Year: 1868

Gen n b. Forrest, the hero Of Fort
Pillow, has written letter protesting
manfully and forcibly against any exclu-
sion from Democratic leadership of his
fellow soldiers in the Rebel armies during
the late unpleasantness. He thinks land
so do We that such exclusion would paral-
lei performance of g the tragedy of Ham
let with the part of Hamlet omitted" His
letter is SO pertinent and characteristic
that we make room for it entire-as fol-
lows


To the Editors Of The Memphis Appeat
GENTS An influence is at work in
this State, as | have discovered since my
departure from Memphis, to preclude any
participation by the late Confederate SOL
diers in the coming Convention of the
Democracy of Tennessee, to be held at
Nashville on the 9th of June, and in the
National Democratic Convention, to be
held at New York on the 4th of July.


1t does not amount to a purpose to ar
bitrarily do this thing but is felt In
efforts to induce every one who took any
part in the recent struggle of the Confed-
eracy for independence, to decline attend
ing at these assemblies upon pretended
grounds of expediency, and to submit the
representation of Tennessee at New York
10 men who are known to be for the I'm
ion.


Upon consultation with many of my late
associates in the war, | have concluded to
advise against any further emasculation OF
ourselves in the party movements OF the
State.


We are already sufficiently prescribed
in the Constitution and statutes which now
govern the State, against our consent, the
prescription of which has, through the
mendacious hostility of our legislative
enemies, been added to time and again,
until now we barely live under the accum-
mulated weight of disfranchisement and
oppression Shall we superadd, by our
own action, to those prescriptions and
exorcisms of ourselves from all participa'
tion in the assemblies of the State and
National Democracy, and publish to the
world confession that we are too unwor-
thy to intrude ourselves into the councils
of the party2 The National Democratic
party, through its committee, have invited
Us to take part in the Convention, which
Is to assemble at New York on the 4th of
July. 1t prescribes no test oaths, no





have taken in the late war; but, like
true constitutional party, it opens its door:
and invites all who may choose to come
without reference to the past To sug
gest, then, an answer to SO catholic al
invitation, that we, who are the tru,
representatives. of the greater portion Q
the Constitution men of the States, fee
ourselves unworthy to soil the delibera
tions of that Convention with our pres
ence, would exhibit us In an attitude o
servile degradation that | trust we hav
not reached as yet. In this view of tn
case, then, it is my advice (giyen from
sense of duty, and against a reluctauc
which is adverse to any personal displa
of myself in a matter of this kind to a
my comrades to participate in the count
meetings, and to send up full deega
tions to Nashville on the 9th of june, con
posed of good and true men, without re
erence to the divisions which were made b
the war.


The only hope of a restoration of goo
government in this country is the succes
of the National Democracy in the ne1
Presidential campaign. trust my lat
comrades will not, from e1pediency or ott
er motives, absent themselves from a pal
ticipation in the political exercises whic
are to result in the choice of STANDARD
bearers, made with view to SO patriot
and desirable an end So far as [ al
personally concerned, | have no desil
to take any part in politics, nor to oc
cupy any political position whatever; b'
| do not wish to see my State represente
by men whose only claim to public favor
the dexterity with which they took eith'
side of the question in the late war, I
interest dictated, and who bank upon it {
their only capital for popular support.


- n B. FORREST.


Nashville. Friday, May Is, 1858.