Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-24
WHAT Is A REBEL ?

Inc FeDeHlOn-WnuJ was II Rebel
what did he dO2 These terms are ia
miliar to the lips Of Radicals, and issue from
them hot and kissing They are, however
grossly misapplied If the action Of the
people Of the Southern States in attempting
to establish a separate and Independent
government on a portion of the territory
under the jurisdiction of the United
States, was rebellion at all, it was a re-
hellion against the constitution Of the
United States and resistance to the an
thOrity Of that instrument and only that
is what constitutes every man guilty Of
it, a Rebel There was, there can be no
rebellion against anything else 1t is the
only thing that gave existence to any
authority in this land That rebellion
has ceased on the part of those who are
so fippantly denounced as Rebels 1t
only ceased under cOmpulsion; but that
makes no matter in a practical point Of
view. 1t has ceased, and that should be
enough Not the most blatant Radical,
North or South, can truthfully deny that
it has ceased, and there is not an intelli-
gent man among them who does not know
that the men to>day villifed rs "Rebels,"
are willing, ready, nay anxious and be
seeching to come under the rule of the
constitution. They know that they are
no longer Rebels.
But these gentlemen have set up an
other standard Of authority and it is
against that that the Southern people
and their Conservative friends are ar
raigned as rebelling Ii is Northern
ideas, wishes and purposes. 1t is de-
manded that the Southern people shall
accept as political gospel, a species of
Federalism that would have shocked the
elder Adams, and Ames and Pickering
that they shall consent to convert this re
publican government, composed of equal
and Independent States in their spheres,
into government in no essential differ.
ing from a monarchy; that they shall
adopt the views of a certain party, almost
confined to the Northern section, in re-
gard to questions Of economy and la
Dor; that they shall abandon every opin-
ION respecting their own rights and in
terests; acknowledge that the never held
a correct view of any matter concerning
their political privileges or industrial
operations; that they shall in matters Of
principle and detail, submit to what
ever may be set over them by
the Republican party. As long as
they refuse to obey implicitly the
dictation Of the leaders Of that party,
they are to be held as Rebels. In
short, political party is dominant in the
Legislative branch of the general govern
ment, and in a majority of the State gov
ernments, and pronounces everybody
Rebel that will not support its men
and measures The term used in its
legitimate sense against the Southern
people, is willful calumny and no amount
of personal responsibility in its utterer
relieves it from this character 1t is a
vile Islander to call men Rebels who are
obeying the laws and paying this taxes
1t is monstrous usurpation and tyranny
to deny them their equal rights under the
government, to which they give their moral
and material support 1t is despicable
demagoguery to play upon past issue to
excite prejudice More than all this, it |
is impossible to sustain party founded |
on a ialseheod so palpable
The Conservatives of this nation, who |
are the majority of the people, are Rebels
against the Radical party They intend |
to overthrow it. The struggle may pro-
duce terrible CONFUSION; but they do |
not intend to permit radicalism to call |
itself the government, and overawe oppo-
8ition by denouncing every man who /
raises a voice aaanst it, as a Rebel ]
They regard radicalism as rebellion
against the government, and hold them
selves to be its only true friends This
8 the issue, and it is to be fought out, no
natter what the consequences An old
roman Senator concluded every speech
n the councils of that republic with one
entence-" Carthage must be destroyed
every Conservative must know one pur-
lose in the matter of rescuing this gov
rnment from danger and restoring po-
itical liberty, and make it the maxim of
ms life until it is accomplished RAD
aiism must be hurled from po1cer.