Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-03-29
"RECONSTRUCTION."
Opinions OF Bill Arp on Georgia, J0l
Brown, Pap Thomas and the
Sherman Bill.
From the Rome Courier.
ROME, Bro SHAsrY TER, No. 3. I
| March otb l26T


RoxE, Bro SHASrY TER, No. al
March 9th, 1867.
Mr.. EDITOR My intention was TO hate
remained in digni6ed obscurity the small rem
nant of my miserable days, but'my friends Bob
Hide, Sam McCrackin, Tip, and other respect
able gentlemen of all sexes and both colors,
seem to be dissheveled about the times, and
insist on my views about the momentous
state Of our sutfern country. The good peo-
pie Of Atlanta have got shaky, in the knees,
and 1t is,the duty Of every good citizen to
keep the disease from spreadin If they can.
| hav'nt been to Washington, nor been play
in sentinel on a watchtower but my obser-
vation convinces me ther is powerful fuss
on hand about something. Politics look
squally and alarmin. Bill Sherman overrun
the country and destroyed and carried away
our property, and now his brother John Ia
finishing up the job by robbin US Of the
rights and liberties our forefathers won.--
General Thomas is playin Vantoun with his
2l orders-puttin harmless boys in the bar
racks for tableauin with an old rebel flag
accusin us of all the crimes in the deca-
logue such as murder, larceny, rape, arson,
burglary, bgamy, perjury, and suicide,
throwin up in our teeth the magndnimity Of
our conquerorc, as bein our salty valve from
death and Beelzebub. Good gracious! what
an awful people we are And now comes
Joseph the sentinel, with his long wnded
message Of consolation telling us how we
may flee from the wrath to come--sb eerin
the people 70 death, and gettin every thing
in stew. What made him in such hurry2
why didn't he keep silence for few days,
until the veto was signed, and the bill was
passed? Why dident he give Mr.. Jinkins a
chance? If the times was so perilous, why
dident be 60 and see Mr.. Jinkins, and give
him his opinion in private and save all this
excitement; Mr.. Jenkins is the Governor -
he is the sentinel on the watchtower; he is
the pilot of the old ship; he's the peoples
choice. He can call the Legislature when il
is necessary. If be is in doubt about II, he
can consult with Lumpk in and Cobb, .Hnd
Hill, and Cooper, and Hardeman Gibson
and Brown, and decide what ought TO b,
done, and the people will be satisfied. Blu
while the ship is in storm let all the deck
hands keep silence. The word will come
from the Captain soon enough.
May be that Joseph feels sorter responsible
for the fix he's got us in. May be he's re-
pentn for the didos he cut up, and the seed
of dscord he sowed during the war; but
doubt it. don't think his ambition or hi
vanity sees anything but his own importance
1t looks like he thought the Capital was NOV
ed to Atlanta and he was Governor still =
He's afraid the people will think he's dead
and just as soon rs a big thing happens, an,
| little before he clutches the occasion
sezes the opportunity, delivers his message
stirs up the people, sets the Gate City in
ferment, and gets his name in the Heral'
and the Tribune. Joe Brown, whale,
big leader, conspicuous, fame, history, MI
jenkins nowhere, Milledgevlle, gone up
Mr.. Joseph E. running the machine, in At
lanta
Well, don't know what is at the bottom
of all this, but ] am afraid that while Josep
was in Washington somebody carried hin
onto high mountain, and showed him
Kingdom or two, and he fell down and wor
shipped. These little Kingdoms that ma
sees sometimes from the top Of mountai
are highly demoralizing.
But notice that all this fuss which Jo
seph has kicked up Is confined to the town
and cities, where heap of folks live, VIII
haven't much Of anything TO do. The farm
ers don't know much about it and care less
the whole concern Is a God-send TO som
folks. know an old worn out politicia
who has been pokin round for six months
tryin to revive the Democratic party for
livin, and now he Is in his element Pariie
are formin and the old hack is in glory. II
is sorter like the New Era as yet-he won
Join issue, he wont commit himself, he
keepin an open roar as the New Era says
Il wish that paper would take an astringent.
But my friends We have got nothing to b
ashamed Of.
Since the war our pursuits have bee
peaceful and honorable. We need mt hr
initiate ourselves through fear Of what hr
mankind can do to US. If the Radicals In
tend To confscate us they will do it, and n
acceptance Of Sherman's bill will prevent !
IL they want our cabbagcs they are going
have 'em. If they ride over one law the
will ovet another. II they disregard NJ
Johnson s great argument they will disr'
gard anything. don't know how it is ger
orally, but there amt an unpardoned reb
In this country, and If they confiscate the
have got to declare the pardons all void.-
Nobody knows what they won't do, or VIII.
they will quit doing 1t, and my advice is
suffer and be strong, endure everything an
accept nothing. All is lost save honor
Hold up your manhood. Don't lick III
hand that's raised to strike the blow. Jt
Browt's banner says, "all is lost save hor
or, and that is only tolerable thank you,
grows puny and weak He says we Gu
have representation in Congress. Who by
| A ho salg On
control the niger vote. Who wants sue
representation? How long before he wou
jine the Radicals and go in for con6scation
If he controlled the niger vote he'd promil
EN- land or anything else. Demagogh
have always controlled the ignorant white
and demagognes will control the ignoral
blacks. Who controls the niger iniiuen,
! in Tennessee why, BrowuloS and his pa
, ty. Tennessee has done inst what j
Brown wants us TO do, and now look at h
, and weep niger candidate runnin Il
Governor.
. /. But suppose We Ind representation al
had elected all good men, just mcn, wh
r could they do for us2 Just nothing at a
: With the present Radical majority all o,
, votes wouldn't undo anything that has be,
done, and with a Radical President III,
could do ms much more as they pleased. Ju
let EN- all alone, give 'em rope, more rop
q history is repeating itself the crisis will cou
some time, tyranny and oppression must r,
: its course Joe Browns programme wor
: stop H. One Of his resolutions made n
=, head swim. felt like taking chlofoform..
: He would make the whole yankee nation b
!. lieye we loved 'em like brothefs, and war
= ed EN- to come out South and let us hug el
= Well, all that stuff is sorler played out
" There aint hundred men In the State III
!, has any more respect for Radical than
hyena, and Joe Brown knows IL. But Il
good Lord knows our hearts and how fon
y we cling 10 those moderate men of I
North who KNnnld snYa ns frnhn the htfniill