The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-12-23

GOmC Nuy5 d5Os q 0ACAAiAS ASDOii -
the Tennessee Legislature, by the
name of HINKLE, concluded that he
would send a thrill of qualification
through the hearts Of rebels as mean
as himself by introducing a resolution
to sell the large portrait Of General
THOMAS hanging in the State House
at Nashville. The resolution was
voted down, but the insult stands
upon the legislative records. Gen
eral THOMAS Immediately resented
the insult BY addressing a letter to
the Speaker Of the House, proposing
to refund the amount paid for the
portrait, and stating that he would
also return to the Legislature the
gold medal voted him byits predeces-
sor in commentator Of his victory
over the rebels at Nashville in 1864.
Of course the Union men of
Tennessee are greatly mortified
at the malevolent meanness of the
rebel element, and Congressman
MUM has addressed the following
letter to the distinguished officer, ex-
pressing for himself and other Union
men of the State, the modification
and indignation they feel over the at
tempt to insult their protector aud
friend We copy the letter entire:
WAsBINGToN, d. c., Dec. 20, lS69.
Major Genera! George II. Thomas, San
Francisco, CAL:
"DEAR GENERAL: / have heard,
with extreme regret, OF your offer to
purchase from the State Of Tennes-
see your portrait, which was painted
By authority of the loyal Legislature
of the State in 1866. and also to re-
turn 10 the body now styling them
selves the Legislature of the State the
medal presented to you in 1867, as a
memorial of your services to the loyal
people in defending them against the
assaults and outrages of armed trait
ors. | regret that any circumstance
could have arisen which would give
to this same class the opportunity of
attempting to insult a patriot and gem
tleman by the proposition which could
emanate only from the brain of a
whipped and unrepentant but unpun-
ished enemy of his country. l had
the honor to be In the Legislature
which authorized the production of
the portrait and the presentation of
the medal, and when | voted for the
appropriation, my action, like that of
those who voted with me. was en-
dorsed by every loyal man in Tennes-
see, / beg you, General, to remem-
Der that the State Government of
Tennessee has passed into the
hands of those who fought
against you during the war,
and who received at your hands a
long-to-be-remembered defeat, upon
the soil Of that State, at Nashville.
The memory of their defeat still lin
gers with them, aud, haunted by q
base and coWardly spirit of revenge,
they would skulk behind the petty
privileges of Git is to be hoped) a
brief authority, and insult one who is
not only prevented from defending
himself against their attempted slurs
By distance, but by that impossible
gulf which separates a gentleman and
rebels, whose highest boast is their
treason 10 AuGIACUu udtlOHdiAbgs II I'LL
ing In their traitOrous design upon
their country, with no other merit
than that of having murdered by
starvation thirty thousand defenseless
prisoners of war, and then, through
violence and fraud, getting possession
of the State government, it is only
consistent with their disloyal acts to
attempt now to insult you. Let me
assure you, General, that to-day you
stand as high in the affections and
esteem of the loyal men of Tennessee
as any soldier in the National army or
citizen of the South and Republic,
and that they will now and ever pro-
test against rebel venom and malice,
seeming to triumph over you by COM
polling you to purchase, at their
hands, the portrait which was made
the property Of Tennessee. as a memo
rial of your services to your country,
and our unfortunate State.
i, General, am most truly yours.
d. A. NUM-"