The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-05-28
A Letter From Forrest.

We republish from the Memphis
appeal portions Of recent letter
from the pen of that man whose
name in history shall ever be most
conspicuously and UNANIMOUSLY con-
nected with the Fl. Pillow massacre.
He advises his co-workers in his
murderous deeds during the Rebel
lion, to not heed the request of the
cunning and willy Cops, who desire
them for appearance sake to remain
away from the National Convention.
He refuses to yield and to keep his
leprous carcass outside the Conven-
ton, as did Vallandingham and
Dean at the Philadelphia Conven-
ton, for the purpose of making q
pretended show of decency and 10y.
atty. He says they have been invit-
ed and as they are the true repre-
sentatives of the greater portion of
the constitution men of the States,
they mean to attend and have their
voice in the proceedings.
But let the letter speak for itself:
NASHVILLE, May Is, 1868.
Editors Memphis appeal:
GENTS: An influence is at work in
this State, as have discovered since
my departure from Memphis, to pre-
clude any participation by the late
Confederate soldiers in the coming
convention of the Democracy of Tenn,
to be held at Nashville on the 9Th of
June, aud in the National Democrat
ic Convention, to be held st New
York on the 4th of July.
It does not amount to q purpose to
arbitrarily do this thing; but it is felt
in efforts to induce every one who
took any part in the recent struggle
of the Confederacy for independence,
to decline attending at these assem-
blies upon pretended grounds Of ex-
pediency, and to submit the repre-
sentation Of Tennessee at New York
to men who we're known to be for
the Union.
Upon consultation with many of
my late associates in the war, have
concluded to advise against any fur
Their political emasculation Of our
selves in the party movements of the
State.
We are already sufficiently pro-
scribed in the Constitution and stat
utes which now govern the State,
against our consent, the prescription
Of which has, through the menda-
cious hostility of our legislative ene-
mics, been added too time and again,
until now we barely live under the
accumulated weight of disfranchise-
ment and oppression. Shall we su-
peradd, by our own action, to those
prescriptions and exorcisms of our
solves from all participation in the
assemblies of the State and National
Democracy, and publish to the world
q confession that we are too un.
worthy to intrude ourselves into the
councils of the party? The National
Democratic party, through its com.
mittee, have invited us to take part
in the Convention which is to Assem-.
bic at New York on the 4th of July.
1t prescribes no test osths, no qualifi-
cations dependent upon the part we
have taken in the late war, but, like
. true Constitutional party, it opens
it's doors and invites all who may
choose to come, without reference to
the past. To suggest, then, an an.
swer to 90 catholic an invitation, that
we, who are the true representatives
ofthe greater portion of the Consti-
ton men Of the States, feel ourselves
unworthy TO soil the deliberations of
that Convention with our presence,
would exhibit us in an attitude of
servile degradation, that trust we
have not reached as yet.
So far as am personally concern.
ed, ] have no desire to take any part