The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-10-11
DID NOT FREE THE NEGRO.
PATRTOTT0 LETTER OF a UNION
SOLDIER

PATRIOTIC LETTER OF a UNION
SOLDIER.
To the Editor Of the AIorristown Gazette:
To one who knows how the old thing
worked, it is amusing to read Republic
can newspapers, hear Republican speak
ers. and Republican candidates narrate
to the negro and the world generally,
what that party and its individual mem
bcrs have done for the freedom of the
poor slave In speaking of the late war,
more especially if they are talking to the
negro, they speak as though the whole
thing was brought about and fought tOI
the express purpose Of freeing the slave
and that the Republicans fought -four
long years, knowing that this was to be
the final result Of the war. And some
will 90 so far as to tell the colored man
that they fought for his freedom, and in
consequence thereof, he is bound to sup
port them for Office.
Now this, as compared with the words
and actions Of the same men, as well as
all East Tennesseans during the war, is
very different, indeed; and this to an
East Tennessean, who has not forgotten,
purposely, things that took place during
the war, sounds very strange.
From the speeches and conversations
of Republican politicians of the present
day, person knowing no better might
very readily infer that the freedom OF
the slave was the main issue upon which
the late war was fought, and this may
be true, vet no East Tennessean knew
it, or could be made to believe it, for
every East Tennessean who fought
through the war in the Federal army
knows that no greater insult could be
thrust at an East Tennessean than to be
told that he was fighting to free the
slaves of the South. Yet, l think that
every East Tennessean who fought in
the Federal army is now pleased that
the cOlOred man is free; but, only men
ton these facts to show the inconsist-
ency Of man-ard farther, to show that
no East Tennessean deserves any credit
whatever for the freedom Of the slaves,
from the fact that at that time, it was
absolutely against their will that the
slaves of the South should be freed
And no set of men ever had a greater
hatred for their fellow soldier than did
the white soldiers of East Tennessee for
the colored soldiers generally.
No East Tennessean, though he might
have been the lowest private, in the rear
rank, on the extreme left of his compa-
ny, would entertain for a single moment
the considera ion Of proposition of &C,
Cepting a commission in a negro regi
ment. Not only did they entertain the
utmost contempt for the negro soldier
but the Northern man who commanded
regiment Of colOred soldiers was look
ed upon as n degraded wretch, who
could get no position whatever in {
white command. / have my minds eyt
upon one at this time, who scorned the
offer of a Colonies position in a colored
regiment, when he was little above higf
private in a white company. And ye
he would now have the negro believe
that he entered the service exclusively
for the love he had for the colored race
and that by his mastery efforts the slav,
was made free.
No, sir, the issue was Union or Dis
union, and the fight by East Tennes
scans was upon this issue. They wer
so bitterly opposed to his freedom, an'
of making a soldier of him after he wa
made free, that at Johnsonville, wher
A brigade of East Tennesseans and
brigade of colored troops were encamp
ed for a short time, the enmity Of TIN
whites were so great toward the negro
that they actually sought and took ad
vantage of every favorable opportunity
to XIII the negroes, and did kill them t.
that extent that it was found necessar,
to transfer the colored troops to a NOR
congenial locality.
This is the sort of lighting that Eas
Tennessee-present day Republicans
done for the freedom of the slaves; an,
yet they now have the colored peopl
believe that they fought with the expires
understanding that the slaves were t
be made free, and given equal right
with them.
man ACSGINEb no CIGuAb &OI uOlLi
ever SO good a deed, unless he does tina
deed with a good motive; and a goo
and honest man viii claim no credit fc
thing done Internationally
But, should man or set of men b
their fighting, unintentionally an
against their will, assist in and be th
partial means of freeing from bondae
an enslaved people as the East Tenne
scans did, they are certainly hard u
when they can face crowd Of thos
freedmen and say to them-''I fougl
four years for your freedomp
I would like to know under what obi
cations the colored men should feel fl
their freedom, toward a man or set {
men who, had they known at the tim
Of their enlistment that the slaves Of th
South would have been freed by the
fighting, would never have entered int
the Union army. Or why should the
ever feel grateful TO a set Of men for d.