Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-11-06


severed the ties Of early association to
ally himself with opposing enemies
These new found friends he soon de-
serted In o shameful manner.
Then a Democrat, upon removal
to Missouri the darkest chapter Of his
life begins. Meeting I'm his new home
with all the warmth ofSouthern hos
pitality, this free, easy, artful man Of
the world, soon won his way to the
heartsof that people. Oldgray head
ed men looked upon him with pride.
Young men looked up to him as the
very ideal Of perfection, and listened
to his words as to an oracle. The
storm cloud of war began to rise.---
Missouri became agitated. Her peo
pie prepared for war, and repaired TO
her capital. Foremost among them
as a leader encouraging and urging
them, was the same Judge PETER
who, when they were gathered at the
capitol, helped to organize and drill
them. The people returned to their
homes, to be ready, however, at q mo-
ments warning, to assemble.
From o reliable source the writer
has learned that about this time
Judge PETER determined to remove
his family North among his friends
1 for safety, and then return to the
Southern armies. He succeeded in
the former, but not the latter. At
this time letter was received by the
family of the writer, either from the
Judge or his wife, In which he stated
that he could not fight I'm war be-
tween brethren, and that In order to
avoid 1t he would very soon be with
US to cousel upon his future course
That letter was at that time dang
erous document, and was destroyed
as soon as read. Feeling the most
implicit confidence in the sincerity of
an uncle whom we did not know
then as well as now, we sent reply,
but It failed to reach him until under
the pressure he had enlisted. The
only notice the letter received, was
an insulting reply, penned in style to
deceive his officer through whose
hands 1t had TO pass.
At the close Of the war he settled
In Tennessee, become almost at once
aleading man, and as the champion of
the rebels, won their confidence
Among the number Of his warmest
friends friends who were true to the
core until he betrayed them scarce
three months since, were Generals
Hornherger and w. A. Quarles,
Colonels Smith and Baily, G. A Hen
ry, Tennessee. Senator IN the Confed-
crate Congress at Richmond, and Mr..
House, Representative from Tennes-
see, in the same body. After the d.
vision between the President and
Congress he sustained johnson in al
most all his acts, only finding fault
in hisopposition. Two years ago this
same man, who Is now here dealing
out his honeyed words to radicals, and
denouncing Democrats and the people
Of Tennessee, was sent on a canvass
ing tour through portion ofTennes-
see, By men who fought in Southern
armies and sat In council at Rich
mond. Just short time before this
the Hon. Cave johnson, perhaps at
that time the most influential man in
the State, paid visit to the office of
Judea PETER. That old man whom
the Judge had before described to us
as being In his estimation one of the
purest, loftlest, grandest men that he
ever knew, left what proved his
death-bed to call upon Judge Peffer,
to concoct measures for the future
welfare Of Tennessee and her people.
That gray haired aged man received
the most solemn assurance Of fidelity
to his people from man who Is doing
his utmost to injure them. o shame,
hast thou left the hearts of men p
That was two years ago.
At that time our whole country was
fearfully agitated. Rumors of a fear
full strife about to rise between the
rival parties In the North were daily
received. We almost felt that cities
and homes were already In flames
A call from the President for troops
was expected. A determination to
rush to the rescue of the Northern
Democracy In case of need was un-
doubtedly felt. In the opinion of the
writer, in such case, the whole
South would have risen at a moment.
This Judge PETER advised the writer
In case such thing should occur to
organize, under any call of that ma
ture from President johnson, regi-
ment Of cavlary, and lead them to the
assistance Of his Northern friends
When We told him that We certainly
could not stand idly by when the
wave of destruction would be passing
over them, yet that we did not under
stand any system of tacticts, this
man, who is now carressed by the Re-
publicans, said that he would drill us,
and help to oragnizc and drill our men.
He even went farther and said that
he would lead armies himself for the
same purpose.
Before this we heard him say re-
peatedly that were he possessed of the
necessary means, he could not refrain
from coming to Indina to meet Brown
lows tools, deny their assertions, and
state true condition of affairs In the
South, and to canvass the State I'm
favor of Democracy, but Judge PETER
says THAT was nearly two years ago"
Grant that, but let us enquire little
further Hardly a year ago Judge
Peffer was "rebel" candidate for the
Tennessee Legislature, and was beat
en- only by the negro vote, and as n
consequence he Is now upon that side.
Honest men of both parties can read
lily see how the land lies. Power
place, and plunder areall In the hands
of the negro with which to reward
bis friends, The miserable nothing
that remains to a conquered people Ii
all that the native white population
Of the South have left to bestow upon
theirs.
We are not however left to mere
conjecture. AT the Nashville Con-
vention but few months ago held
for the purpose Of sending delegates
to the New York Convention Judge
PETER voted In favor Of sending men
OF his own class TO New York. Ten
nesseee, however did not wish to be
represented there by mere upstairs
and adventures She sent men who
had been born on her soil, and whom
she knew could be trusted, men who
had never wnvnred I'm their davnIinii