The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-05-30

rcnegades to pile up the faggots of sgi-
> tation, to light the fires OF faction, 10
throw little, men, bigots, marauders
and montcbanks on top. We behold
! simply the jackal crowd around the
s wreck of that which was good, valua.
bic and great, hoping to prevent the
work ofpeace, and to stuff themselves
while better men arc striving to save
the country. The wreck was a great,
sad one. 1t has been mado by four
years of carnage. passion and persist
cncc. The inexorable laws Of force
. against force prevailed at last, and
good citizens rejoiccd. They were
glad the struggle was overall were
glad of it--braye soldiers in contending
armies-loving wives at home--chil-
dren and maids, all, all except the
camp follower and contractor, the fat
cxtortioner and the lean and hungry
thief. Especially were the friends of
constitutional government rcjoiced.
They saw in peace hope-in cessa-
ton Of strife the glimmer Of a new day
and a glorious era. But, unhappily
tor Tennessee, the wreck of what was
great and good fell not into the hands
of conscientious and God fearing men.
1t fell among wreckers, whose only
aim was plunder and grandeur. And
no wonder that these little persons,
hoping merely r.1 VII. ..,..
ITO strut and fret .t
Their little hourupon the stage"
had evinced the spirit Of Massaporte
and Massabramc, proclaiming laws in
bad English, dealing out insolcnce
from behind camp regulations, and as
suming the prctcnsions of statesmen,
heroes, philosophers, orators, poets
and commanders, upon no better pa
pers than rebel commissions that they
had violated, and political promissory
notes they never intend to pay. Ap-
plause, ..,.
THE TENNEsSEE RADICAL CHARNEL- HOUSE.
propose to review the history of the
revolutionary despOtism which has in
creased its proportions among US, and
grown fat and sensual by feeding off It's
own vices and your obedience. Unless
you have the rank, miasmic stomach of Il
Tennessee or Missouri Radical. take out
your dlsinfectants and 90 with me through
the BrOwnlow charnel-house. 1t is as d
hospital that is heaped with the dead and
dying, unWaShed and uncared for, without
attendants or water, or the needs of decen-
cy, and our visit must be accompanied by
the wonder and disgust of medical stu
dent called for the first time to witness the
hideous scenes Ofhis profession. .,.
TIE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.
What is the condition of our country at
the present? Look ut it. States blOttcd
out of existence by acts of Congress; mill
tary governments created under arbitrary
power; pecuniary Indebtedness, State and
national, beyond compare. The debt of
the nation is to-day greater than that of
Russia, Austria, Holland and France COM
bined. The debts of the State are incalcu-
liable. 1t is true that this is local contest,
but it Is well informing our domestic plans
to take notice of these things, and mere
ly make u running resume Of them In pas.
sing to complete this link, between the ar
guments OF our duties and requirements of
Tennessee and our duties and requirements
us ClblLCIlS VI IuC SulICu pCtstcSs ........ &
AND OUR STATE IN PARTICULAR.
I hasten to return to our own State.
And what have we here? A free cOnstl-
tutiOnal government based upon the con-
sent of the governed? An equal and Just
fabric giving protection to all men, exclu-
sive privileges to none? 0 No sirs, no! We
have the very reverse. The pyramid has
been turned upside down. The base is |
made to rest upon all apex, and hundred
and twenty thousand freemen bade to wait !
upon the will and pleasure of few men
pointed out by few leadcrs--the masses,
in other words, are carried whittier they
know not on the narrow backs of Stokes |
and BrOwnlow. [Checrs. It is but tenn
pOrarv boon lenjOy. l am give but q little
while to speak these things. ! only speak
them now upon the reluctant consent Of|
those who have made you slaves, and ] may
be allowed, perhaps, to cOntinve until Au-
gust. shall continue SO long as am free
to go and come, so long ~ am in strength
and health. But there Is no freedom in the
East or in the West except rs is granted
first rs a master and then through vice.
roys owing allegiance, depending solely
upon the fact that you are slaves and that
you know and feel that you are.
TIE PREMISE AND THE ARGUMENT.
IpropOsc, fellow citizens, to speak plain
10 and to all men alike, for all are equal
now, or should be equal, before the laws of
their country. I propose to give every
white man In the State his rights as free
man equal with the black man, and to give
the black man no more rights, and no few
or rights than belong to the white man.
To ask more than we are willing to give is
pofkhav ~. ts nor itat an1 IN roftco t,,
neighbOrs privileges we have ourselves is
rank despOtism and meanness. would be
dog to ask for mOre--I would be slave
to take less. Yl SO .ss ...
TIE STATE GovERNMEST.
Let us 90 back and review the history
of this State government. How was 1t
created? You all remember that prima-
ry meeting met ut Nashville In January,
1866, and there christcned itself cOnven-
tion. Among other things it amended the
constitution and put general ticket In
the field for Governor and members of the
Legislature. On this general ticket were
men who were not citizens of the State
men who never saw the districts and
counties they proposed to rcpresent--inen
from Paducah. the United States army,
and the Lord knows where. Well, they
WCIC CbCceOuS VI SOuiSCs UcCitusc tlcEc WAS
no opposition and mot many voters, and
when they first assembled were COnserya-
tive. Soon after came tile surrender.
Grant with his innumerable host over
whelmcd the lcgiOns of Lee. Sherman
with an avalanche swept upwards from
the sea thrOughtn CarOlinas. The terms
that were offered were honorable terms,
made and accepted by honorable meil, and
they smOOthed ut once the wrinkicd front
of grtm-yisaged war. Grant refused the
sword Of lee; Sherman shook the open
swordless palm Of johnston; and hostile
melted into peaceabie citizenship. And
just here, when the soldiers were about
laying aside their passions and their arms,
these Tennessee heroes, soldiers. patriots
and statesmen took them up. Grant had
merely said "Obey the laws" Sherman
had simply said 60 home and cease fight