The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1869-02-12

many men around him who Werg driven out
Of the State, hunted through tie businesses
Of the mountains by day aud y night, rude-
iy driven from their fre.sidtys, their wives
and children, ard made outlaws in their own
counties for no crime, by tie very men who
now complain Of being olt ia tie cold,
Yes, they were driven over the mountains
into the States OF Kent Icky end North Caro-
lima : driven with IN ses, and told that they
never should retrr that this State could
contain bnt one sort of people, and that sOrt
shonld be rebel. This was the sort Of free
dom, this the sort Of tair play and brotherly
love they showed in their day of power. They
respected no mans rights they tolerated no
!res opinions. TO be suspected Of being lib
pr.l-minled was to be doomed to death, and
TO express y liberal or loyal sentiment was to
he exposed tv the bullets aud bayonets OF a
wild, half-sayage horde, whose only ednca-
Iion was hatred to freedom and enmity ofthO
United States government DO we repay
them back in kind2 ls t
Gentlemen ehnritably disposed, eitc for the
edihcatior Of the House, the mild and loving
doctrines of the Bible That same book also
saysi :" An eye tor an eye, and tooth for a
tooth" This is justice, although, severe
Justice, and by repson Of its severity, was
not visited upon those who call us cruel be-
canse we mve been mild, kind, charitable
pnd forbearing to them. We are not half so
dis courteous 10 them rs they have been to
nS, aud still il is hurled into our teeth that
VIZ act from prejudice. They demaud kind
treatment rs their due for having brought
war, with its conntess and shndGsring hor-
rors, upon US. They talk gospel and charity
with the blood of our young men still drip
ping from their fTgers. They preach peace
With the recollection still fresh in their and
our minds Of the atrocities which causeless
war produced. The horrd vision is still
clear on my memory Of their hosts Of guer-
rillas driving the boys of the peaceful valleys
of Fast Tennessee into An army that they de-
tested, and making them fight agaiust the
government they loved aud those who dared
even to protest were shot or stabbed to death,
and yet we are told that ice are full of preju-
dice and that the lepFous iehor Of sectional
hate hows from our tongues when we speak.
When the black clouds of war had blown
away, we would let by-gones be by-gones, ii
the effects of the war had blown away also,
but we cannot divest ourselves OF the con-
victiOn that some one is responsible for the
ruined dwellings, the broken hearte, the sor-
rowing widows and orphans, the vast maui
soleums of dead heroes gathered here and
there over the country, for the ruined COM
merce Of nation, and for d gigantic debt
which the horny hands Of the tuiIing poor
must pay. Yes, some one Ia responsible for
these things. That responsibility rests upon
the men who say that we act from prejudice.
The moment they wipe that responsibility
away that moment they shall have my voice
in favor OF enfranehisern0nt bet them give
life to the bones that bleached ON the battle
fields, let them restore to the nation and to
their friends four hundred thousand dead,
let them repair the social ruin they have
wrought, let them put the light of love and
happiness into the dim and tearfnl eyes Of
grleying parents, widows and orphans. Let
them build up anew our shattered natiOnal
commerce, let them pay the national debt,
and then ask the franchise. When they shall
have dohs these things, the responsibilities
Of the war will no longer rest upon them,
and they will have fair title 10 places of
honor and power in this country, aud they
will have some show o. reason on their side,
in taunting US with prejudice, il we econtinue
to rule them out But now, as the thing ex-
lists, the charge that we appeal TO prejudice
is a fslsohood. Is it our duty to heal the
wounds which they have Hade Z They kick
ed against the goad and they are suffering for
their folly. We also suffer. We have enough
to do to heal our own wounds. Let them
heal theirs; but they show no disposition to
repair the injuries Of the pastj they sEow no
disposition to even repent 0: them. With
this long record of national crime before our
eyes, and with the guilty perpetrators o!
those crimes still defiant, is II not the acme
of nnblushng audaclty in them to come here
asking that "by-gones be by-gones,' and
that they get not merely place in the ma
tional council, but the ruling Of those coun-
cils2 Members will recolleel thst last sum
mer about twenty rebel Generals came up
here, defiant, proud, rampant and rebellious
az ever, demanding the franchise at the
very same time, on nsTery street corner in this
city, they were making threats that they
would gain at the Ballot box that which they
failed to gain on the battle field vista Of
hope, which the aspect Of politics at that
time opened up 10 them, reused all the DOR
mant rebel in their nature into new life and
Vigor. Their fiery orators, their drum beat
ing their disloyal press, their rebellious Ut
tsrances eyerywhers afforded sufficient evil
dsnce last summer that, instead Of being pc
intent, they actually elOrisd in their crime :
every member on the door Was a witness Of
the truth Of what be said He did not wish !
to be understood as saying that some Of those
whose antecedenls had disunion tinge we're |
now unworthy Of the franchise. He knew |
many Of them were worthy Of II, but II plan |
sbould be adopted 70 let In a few 10 the privi |
leges which access 20 the ballot-boI Afforded, |
he feared food Of rebellion would rush In
through the opening, no matter how eau
tously guided, and sndanger the peace Of
the State, and the permanency Of It's govern
meat Members could hoi forget the fact
that militia had 70 Be called out and were
now musterisg TO protect The Union people
Of the State from the men whom Is WAs pro-
posed 20 onfranchise. Il Wps said that those
Ku Klux did not represent the feelings Of tbe
rebellious portion % our citizens that those
bands were composed Of fellows who bad
not belonged 10 either army, were horse
thieves, vagabonds aud cut-lhrOais but IL
was strange that in the loyal section Of the
State nono Of them had mads their appear
anos. IL was strange that loyal people and
colorsd mea we're always their victims and
(. vas passing strange that noihlBg was done
by The people on whose behalf eloquent gen
iismsn were making rhstorleAl hourbhea on
The aoor Of the House.
u An Old architect in Paris has
lust invented universal alphabet