The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1868-01-10

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fund which lsham G. Harris carried
off TO the horses, cattle, hogs, wheat,
bacon, he'd clothing, aye, and tho
wearing APPAREL Of our wives and
little ones Why sir, if there ever
was q rogue's gallery it was during
the rebellion, when rebels stole every
thing they could place theft hands
upon down to button and pin, yes,
those "brave boys in Gray" as the
gentleman from Smith says, did all
this and more. Look at John Nor
gans gang Of thieves as they fed
through the states Of Indiana and
Ohio, plpndeFing stables and stores
and when loaded with goods taken
from one store they would throw
them away, just to crafty their in
satiable desire TO steal, In robbinG
other stores. Why SOME OF theh
wers found with their bseeches pock-
cts cr4mbed with cheap horn buttons.
But to the point. The financial
condition of southerners goes to show
that the extesses of their large estates
over $4,000 is sufficient to accom-
plish all my resolution asks forj so
that those rebels OWNING less than
$4,000 worth Of pt6perty would not
be affected by il; and even the rich
rebels, the traitors who 60 In their
silks and fino furs and fare sump.
tuosly every day would havS $4,000
left; enough for dhy honest man to
live on with proper industry and
economy. And l consider it a light
punishment only to be REQUIRED TO
fork over the excess of teh thousand
dollars worth of property in paying
an enormous debt of thell' own con.
traction. But, sir. If it took the last
shirt from the back of every rebel /
would before God and men declare il
II measure Of justice They created
the debt; now let them pay t;yes,
Compel them to do it. Some may be
ready to say it would be hard to thus
strip them of their property. admit
that it would work a Hardship If it
were necessary TO sell out every 70
bel in order to pay the var debt.
But all ! have to say, is To repeat the
declaratith of tho wiss man -"the
way of the transgressOl 10 hard
Why, sir, how tiuch did the rebels
stake in the. Inauguration Of this war
upon tho UnionY They Btaked their
alI-their property ther honor and
their lives. Yes, sir, they staked the
last shirt, and now, if 1t is 'heces-
sary in paying off this huge %aF debt
Of thirty thousand millions let tho
officer of the law sell them for what
they wil'bring if it is only FIVE centS.
Having staked their all in defense Of
this unjust and wicked war, by which
they have impoverished tho govern.
rheht, bankrupt9d the country and
reduced to suffering, wiGowhood and
orphahage millions Of our once happy
and prdsberous citizens, let them come
up, zaelieods like and propose restora.
tioh, or rather The payment of just
debt, 80 far as creation Is concerned.
Then I might havS some confidence
sveh in rogues
But, Mr.. Speaker; we have q law
upon our statute books providing for
the confststion Of ths property Of
traitors. Why has this law not been
enforced suppose it Is because men
change. The laws of war as prac.
ticed by the United States in wars
with savage tribes has always been
that of cuntlscation. Has il not ever
been the practice Of the Govefhment
when tribe of savage Indians haged
war upon unoffonding citizens to whip
them out, just as it did tho rebels,
and then dispOssess them and confisi
cate their lands Let history speak
Now what tribe dt savages ever cat-
ried oh a more unjust, not 10 say aav-
age war than the southern ehivalry
did'P In their wars upon the frontier
settlements savageS burned houses.
turning women and children out 20
endtre the pelting storms. SO did re
bells, Savages pluhdered houses and
offered indignity to women. So did
rebels, pointing their bayOnets, and
threatening to shoot them down like
dogs Savages killed old men, wo-
men and children So did rebels. -
Savagss scalped many. So did rebslS,
at least they employed Indians to do
il for them. Did savages torture and
burn prisoners of warY What did the
rebels do in Arkansasl They placed
the bare feet of women, whhsb tus-
bands had fed to the Union lines, In
the Gre TO make them disclose here
money might be concealed. And who
has forgotten the triasacres Of Big
Laurel, N. G. and FL. Pillow, where
negroes were shot down after aurren.
dering and the w0tnded wero buried
alive Who did this ? Rebels.
And, Mr Speaker, this is tho class
ofmsn the gentlemen from Smith, in
his defense, would have shielded from
the demands Of justice. And no would
toach his tHildren's children to hate
and despias me because | claim Justice
for nv fa1Iuvv con ntrvu1efi. the fightn