Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-24
GEN. FORREST.
What the Memphis COrrespOn-
dent Of the world Thinks
Of Him.
Frnm the 50 - World. Ieth inst |

From the New York World, 18th inst
To anv one who knows Gen. Forrest
the articles in the Radical press, stigma
tiziBg him as [" bloOdy-minded Tufflsn u
and many other terrible things, seem
simply absurd. The epithets with which
he is overwhelmed are too eXtravagsnt
and senseless to be dignified as calum-
MES, and would have no weight what
ever were it not for the Infamous effect
abroad, for which they are manufactured
and used by the enemies Of the South, in
the same spirit IN which the patriotism
OF other distinguished citizens is sought
to be deprecated and their loyalty to the
Federal Government impugned, by q
studied misrepresentation OF their EToWed
sentiments.
have In mind the report Of a recent
conversation between Gen. Forrest and 8
correspondent OF the Cincinnati CONNER
cidI, which has been magnified into great
importance and scattered broadcast as q
compaign document against the South
ern wing of the Democratic party. The
conversation, however, which the Gen
eral positively AYERS occupied scarcely
five minutes OF time, and must 1ecessa-
rily have been highly embellished, SIS
well as badly gArbied, is, after all, a
very harmless and very unimpOrtant af-
fair.
1t only betrays the frank, ingenious,
impulsive character Of citizen. unfS-
miliar with the artifice Of politics and
far above its baser uses, who saw no harm
and apprehendsd no " confidence swim
die In the statement of his views as TO
affairs in Tennessee; views which accord
very nearly with those Of the Democratic
party at large, and which can be tortured
into reasonable or revolutionary dsclera-
tious only by meaDly criminal falsit-
cation.
1 am 30 apologist for Gen. Forrest, but
il were perhaps wiser ct this juncture Of
sffairs that be should remain politically
silent. He was q capable General, un-
tiring in duty self sacrificing in devotion,
swift and fearless In execution, but the
strstagems Of the political canvass are
unlike those Of the battlefield, the scout
or the foray, and question the wisdom
Of his taking the field against an sdver-
sary whose mode Of warfare is so treach-
erous and cowRrdly as that OF the RAdi-
cal party. Like Governor Harris and
Gen. Pillow, whom the same itinerant
eaves-dropper approached On his recent
visit to Memphis, Forrest might also have
maintained the respectful silence which
says with All the force Of language, " We
have no opinions which we are afraid or
ashamed to utter, but we hsve every Tea-
son in the world to dislTusE and despise
the Radical emissaries who are sent
South to manufacture capital for the party
North, and we know TO Oralcertsinty
that what you report OF Us will be but
tissue Of unblemished fOrgeries that you
only come upon the foul errSnds OF false
hood, and that the reputation of no hon.
eet man Is safe for 5 moment in your
kAnds.n
This much or less would have suficsd
but when q man Of Gen. Forests frank
ness, and truthfulness, and sense OF
honor, descends to psrley with the eres-
lures whom the Radical press keep trot-
ting about the Southern country TO fslsify
for so much column, he must expect TO
be placed IN q false attitude before the
country, and be made to come of second
best ia the interview.
I know Forrest peTsOnally-hRve
known and watched his conduct since
the surrender. l know him 10 be a
quiet, orderly, industrious, trustwor-
thy, sober minded and sober-hesded Cit
zsn. l believe the Federal Government
has no sinCerer friend. believe no man,
North or South, more hrdently desires q
Of peace, prosperity and na-
tiOnal unity. But that be is bitterly op-
posed to I g oppressive administration
under which the State of Tennessee is |
now groaning almost In despair, admits |
OF no doubt, and ought not TO admit Of |
any. His candor OF expression only |
hostility which the intel |
ligence and worth Of the Stale have |
been driven to cherish by Aceumu- |
latsd grievances. That there is g |
secret organization ready and sworn upon |
to defend the citizens OF the |
State against unlawfEl aggression, seems |
to be admitted. But although tyranny |
is apt to breed conspiracies, | have the |
best reasons TO believe thst this Organl-
z .tion is in no sense seditious, but sim |
ply q means OF defense which may pos |
sibly be called upon 10 save the lives, the |
and the honor Of tax bur- |
dsDed and Ostracised people, when the |
full hour of forbesrsnce has elapsed. So |
sat while the eXpediency OF Gen. For |
rests allowing himself to be brought pO-
Iitically before the public may possibly |
be questioned, IL cannot be contrOyerted |
that he is at heart an honest citizen Of |
rood report, who has uniformly urged /
submission 10 the laws and fidelity to /
he government, ct the same time that /
ne regards the principles and practices of |
The Radical party in Tennessee with an /
adherence which he takes no pains to /
conceal, but which be shares Ia common |
with every Conservative citizen OF the /
state and every well-Wisher Of her do /
nestic tranquility.