Year: 1864

but will still be read with interest,"


For the Gazette.


NASHVILLE Tenn, March, 1864


Mr. Editor Though this is in the
South and therefore very sunny, bland.
and genial always, to the imagination of
northeruers, the simple fact is that there
have been days of the most convincing
kind of winte'. eUen here The advent of
northern people, with northern ideas, would
seem to have influenced the atmosphere
very bracingly. Here, as everywhere else,
the Oldest inhabitant" has done duty the
present winter, by declaring upon honor
that there had never been such weather
any winter before within his recollection.
He protested he should freeze, and some
Of his family-the more unfortunate branch
actually did~ireez to death But the
oldest inhabitant survived. and to day he
is summing himself in an air so mild and
CHEEKY that the bloom Of youth almost
comes back into his cheeks, and he looks
hopefully to the South to welcome the ad
vancing spring. The grass is green here.
but it is only the greenness of last year
which it has not yet outgrown; the old
leaves still hang on the magnolias but
the Proclamation Of Amnesty from Win
ter has been issued, and we shall soon be
rejoicing in the new life of another spring


The tramp of armies has re commence
ed in this Military Division, and it will be
heard steadily advancing to the nations
deliverance and the crushing of the re
bellion. And before long. in East Tennes
sec there will be costly watering of the
nations most beautiful flower with the
precious blood of her valiant sons. Gen
Grant has decided that Longstreet has
been threatening Knoxville long enough,
and that he must be soundly whipped tor
staying there so long and doing so many
things that are not convenient for Union
men or Federal soldiers. Longstreet may
politely decline Grants pressing invitation
to have another fight, and very good na
turedly retire into Virginia. Butit will
not do to let him off easily, however polite
he may be; he has played rebel in that
region quite as long as Gen. Grants policy
will allow, and 1t will not do to let him
fall back merely;-he must be utterly
driven out of that quarter, and Grant must
accomplish this, before he attempts any
movements southwark with the army now
once more eating full rations at Chattanoo
ga. Meanwhile Gen Sherman plunges
eastward indefinitely from Vicksburg.
meaning mischief to the railroad connec
tions Of Mobile, even if he shall not 90 to
the city itself and, as upper milestone, help
Farragut-as neither millstone-in grind
ing it to pieces, ..


The re construction Of the State govern
ment here goes on rather slowly. There
are not few ardent admirers of the Tn
ion as it was; though singularly enough
nearly every one did his pest to destroy
the same union as it was; but, since they
found it more difficult task than their
fancy painted it, they have got themselves
iron clad, as they term the process Of Sc.
curing themselves and their property ny
taking the oath of allegiance, and now they
talk astonishingly like nortl ern Peace
Democrats, are painfully sensitive to all
new modes OF interpreting the Constitu
tion or of using the powers it confers
(You know new Interpretation of the
Constitution, especially an Interpretation
that ignores the divine sanction of slavery,
or favors freedom, is disgusting to north
ern man who loveth q Hayward Sisters"
with all his peaceful soul,--in short he
scouts the idea that the Constitution as it
is was intended to secure the very blessings
which its preamble expressly declares it
was ordained to secure) These men, so
anxious for peace, are doing all they can to
prevent the only honorable, the only possible
real peace, and apparently seek tore tire the
old regt1ns of lynch law and Yankee hunt,
ing, and merciiess prescription of all free
speech, free printing, and if possible, all
free thought But their efforts are all
foolishly put forth,-it were wisdom to
dip water with seive, compared with the
the attempt to check the spirit and pro
gress ofNiiberal, truly democratic nstitu-
tions in this country, Tennessee vii. quite
surely be State in time TO cast her vote
next fall for the Union candidate, whoever
he may, be, and she will give him such a
majority as will astonish the Peace Rip
VanWinkles who want the world to sleep
as soundly as they do.


I envy the brave Miffliu county boys
their welcome reception, which they SO
richly deserve; and the people of Mif1iD
county their opportunity to greet with
heartiest cordiality their valiant sons