Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-06-26
REVENGE

The editor OF the Now YORK EUcntng
Post commenting on the spirit which
seemed to animate different parties and
sections in the late conference of Free
Traders in that city of which he was
prominent member, says of the Southern
men who took part:
We did not gather from thds Speeches any
evidence that there was IN the community for
which they spoke any interest whatever in re-
form, rs we at the North understand it. Free
trade, revenue reform, civil service reform-they
did not even allude to those subjects. The tone
of the speeches was this 'Gentlemen We
are Southerners, The South is ruined coun-
try. Our States have been pillaged, our homes
have been burnt, our friends have been killed.
For five years we suffered from war for five
years we have been suffering from dcspotism.
Who is the despot2 General Grant. Give us
anybody to beat him. You have given us very
little for many years" Give us at least this one
sweet morsel ofrcvenge."
Yes, that is it. "Givc us at least one
sweet morsel of rCveRgc." We care moth
ing about revenue reform or civil service
reform, but if we can succeed best i'll
beating Grant by talking on these ques-
tons, all right-revenge is what we want
and revenge is all that will SATISFY us. We
have nursed our cause for seven long years.
1t has been foremost in our dreams, and
when the morning sun has come it has
been only to warm up the spirit we have
cherished, and to-day, like an ill-omened
cloud, this desire for revenge hangs be-
tween us and everything in the nature of
reform.
Revenge for what? Revenge upon
whom? Revenge for defeat in an effort to
destroy the Government. Revenge upon
President Grant for the part he took i'll the
suppression of Il shareholders rebellion.
Revenge for emancipating four millions of
human beings, once the property of those
seeking revenge. Revenge for the over
throw of mighty combination for main
tanning the institution of slavery and max
ing it the chief corner stone of govern
ment founded upon the ruins of the Amer
lean Union.
The Post is certainly correct in its prem
Uses. What do nine-tenths of the eX-reb-
els in the South care about the much talk
ed of reforms? The idea of civil service
reform never enters their minds, except as
a prcteXt for obtaining revenge of the
President and of the Republican party
They have never ceased for one mo-
ment to cherish n spirit of bitter
resentment against the armies that
subdued the rebellion, and especially
against the leaders of those armies. They
failed in carrying the objects for which they
were banded together and now they hold
Grant ana his armies responsible. If they
can humiliate him in any way, they will
do it. Anything to beat Grant" is their
battle cry.
What care they for Greeley? Nothing.
Personally they have about as little regard
for him us for Grant, but as Ex-Governor
Neil S. Brown some time ago expressed it,
they would vote for the devil to beat
Grant. They have no respect for Greeley. |
They have no idea of ever looking upon !
him as Il leader. They do not regard him |
as a friend of their schemes. They simply |
regard him as a man full of idiosyncrasies |
and crotchets, whom they can use
for their own present purposes an dhaving
used him will lay him aside as so much !
useless rubbish. He is no doubt honest |
but his want of Judgment his incapacity |
to understand human nature, his long !
cherished desire for occupying the White !
House, his want of tirmness, his lack of |
the power of discrimination, his prone
ness to compromise with wrong, |
trnes land isms, all conspire to make
him of all others a fit subject for their
They despise him, but |
he is of temper that makes him as the |
potter's clay in their hands, and they are
moulding him as they think best. They |
want revenge upon the serpent Repub- |
licanism," and as no other instrument |
presents itself whereby they can obtain it,
they are willing TO take Greeley, loath-
some and repulsive to them as
he is. When they have "killed the |
snake" they will have no further use for
him and will LAY him aside. Once pre-
pared to wreak their pent up vengeance |
upon Grant and his followers. Greeley will |
he to them, no less an object of hatred than
will Grant and Wilson and Colfax, and |
Morton aud Logan, and Conklng and Ca |
meron, and Carpenter. Place revenge |
within their reach, and they will glut !
their appetites upon it,. and Greeley will |
feel ii as much as Grant.
Grant and Wilson were nominated by PEN