The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-09-11
THE CRISIS AT HOME.
Views of Gen. Forrest and Other

tons with A. j., with which the same
paper was filled some months ago. We
copy that portion in which Gen. Forrest
is the prominent feature. 1t will be
seen that the General is made to tell all
about the Kuklux, the number in this
State and in the South, objects of the
organization, etc, and then to say that
he does not belong to the ORDER but
sympathises with it. 1t is pretty lit
tie semiromance, and will no doubt
create profound sensation among the
broad-stern'd Solons" of the House
of Representatives, as Sam. Mercer in a
happy moment styled the radical fire.
eaters of that body. ...
Special Correspondence of the Cincinnati Com
mercial.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, August %.
To-day l have enjoyed big-talks"
enough to have gratified any of the IA
nous Indian chiefs who have been treat
ing with Gen. Sherman for the two past
then General Gideon j. Pillow and Co.
NCluOI VI. IluIllS. NI lllSb NlSlI
was to Gen. Forrest, whom | found at
his Office at o'clock this morning, hard
at work, although complaining of an
| illness contracted at the New York Con-
vention. The New Workers must be a
hard set indeed, for have not met a
single delegate from the Southern States
who has not been i'll ever since he went
there. But to General Forrest. Now
that the Southern people have elevated
him to the position of their great leader
and oracle, it may not be amiss to pre-
face my conversation with him with a
brief sketch of the gentleman.
can not better personally describe
him than by borrowing the language of
one of his biographcrs. "In person,
he is six feet, one inch and half in
height, with broad shoulders, full
chest and symmetrical, muscular limbs
erect in carriage, and weighs one hum
dred and eighty-five pounds dark gray
eyes, dark hair, mustache, and beard
worn upon the chin; Il set of regular
white teeth and clearly cut features; =
which, altogether, make him rather q
handsome man for one of forty-sevel
years of age.
Previous to the war-in lS52-he left
the business Of planter, and came tC
this city and engaged in the business Of
negro trader" in which traffic he
seems to have been quite successful
for, by 1861, he had become the owner
of two plantations a few miles below
here, in Mississippi, on which he pro-
duccd about a thousand bales of cotton
each year, in the meantime carrying or
the negro trading. In June, 1861, he
was authorized by Governor Harris tc
recruit Il regiment Of cavalry for the
war, which he did, and which was the
nucleus around which he gathered tho
army which he commanded as Lieu
tenant General at the end Of the war.
After being seated in his office, | said
General Forrest, L came especially tc
learn your views in regard to the con.
dition of civil and political affairs in the
State Of Tennessee, and the South gen.
orally. / desire them for publication il
the Cincinnati Commercial. | do moi
wish to misrcprescnt you in the slight.
est degree, and therefore only ask fol
such views as you are willing should
publish"
81 have not now,' he replied, "and
never have had, any opinion on any
public orpolitical sub ect which | would
object to having published. ! mean
what | say, honestly and earnestly, and
only object to being misrepresentcd.
dislike to be placed before the country
in false position, especially as | have
not sought the reputation which l have
gained"
replied: "Sir, I will publish only
what you say, and then you can not
possibly be misreprescntcd. Our peo.
pie desire to know your feelings to.
ward the General Government, the
State Government of Tennessee, tho
Radical party, both in and out of the
; State, and upon the question Of Negro
suffrage"
"Well, sir" said he, "whcn surren.
dered my seven thousand men III
1865, accepted parole, honestly, and
have observed it faithfully up to to-day
| have eounseled peace in all the spec
ches have made have advised my
people to submit to the laws of the
State, oppressive as they are, and uncon
stitutonal as ! believe them to be.
was paroled and not pardoned until the
issuance of the last proclamation O.
general amnesty, and therefore did mo-
think it prudent formc to take any &C,
tive part until the oppression of my
people became so great that they coulC
not endure it, and then | would be will
them. My friends thought differently
and sent me to New York, and / an
glad that went there"
"Then, | suppose, General, that yol
think the oppression has become Sc
great that your people should not lon
ger bear it,"
mo" he answered, "it is growing
worse hourly, yet l have said to thu
people, stand fast, let US try to right tn,
wrong by legislation. A few weeks age
| was called to Nashville to counse
: with other gentlemen who had beef
prominently identified with the caus,
of the Confedemcy, and we then Offered
pledges which we thought would b,
: satisfactory to Mr.. Brownlow and hi