The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-04-11
From the Rome Courier.
BILL ARP ON THE SITUATION.
ROME, BIG SHANTY TERRITORY,
No. 3. March 9Th, 1867.

M,. Editor-My intention was tt
have remained in dignifed obscurity
the small remnant Of my miserable
days, but my friends, Bob Hide. San
McCracken, Tip and other respectable
gentleman of all sexes and colors
seems to be desheveled about the times
and insist on my views about the mo
mentous state of our suffering country
The good people in Atlanta have go
shaky in the knees, aud it is the duty
of every good citizen to keep the disease
from spraadin if he can. [ haven't been
to Washington, nor been playing scnti
mel on the watch tower, but my obser-
vations convinces me there is power Of
fuss on hand about something. Politics
look sqnally and alarming. Bill Sher-
man overrun the country and destroyed
and carried away our property, and
now his brother John is fnishin up the
job, Robin us of the rights and
liberties our forefathers won. General
Thomas is playing yantoun with his 2l
orders-puttin harmless boys in the
borracks for tableauin with an old rebel
aag-accusing us of all the crimes in
the decalogue such as murder, rape,
larceny, arson, burglary, bigamy, per-
jury aud suicide, THROWN up in our
teeth the m,agnimity ofour EcOnQucrOrs,
as bein our safety valve from death and
Belzebub. Good gracious. What an
awful people we are.
But my friends we've got nothing to
be ashamed or. Since the wal our pur-
suits have been peaceful and honorable.
We. needn't humilate ourselves through
fear of what mankind can do to US. If
the Radicals intend to confscate us, they
will do it, and no acceptance ofSherman's
bill will prevent it. If they want our
cabbages, they are going to have 'em. If
they will ride over one law, they will
over another. If they disregard Mr..
Johnson's great argument, they will
disregard anything. l don't know how
it is generally, but there amt an unpar-
doned Rebel in this country, and if they
confscate they have got to declare the
pardons all void. Nobody knows what
they won't do, OF when they will quit
doing it, and my advise is to suffer and
be strong, endure everything and accept
nothing.-All is lost save honor hold
up yonr manhood, don't lick the hand
that's raised to strike the blow. Joe
Browns banner says all is lost save
honor, and that is only tolerable I thank
you, it grows ponny and weak He
says we can have representation in Con-
gress. Who by? A man who can
take the test oath and control the nig9
ger vote. Who wants such representa-.
ton? How long before he would jine
the Radicals and go in for confscation.
If he controlled the niger vote he'd
promise 'em land or anything else.
Demagogues have always controlled the
ignorent whites, demagogues will con-
troll the ignorant blacks. Who controls
the nigger influence in Tennessee ?
Why, Brownlow and his party Tennes-
see has done just what Joe Brown wants
us to do, and now look at her and weep! a
nigger candidate running for Governor.
But suppose we had representation
and elected all good men, tair men, just
men, what could they do for us Just
nothing at all. With the present Radi.
cal majority all our votes wouldn't undo
anything that has been done, and with
a Radica. President they could do as
much as they pleased. Just let them
all alone, give 'em rope, more rope
history is repeating itself, the crisis will
come some time, tyranny and oppression
must run its course. Joe Browns
won't stop it One of his
made my head swim, l felt
like taking cloroform. lie would make
the whole Yankee nation believe that
We loved 'em like brothers, ami wanted
EN- to come out South and let us hug
'em. Well, all that sort of stuff is played
out, There amt hundred men in the
State that has any more respect for a
Radical than a hyena, Joe Brown knows
it. But the good Lord knows our
hearts, and how fondly we cling to those
moderate men of the mighty North who
would save us from the humiliation that
awaits us. Let kind word be spoken
10 a subjugated Reb, and the warm
blood quickens in the veins.
Oh, but here, the Union Leagues,
somebody says, what are they going to
10 with us ? Never mind, my friends,
he Union Leagues aint agoin to hurt
they are made Of flesh and
blood like we are, and they are citizens,
md their fate will be our fate. They
ire as much disgusted at Sherman's bill
Is anybody.-They are our Leighbors
md our friends, aud if there is any bad
men among 'em there is enough Of the
good to make 'em do right, So keep |
Iuiet and be easy, and the Union
Ieaguers are not going to trouble you
f they want to save their own, it don't
ollow that they want to steal yours.
But Joseph is afraid we can; stand a
military government. We'll, know
is humilating, witherin, crashing, but
ve have stood II cnd can try il awhile |