Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-05-12
j. p. REXFORD.
What He Says Reconstruction
Needed-His ISLANDERS on the south.
From the Cincinnati Gazette


U. S. INTERNAL REVENUE Assessors
OFFICE, FIFTH DIST, Tenn, NASHVILLE,
May 7.-MEssRs. DAVID MOORE AND An
DREW LEACH: Sirs-I notice in the Ban
ner of this city, of May 4, a letter pub
lished from you to Gov. Senter, and re-
ferred by him 10 one Colyar, who answers,
and whose answer is also published. l
desire to correct the statement made by
COlyar to the effect that ''Northern" men
of certain class are welcome, "mOre than
welcome, according to Colyar. l speak
from an experience of years and
observation, and know whereof |
speak, that no class of Northern men
are welcome in this State in the true
sense of the term. | am personally &C
quainted with several Northern men who
were not in the Federal army, who have
had nothing to do with politics, who are
sober, honest, industrious, intelligent
men, who brought their families, means
and energy with the intention to make
this State their permanent abiding place,
but who are now trying to sell at almost
any sacrifice in order to go, not for bet
ter soil or climate, but to get away from
Col. Colyar's hospitality" that they
have received at the hands of Southern
people, simply because they are Northern
people. The truth is, and Colyar and ey-
cry Southern man knows it, that
Northern people are not welcome
in this portion of this State
If a man comes from the North
with plenty of money to invest here, Col
var 81 Co. will smile and flstter; but as
soon as they are sucked dry of greenbacks
and no selfish object can be further gain
ed by hypocrisy, then they will show you
their true colors, and show you by studied
discourtesy and utter neglect that they
hate you by reason of your blood and
birth, and principle and education. l
know what say when venture the as
sertion that Colyar's wife or family do
not and have not visited a Northern
family in year, and that they have not
one on their list of friends, although there
are plenty of them within a stones
throw from their door. Northern
people are not welcome here. That is the
honest truth, and should be known. l
wish Northern people would come and
settle and northernize this cline, but if
they come expecting to be decently treat
ed by Southerners they will find them
selves mistaken. Let Northern people
come in sufficient numbers to have q socle-
ty of their own. If they depend on ma
tivCs for social food they will live about
as long as a cOnsumptive would on the
soup made by boiling the shadow of q
starved pigeon.
There are hundreds of Northern peo-
pie, as good people as you would wish to
know, who have invested their hard earn
ings in this State, and believe ninety
nine out of every hundred would be glad
to sell for one-quarter or even One-half
less than purchase price, in order to get
out of this country; some because of un-
safety of life and property in certain sec
tions, and many others because of inhos-
| pitality, unsociability and absence of all
privileges of civilization.
Some Southerners openly boast, and all
! hope and trust that when they get entire
| control of the courts, as well as every
other department of the State, they will
be able to drive every lingering Northern
er from the State; and firmly believe
that unless this state of things is pre-
vented by Congressional reconstruction or
PrOVidential interference, they viii sue
coed in accomplishing their ardent desires.
Many Northerners are leaving, at great
loss and sacrifice of property and per-
sonal inconvenience, to avoid being driven
out by lingering starvation, prescription
and persecution, anticipating the suprem-
| acy of Colyar s. Co. We have no organ
in this State, through which medium we
could reach your ears, therefore | have
addressed you through the postoffice, as
you direct. l can furnish you any num-
Der of alfidavits of above facts if you
desire them.
I lam respectfully yours, etc,
j. p REXFORD.
N. B.-You are at liberty to use this
letter in any manner that your please.
P. S--Being fully satisfied that the
above persons are fictitious, / have con
| cluded to send this to the Cincinnati Ga
sette, with request to publish.
Yours, ETC., j. z. Il.