The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1868-09-18


ono of them would ever get out of this
town alive. We don't intend they shall
ever get out of the country. But i want
it distinctly understood that / am OPP
posed to any war, and win only fight in
seIf-defense. If the militia attack us,
we will resist to the last, and if necessa-
ry, think I could raise forty thousand
men in five days, ready for the field"
'sDo you think, General, that Kuklux
have been any benefit to the State !"
s.No doubt Of it. Since its orgaLiza-
ton the Leagues have quit killing and
numbering our people. There were some
foolish young men who putmasks on their
faces and rode over the country, frighten-
ing negroes; but orders have been issued
to stop that, and it has ceased. You
may say further, that three members of
the Kukiux have been court-martialcd
and shot for violations OF the orders not
to disturb or modest the people,"
care you member of the Kuklux,
General 7"
81 am not; but am in sympathy and
will cooperate with them. / know
they are charged with many crimes that
they are not guilty of. A case in point
is the killing of Bierfeld, at Franklin a
few days ago. I sent a man up there es-
pecially to investigate the case, and re-
port to me, l have his letter here now in
which he states that they had nothing to
do with it as an organization"
"What do you think of negro suf-
frage 7" :,
81 am opposed to it under any and all
circumstances and in our convention
urged our party not to commit them
selves at all upon the subject. If the
negroes vote to enfranchise US, do not
think I would favor disfranchisment.-
We will stand by those who help US
And here want you to understand dis
tinctly, am not an enemy to the negro.
We want him here among us he is the
only laboring class we have, and more
than that / would sooner trust him than
the white scalawag or carpet-bagger.--
When / entered the army took forty
seven negroes into the army with me,
and forty-fve of them were surrendered
with me. I said to them at the start
This fight is against slavery; if we lose
it, you will be made free; if we whip
the fight, and you stay with me and be
good boys, I will set you free. In either
case you will be Free Those boys
stayed with me, drove my teams, and
better Confederates did not live"
"Do you think the Kuklux will try
to intimidate the negroes at the cleo
ton 7"
81 do not think thoy will. Why, ]
made speech at Brownsville the other
day, and while there Lieutenant, who
served with me, came to me and inform
ed me that band of radicals had been
going through the country claiming to
be Kuklux and disarming the negroes
and then selling their arms. | told him
to have the parties arrested"
"What do you think is tho effect Of
the amnesty granted to your people 2"
~ believe that the amnesty restored
all the rights to the people, full and com.
plete. l do not think the Federal Gov
eminent has the right to disfranchise
any man, but believe that the Legis-
latures of the States have. The objec.
ton that have to the disfranchisemen
in Tennessee is, that the Legislature
which enacted the law, had no Constitu'
tional existence, and the law, in itself, is
anullity. Still would respect it unit
changed by law; but there is a limit
beyond which men cannot be driven
and / am ready to die sooner than sacri-
flee my honor. This thing must have
an end, and it is now about time for that
end to come"
"What do you think of Gen. Grant n
/ asked.
~ regard him as great military
commander, good man, honest and lib
eral, and if elected will, | hope and be-
lisve, execute the law honestly and
faithfully. And, by the way, a report
has been published in some of the pa
psrs, stating that while General Grant
and lady were at Corinth, in 1862, they
took and carried off, furniture and other
property. / here brand the author as
liar. I was at Corinth only a short
time ago, and personally investigated
the whole matter, talked with the people
with whom he and his lady lived while
there, and they say that their conduct
was every thing that could have been
expected of gentleman and lady, and
deserving the highest praise. | am op-
posed to General Grant in every thing,
but | would do him justice"
The foregoing is the principal part of
my conversation, and | leave the reader
to form his own opinions as to what