Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-06
LErTER FROM COL. YERGER.

OAMP JACKSON, MlSo's u GU. ~, 1Oiu.-
Benn Pitman, Esq, Correspondent Gin
cinnati Commercial: Sir-Your note OF
this date is at hand. My friends seem
more concerned than myself regarding
erroneous publications. 1t is very honor
able in you voluntarily to seek to repair q
wrong, however unintentional; and it is
proper for me to make courteous re-
ply.
1t is not wonderful that false rumors
and misrepresentation should occur con-
corning a case which, much to the an
noyance of my friends and myself, has
created an excitement scarcely less than
the Burr Hamilton tragedy. Even my re-
ligious faith has not been spared. Appro-
pos of this matter; it has been my Obser-
walton that most men imagine all men
mortal but themselves, and especially
chuckle at their neighbours ignorance in
matters of religion. Years ago the con-
tiicts and contests of religionists directed
my attention to the necessity ola united
faith, within zone Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church" If l inclined to Rome
in this emergency, l scarcely think it
furnishes fact detrimental to my intel
lect. OF this, however, it does not be-
come me to speak only to say that
stronger brains than mine have succumbed
to the unwOnted tyranny which Expresses
the Southern people.
My children laugh at the fancied pun
ishment your pen represented especially
as it is well known / never interfere with
the prerogatives of the nursery. In this
connection / may illustrate with an an
ecdOte concerning great Athenian Cover
nor, who, looking upon one of his children,
said, 'This child is greater than any man
in Greece, for the Athenians command the
Greeks; command the Athenians; his
mother commands me, and he commands
his mother"
You have very truly. said | am soon
scious of no wrong to man" only to God.
Although | may accept your picture of
Nemesis weighing joy and sorrow "with
the neatness of an apothecary," usually
selecting her victims from the happiest of
eartl, yet it gives no man a license to call
me "criminal" until SO pronounced by
the law of the land. Why not hold the
Government responsible for the unfOrtun-
ate conflict, and arraign it for having sub
stituted anarchy for constitutional law,
sectionalism for patriotism, dictatorship
for liberty, bad faith for national honor ?
You were not misformed concerning
my deep sympathy with the afflicted
family, but decidedly so as TO many Tidi-
culous and even romantic stories concern
ing the same. Time will develop the true
author of the calamity, which has brought
death and misfortune into two families,
who were prosperous and happy. Let the
public wait.
In your letter to the Commercial you
state that | imagine | have the sympathy
of vast majority of the people of the
entire country. If sympathy in this case
means indignation at the unwarrantablC
invasion of civil rights by the sOldiery OF
a dictator, / know | have it. am not 8
proper subject for any other kind of sym
pathy. When rulers are yirtuOus, thu
people arc peaceful; when they are not,
the people arc dangerous, claim not to
be a representative man of the South,
Notwithstanding the persistent and, perhaps
malicious representations of some, th=t |
have enlarged upon the vanity of Alci-
blades and the ambition of Caesar.
These by-plays have their day. l claim
only to be an advocate of peace and jus
tice, and a return to the first principles OF
the Government as the only hope to pre-
vent disintegration in the future. Ny
ambition" is to secure a fair trial by {
jury of my countrymen-my "vanity,
perhaps, firm belief in my acquittal.
At to the suggestions of political orr
gin as exciting the difficulty, it is false.
never saw my opponent until that fata
June morning, and when l inquired hi
name, which nc gave me, l could but re
cognize his abrupt presentation before m,
as an Acceptance of the challenge.
l will answer as well as | can your in
| quiries concerning the present status o
political feeling in the South.
There is but one way to restore Tho
greatness Of my people-yOu must sppea
to the people themselves. Governors ma,
elevate themselves, but they have not tn
honor to make State permanently glorl
GUS. The whole heart of a people mus
| palpitate in great regeneratiOns, and woul,
it not be well for the party prominent nov
to recognize the invariable historical truu
that massacres and oppression do not pro
mote loyalty or peace. The people un
derstand justice when they seeit, and vii
not be satisfied with its shadow. | know
this people by heart; they are refined II
hcirnOtions of government Net so wit
savages, who, when robbed of their birth
right, look only to revenge.
We of the South understand the philOs
opty of the late revolution; we know
has centralized the Government. We &C
cept it, at least for the present, and simpl
ask protection and release from militaf.
rule. If let alone, we can take care o
ourselves, and, perhaps, of the nation
If there is wisdom in the party now l
power, they will emulate the concillator
policy of the great Napoleon, who place
even political enemies in his Council O
State. He was Jer on the alert to pre-
vent the spark of rebellion from becom
ing a universal blaze. 1t was the wisdOr
of Cancellation which to this day make
this dead lion powerful.
1t has been well said by some pOlitlc'
philosopher, "Woe to thai race in whic
a revolution produces no fruits" in whic
the thunderbOlt smites the high places bu
does not purify the air. To sufferin val
is often the fate of the noblcst indiYidl
ais; but when a people suffer in vain, sit
them curse themselves.
VIII the North understand our honest
now, or will they wait until il is too late
They should know that the question c
Caucasian emancipation is not a questiC
of ''ifs and butts, ;" but it is question {
"must and shall.
Spartan kings reVerenced the magi
trates elected by the people, and shall
be said that American rulers can spurn Il
majesty of republican customs witho
|, | resistance?
How beautiful to behold generosity al
modesty in the conqucrOr, aud withal
wise; how noble. even in conquest, to I
pair misfortune by generous consol
ton.
In reply TO your suggestions concernil
the Reconstruction Acts, and military @
rests under them, l point you to the de-
J sion in the case of the Earl of IIancastC
, as well as the decision Of the Suprer
Court of the United States in the Millig
case, which appear to be tue result
principles maintained in Magma Char
and the Constitution of the United STATE
: 1t is difficult to believe that the Stat
will long consent to abandon thu
I sovereignty or the people to
, rate government which is more onero
r than was that of George III. UnlC
: | thnrn Is rrnatnr nnhlic ,,irt11n ard Z, ,.otr,