The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-12-19
THE PAST AND PRESENT

| IL -
The Return of Governor Harris-Rchec
tio,w of Tennessee Unionist on th'
Causes of His Exile, and the Condition
of Affairs ON His Return-A Striking
Retrospect.
from the Nashville Correspondent OF th'
st. Louis Republican,
Tn former letter | mentioned tho
return of Gov. I5ham G, Harris to tht
State of Tennessee; in this, retrospec
tive glance at his character as a poiiti
clan, with conjecture as to the posi-
ton he may occupy upon the page o
impartial history, may not be out o
place, or without interest TO th1 rcaa'
ers of the RepuJlicon. What nave t1
say on this subject is founded on tp'
facts hnown to your correspondents no
relqted--facts which no candid ma!
will deny, be he ever so prGju"lccu
Careless observers who look upol
events happening in Tennessee and II
the South from q standpoint far Owe
the borders Reconstruction may fancy
that the day on which Harris enlere,
thls State as a returned. exile, ani
"gavc himself up to Wm. G. Brown
low. in The State capitol, was q grea
dov orhuNiliation to sccc3s!onIsts, "h'
Of proud satisfaction to UnlonlstS
Careful observers from home stand
point in the light Of facts which can
moi be denied, see Just the reverse
They see pyramids, Of shame casting
their shadows over honest Union men
They see the blush Of confusion upoi
the faces Of such mcn-not because
'hey lave done anything themselves o
which they are ashamed, or because
their thoorics, at the inception OF the
rebellion. OF the eject it would have
won the South, have not been thor
oughly verified by facts but because
the sins OF pretend Union5ls' against
Heaven and in their sight, are suc!l as
would cause felons to blush, II the}
were committed in the name OF lelohs
While the mischicfs Of sectional poi
itics were threatening the country viii
war, Gov. Harris as u politician, was
m object Of special dislike among
Unionists. Though his course nigh
have been the result Of honest convIc
ton, they thought it extremely yioien
and iaiudieious. Many OF the iniidcn
tial men Of the State, who aFter"2rd
were constrained to become Rebels
opposed him with bitterness in the car
lier days Of the struggle. Gov Il. wa
considered fire eater--was even chat
acterlzel as an incendiary. And yet
what do we now find? We fad tina
tic most violent speeches Of laham 6
Harris, delivered to the people OF iei
nc5see, and the most exciting passage
contained in his messages on the ey
of Southern insurrcctiOn, read now
the sunlie ht Of subsequent history, b
come fearful prophecies. I'ay, tht
have been more than iultiiled--Nnd t1
end is not yet. ,,
: Gov Harris told the people that Il
Republican party sought to liberia
their slayes--to deprive them OF pro-
, crty for which they hNd palu MIiIloli
/ without allowing them cent o! con
f pensation. The UnlohIs-S h"iie-! D"l
the charge as caIumn} upon tA"t pa
ty. They disapproYea I'S 0esIGn9' D.
this was not among mem: Aua e'S
the New York lrs0""e Mdof5eo u
? disclaimer. GOV, hafrIs went l"fthe
} and proclaimed that thc tendency
| the Republican party he persisteo
calling it Jl0ch Republican pNrty--ol
he not wei in SO rcrS'stlil8 =! was
bring the negro into poiltIc"l equailt
with the white people especIaliy IN u
, Southern States. By many aIilaD
Tennessee unionl8ts-~ana py some NJ
| so amiablo, yonfcorrespohoeht anon
! thom--tAis teaching OF COY. H. w
, thought to he outrageous misrePIeaei
/ tation, whether wiling or HhWl!l!nj
2 And when they so Proclaimed 1T no
: thcrn, Republicans of the highest 5tau
. inc in that party indorscd their denl9
GOV. Harris was still more "atrocious
: h. CHARGED that the teachings Of Blac
F.. Repubicanism tended to bring she n
y or6 into social equality with the viii
Taoule. | remember well how angl
:. Ilemcu, Of mild temperament, who COZ