Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-25

r
VILE, TENNESSEE, Jan. %, 1870
Ny DEAR SIR: | thank you for your
letter of the 2lst There is one subject,
Colonel, that / intended to advert to in
my former letter that | omitted, and that
is the lamentable but unmistakable fact
that the general Government is losing the
love and devotion of its friends and de-
tenders in Tennessee. When they see
citizens by the half dozen shot or hung by
masked mObs without trial; when they see
their constitution Knocked by those sworn
to support it; when they see their loyal
courts stricken down to make room for
rebel judges, they begin TO inquire as to
what they have gained by adhering to the
Union at the cost of so much. The sol
der inquiries what has been his reward
for years of service and suffering. For
nine years we have endured every species
of oppression and made every possible
sacrifice for the sake of the Union. 1t in
return has afforded us no adequate pro-
lection. We are willing to forgive orr
beloved country for suffering us to bleed
unprotected during the war, but there can
be no excuse now, no plea for neglecting
us. | confess | am surprised at the eX-
tent of those sentiments. To-day a gal
liant Federal soldier exclaimed, in my
presence, ''That government that fails to
give its friends protection in return for
allegiance is not entitled to respect, and
ought to be OverthrOwn.n 1t is in vain
to suggest that the State government
must give protection. The reply is that
it is either impOtent, or is itself ready to
Cypress.
Much has been said about the insta-
bility of Tennessee Republicans. My
only wonder is that they have held out so
long and endured so much for so little in
return. One of our Senators at Washing
ton attributes the fall of the Republican
party in Tennessee to one cause, and the
other to another. 1t is my opinion, and
| have had opportunity to observe, that if
the general Government had sustained US
here by giving us personal security and
guaranteeing freedom of thought and
speech, the Republican party would to-
day have commanded the State under uni
versal suffrage. What do you suppose
will be the state of things when it shall be
finally settled that the Government viii
the Rebels are quaking with fear of Fed
eral interference, and the Convention and
Legislature are trying to be on their best
behavior, and yet there is scarcely day
or night that some negro or white Union
list is not assassinated. They have re-
duced assassination to a system. The
assassins are masked and BACKED and
dressed like negroes, and the crime is pub
lished as a negro outrage, and then other
negroes are Ku-Kluxed for this pretended
Offense. | tell you, sir, that when this
present trepidatiOn ceases and the Rebel
courts are installed it will be impossible
for us to remain here, and you need not
be surprised at a concerted and general
massacre in Middle and West Tennessee.
| have so far made no practical sugges-
tons as to what ought to be done, but you
may ask what it is i wantl l answer,
protection protection at every mans
door, and swift justice to our OppressOrs.
Give us a government, whether 1t be re-
publican, imperial or military, that viii
protect us. If Tennessee is in cOndi-
ton to be unfit for a republican govern
ment, why, in Gods name, let us have
that government that is adapted to our
condition. To hold on to the delusiye
form of republican institutions which the
officers of the law are impotent to main
tain, and the weak are destroyed by the
strong, is criminal folly. | hesitate to
make the remark, but | must confess to
you that for several months past my mind
has been coming to the conclusion thatifthe
| Government means to protect the cOlored
race and Union citizens of the South, 1t
will have to reduce the rebel States to
territories, and to furnish them with all
their officers, down to justices OF the
peace. But pardon my prOlixity. 1t was
nv intention to write but few sentences
when l set out. A. }. FLETCHER
Hon. LEWIS TnLMAN, Washington, ID. {.