Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-20

Nt EOhAAI[AG GONAAACotft
The Banner publishes in its editorial
a.leader from the Avold nche,
whose editor, in the language of the Ban
ner,7 was an old-Line Douglas Democrat
and, an ex-Rebel who fought for four
years in the Confederate army. Initial
editorial we find large proportion of the
prominent political charac tiers of the
South spoken of asFthat class of political
Iunatics who fought for their rights in the
territories, and causedthsr South to lose
not only these but their, rights in the
Union and out of y 5 We find also the
announcement made ihgthat editorial that
'.the secession leaders, teachers and exl
hortersl have had their day in court and
before the people. And this leadership
viii never, return, It is stubborn fiat of
history written all over the South in
blood" III 81 aa8 t'naJ or aonslflsso
If we should see illusions couched in
language of this sort in the Journals of
our political enemies, we could well I'M
derstand it. But coming from thelsource
which these do, we cannot comprehend
the ultimate purpose. If permitted to
pass unchallenged, what will be the effecta
Certainly to put the brand of treason on
our cause and write the name of traitor on
our graves. Throughout the South socie-
ties have been formed for the purpose of
gathering up facts which will enable the
future historian to place before posterity
the cause of the South in the light in
which it was viewed by large majority
of her statesmen Southern writers,
Alex. II. Stephens, DR.. Dabney and 9th
srs, have already, by a presentation of the
argument from aSouthern stand point,
attempted to convince the people of the
North and the civilized world, that the
course of the South was not the effect of
high blown pride, or that 'svaulting am
bition which o'erleaps ITSELF" but that it
was the effect of high and holy purpose
to maintain at Gall hazards and to the last
extremity" great constitutional principles.
These writers would persuade even their
late enemies in the North that the South
ern leaders were not base criminals, but
that they were honest in their convictions,
and fought in what they believed to be a
just cause. VIII these Southern writers
succeed in persuading any portion of the
people of the North to render a
milder judgment against the con-
quered South, while those of our
own household, 'ex-Rebels, who, fought
l four years in the Confederate army, y
brand class of Southerners, ssas po-
1 litical lunaties, who fought for their rights
in the territories. and caused the South
not only to lose these, Gout their rights in
4 the Union and cat of it p" Were Sydney
johnson, end Lee, and Joe Johnston, and
4 StonewalI Jackson, and that long list of
! heroes, living and dead, who imperish-
ably illustrated Southern genius, Southern
courage, Southern character were they
seduced from their devotion to the old
government by class of political luna
ticsYn If SO, they deserve to be written
in history fools as well as felons. .....
Allusionsto and discussions of political
positions of any of the present opponents
of Radicalisln, whether formerly Union
or Secession leaders, we regard as ex-
tremely unfortunate. 1t is the use of
irritants, when we need emollients. 1t
is desirable that all the opponents of
Radicalism in the South, whether form
erly Secessionists or Unionists, Douglas
Democrats, Breckenridge Democrats, or
Wings, should unite with the National
Democracy in the complete and final
overthrow of our oppressors.- o.. 3. 49,