Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-06-22


not appreciate and acknowledge, as others
did, the many rich blessings which were
to enure to the South from the resistance
then being made to Federal authority. /
was equally unfortunate when the vicissi
tudes of war passed me from the yoke of
rebel despotism under the domination and
unconstitutional exercise of military pow
er by the Federal government More than
10000 East Tennesseeans had been driven
by military oppression and by conscript
laws, which, however wise as to the other
parts of the Confederacy, were unwise and
unapplicable to the Union population of
this locality, from which they could so
readily escape within the Federal lines
and put themselves under Federal protec-
ton. The vindictive spirit which forced
them, as ii were, into eXpatriation, ma
liciously pursued them after they had left.
Their property was, i'm many instances
unnecessarily despoiled and their families
maltreated and insulted. This was when
the Confederacy was rioting in its fancied
power and security. But the Federal gov
eminent, after a bloody contest of two
years, through an invincible army led by
Gen. Burnside, entered and re-established
it's authority in East Tennessee. His army
was composed, in a large measure, of East
Tennessee Unionists. They came brooding
over their wrongs, real and imaginary, and
with hearts full of retaliation. Such is
poor, frail human nature. 1t is to be de-
plored but cannot be avoided. Their con-
duct was Just what men of ordinary good
sense and observation expected. So far as
] was individually concerned. | had moth
ing to apprehend. Returned East Ten
nesseeans all regarded me as a friend, and
treated me with kindness, consideration
and respect. 1t would have been an easy
task for me to have fallen in with the pre-
vailing bitterness of the time, and tloated
with the currentinto place and into power.
| saw and understood the strength of my
position. In the frenzy of feeling, which
then ruled supreme, any man of promin-
enee, who could consent to compromise
patriotic impulses, cast himself into the
current, encourage RIGHTEOUSNESS violence
and bloodshed, could not have failed of
temporary success. And who had
stronger incentives to such
course than ]? In my own person
I had been hunted down, imprisoned,
mobbed, driven from legitimate business.
ridiculed and condemned by rebeldom. If
anybody had amy excuse tor resentment
and vindictive retaliation. / had it. But
the second day succeeding General Burn
sides misunderstanding been selected by
my Union cOmpeerS to introduce him to a
vast assemblage who had come hither TO
welcome and honor him-at the risk of Of
Tending the popular enthusiasm then rend-
ing Tic Will lllt SIOulS vi Nlt'lOTN. 1 dU-
vised forbearance, moderation and mag
nanimity. Thus | voluntarily eXerted the
influence which my position as a Union
man gave me for the benefit Of the public
to protect those who had prescribed and
pursued me with their relentless malice on
the other side OF the line and under the OPP
posing or adverse power.
Then again, foregoing all claims to office
myself, / labored, by every means which
az honorable could hrinrr fn hoor t,I
re-organize and put the State Government
into the hands of men in sympathy UiM
the national authority, but into the hands Of
men tUhO hal brains to comprehend the SIT
udtiOn, and patriotism integrity and cOtr-
age to strike for what was Just and right,
and by wise, liberal and magnanimous
policy, concilate the friendship, secure the
confidence and capture the hearts of the
brave and honest men who. from a sense
of obligation to their section. and in the
spirit of true manhood, had staked every
thing upon the rebellion.
But. here again my effort, failed to STAY
the swelling tide of folly, ambition and re-
venge. For the Union men there was
some excuse to be found in the senseless
and barbarous doctrine of retaliation. But
what can be said for an eX-rebel who had
encouraged rebellion, and induced men into
its ranks, who afterwards for the base pur-
pose of putting money into his purse, avail
ed himself of the disorganiZed condition of
society turned upon and persecutes his for
Tner comrades, and Joined in the Radical
raids upon the rights and liberties OF his owl
section and his own people? Yet this is
exactly what General Mabry did. As a
rebel, he learned the advantage of living.
doing business and basking in the sunlight
of power. The taste which he had obtain
ed, under rebel rule, of public money, ex-
cited strong desire for that kind of food
And, TO the surprise of almost every one
but myself, ii turned out that when | was
risking everything to correct abuses and
save republican liberty from utter over
throw, he, with other similar characters
was among the most efficient, active,
prominent advisers of Governor Brownlow
and his personal and party followers
Through Governor BrOwnlow's friendship,
he succeeded 10 the Presidency of the
Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad and,
as President, he manipulated the Legisla-
ture luXuriated in State bonds, accumua-
ted money, bought and run two newspa-
pers, by means of which he took Governor
Senter-pOOr, drunken, HO-dceOint crcd-
ture-intO his keeping, bought his way in
to a Constitutional Convention, and in
vested, out Of the fund appropriated TO
build an important public work, $2s, 900 to
corrupt the peoples representatives and
swindle the State.
And, with all these infamies fresh in the
memories of this community, he hypocrit-
ically pretends, through his djYtg organ.
established and kept up by railroad appro-
Il l.