Year: 1867

and my friends. / am not as smart as some men.
johnson NAV think It right TO enter into political
nartnersbiu with traitors; but will do right aas
God gives me to see the right" and so doing can
never desert the Union party which love as dearly
as nv life and go over 70 the rebel-copperhead
party, which hate with hate fierce as ten thou
sand furies.


Q-I agree with you word for word. Our hearts
beat together. Talk on love to listen


A.-FOrgive me, my friend, If grow somewhat
excited, when recall what have endured But
win now endeavor 70 tell you more of this Con-
servative party, you request it, Now look around
you and tell me to what party the rebels belong
Do they belong 10 the Radical party2 No; you
find all the rebels in the Conservative party. Now
don't you think that these rebels know where their
interest lies Certainly they do They are skilled
in politics. they are shrewed and cunning, and are
not mistaken about the road they are travelling
Do you think, then, that the political interests of
Union the as the political interests of
these rebels As for myself don't know any bet
ter way for Union man to tell what road TO take
than 10 watch these rebels and see what way they
take; and when 3 Union man sees all the rebels





him TO travel. During the war, whenever got
separated from the boys in blue, and while wander
ing around saw rebels going ahead on the very
road, turned off in the first fork, for knew that
way led 10 a rebel camp. So now when 1 see the
rebels sll going in one direction, know that di-
rection viii lead to a rebel camp and take the
first fork.


Q-Really never thought of that before But
it does sound reasonabe-ndeed believe it is just
as you say.


A.-Yes whenever you find that you and the
rebels are travelling the same road, believe you
are going wrong The interests of Union men and
rebels different their paths are different they
are enemies, not friends. Just think moment.
How long did these rebels fight to destroy you and
your country They fought four long, dark and
bloody years; they caused the death of more than
100000 men they reduced their own country to
misery, starvation, and utter ruin they filed nearly
every house in all the land with mourning and Ia
mentation they destroyed ten thousand million
dollars worth of the national wealth; they risked
all they had OF hoped for in this world and now
do you think these men can, in the space of a few
months, turn right about face, forget the horrid
midnight hell of the past, reverse their record
doubly damned with treason, and become loyal,
honest Union-loving and patriotic citizens7 Is it
human nature Is it human experienced Is it
human reason? Suppose the rebels had succeeded
and had established their Confederacy, and you
were living within its territory-could you forget
all you had done and thought and sworn, and be
now a loyal subject of JEFF Davis and King Harris?
Could have forgotten the voice of my brothers
blood calling TO from the ground for vengeance?
Would my comrades groans and sighs and dying
gasps in the hell of Andersonville have faded out
from my memory? Would my own scars caused by
rebel bullets disappear from my sight2 Never, my
Union friend never We would be the same
Union men still We would have the same hatred
for treason and rebellion We would still curse
Davis and his rebel hordes in our hearts So with
these rebels. They couldn't forget the past if they
would. They couldn't love the Union and be loyal
If they tried. 1t is human nature. Don't let us
expect impossiblities.


Q.-I believe every word you say This matter
begins 10 look plain now. The fog is lifting, and
the sunlight of truth comes streaming in. But go
on and explain this whole thing to me


A.-starting out then with the proposition that
the men who commenced and carried on the rebel
lion are rebels still at heart and must continusssb
els for years to come, will endeavor TO show you
that it is impossible for the Conservative party to
be loyal party and that it is not the party for
Union man TO 60 into.


Q-Well, that is just what and every other
loyal man want to know. For you must understand
that although 1 am sometimes called a Conserva-
tive, yet no man is more loyal than am, no maE
loves the Union more than 1, no man worships the
American flag moro than do, and no man hates
rebels and traitors more than do earnestly de-
sire TO do my whole duty as Union man, and
therefore it is that am now holding this long con-
versation


A.-Yes, very well understand how you and
all other Union men feel have your feelings and
yon have mine, and yet 1 am called Radical and
you are called Conservative Ought this to be sol
Ought mere names to divide friends? That would
be grasping the shadow and losing the substance.
No. sir our interests are the same, feelings are
the same, our hopes and prayers are the same our
hearts beat the same loyal music, and why in Gods
name should our steps be in different paths ?


OIL begin to see it ALL begin to think have
been little blind, and fear littlo obstinate. Ny
duty grows clearer in my eyes. / feel my heart
drawing very near to you. Please 90 ..on and tell
me the whole story.


A,-what then think you is the object of this Con-
servative party They tell us IN their platform
that they are in favor of immediate restoration of
their dsfranchsed felow-citizens to all rights priv
ileges and immunities Of fu and complete citizen
ship This is their main and first object. They
desire to bring the rebels to the ballot-box They
say alet US have peace; let the past be forgotten
let US live together just as we did before the
let us be friends, not enemies" Now am free to
say that if believed that these rebels were truly,
sincerely and entirely loyal, would not object for
a moment 10 giving them the right 10 vote


o.-WelI, 1 am not so certain that agree with
you in that respect am opposed to rebels voting
whether they repent or not


Al know that is the feeling of great many
good men but you see where stand, and yet am
charged with being revengeful, while the Conserva-
tive party is called magnanimous and forgying Ii
is true the Radical party is opposed TO rebes voting,
but they oppose II not as much as punishment ior
the past as = protection for the future. Now Tor
my part 1 do not believe that the late rebels are
loyal at heart believe they are rebels still in feel
ing, and am opposed 70 rebels voting for that rea-
son. But this Conservative party with which You
inclined 10 act in favor of opening the bal
Tot box TO rebel ballots.


4 Q.-Weu, believe the great mass Of the Con-
servatve party does favor rebels voting and holding
oiice, bat don't


A.--Yes I know you ara opposed 70 rebels vOt-
ing, but your party is in favor Of it. You know
that the Union men in Tennessee are largely out
numbered by the rebels. The rebels outnunber us
almost two TO one and if they are allowed to vote
they will Of course control State elections and
have things their own way. See what the Conser-
vAtive party has done in Maryland They have
sanittea rebels TO the bsllot-box; have organized


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