He labored very hard to
| prove that Radicalism meant progression
in what was good and loyal, and that Con-
servatism was in opposition to it, and had
always adopted the ict-aione policy. He
travelled back TO the time of Adam, and
| tried 10 prove that Abel was Radical, and
| that Cain, who was the first murderer, was
a Conservative. Guess Abel subscribed
10 the tet alone policy when Cain was muir
dering him. After enumerating several
other instances equally as appropriate, in
sacred aud profane history, he came down
to the revolutionary war of the thirteen
colonies struggling for independence. lie
said that King George was Conservative
because he too acted on the let-dlOas princi.
pie; that the white people Of this cont
nent were once siapes-like you, my colorec
friends, said he, were few years ago
that King George wanted to keep them il
slavery, and wanted his laws governing
them TO be ie alone; but that our fore
mthers, such as Washington, Jefferson
! Hancock and Others, we're Radicals in thl
sirictest sense, and believed in progression
lie did not tell his audience thst thes'
same old heroes Of '76, when King George
cent his armies over 20 subjugate them
wanted TO be lei alone, and that Conservative
King George, radically urged upon them tax
atior without representation, and many othe
abominable measures, which Radicals g
the present day have adopted, such as In
quartering ofarmed bodies Of soldiers up
on them in time OF peace without their con
sent" etc, etc, against which odlOus des
pohsm, these old heroes and patriots ha'
r-e-b. e-ll-e-d and set up government {
their own, M which reasonable act the
! very graciously wished 10 be let Axiom,
But this admission on the part of fletche
as was The inference with intelligent mel
would have been very disastrous 10 hi
Radical theory. His speech could not hay