Mr. TAYLOR, of Tennessee. These people, as I was remarking, were true to the men; And what is the best evidence of that truth? In February, 1861, when the question of secession was 1st proposed to the people of Tennessee through the ballot box, what was the answer of the State of Tennessee? 64,000 against rebellion and for the Union. What proportion of those was found in East Tennessee. About 30 ‘thousund votes in a vote of about 42,000. 30,000 votes were given for the Union in East Tennessee. In June, 1861, the question was again ro pounded by the Legislature. Then the direct' issue was separation or no separation. In the mean time our country was lled with armed and organized rebels; and when that election came, the loyal voters in some parts of East Tennessee had to pass to the ballot'box between rows of rebel bayonets. In the mean time so cession had prevailed in Virginia; it had prevailed in NCarolina, in SCarolina, in Georgia, Alabama, and the other southern States; and middle and western Tennessee had been swept into the whirlpool of rebellion. The storm had gathered all around our little mount ain land of East Tennessee with her 31 counties. We were deserted by our friends on all hands. Mountains stood like impassable barriers between us and the flag of our country; for it must be remembered that the government of the U.S., owing us protection, had abdicated in fact and left us to whatever power might choose to domincer over us. Under these circumstances East Tennessee, deserted by her friends, abandoned by the government of the U.S., surrounded by r'cbel bayoncts, her citizens threatened with expatriation, threatened with confiscation, threat ened with death at every step if the did not yield allegiance to the confederacy, ast Tennessee, in the midst of these circumstances, stood as firmly based and anchored in her loy alty as were her everlasting hills upon their granite foundations. Herpeople wavered not; they trembled not; but, sir they marched right up between rows of rebel bayonets and e posited 30 4,000 votes against separation to about 7,000 for it. This was the spirit of East Tennessee in 1861, and it was the spirit which she carried with her throughout the whole struggle. Sir, I would like to review, if time perm tted, the thrillin history of East Tennessee during this war. trust that before this Congress en 5I shall have the privilege of doing justice to as noble, as gal lant, as loyal, as patriotic a petwle as breathes the air of, these U.S. Who was it, sir, that held East Tennessee fast anchored in her loyalty? Among the rest was the distinguished gentleman whose case you have now on trial here to night. He was one of the lenders in the Union movement. He presided in our circuit court. He had the ear and the confidence of the Union people. He was traveling from county to county. the was in communication with all the loyal people. He it was who, in conjunction with others ihid the train for that underground railroad over which more than 20,000 loyal East Teiinessceans passed, between sunset and sunrise, with their 'knapsacks on their backs, with their feet bleeding, through the pathless forest and over the craggy summits of our loft iest mountains, their way lighted by the pale glimmer of the stars or the light of the moon. I know Judge Patterson would have remained out of office in 1862, when his term had expired, had it not been for the importunate demands of the people of his circuit. I know r what I say when I say this. I was one of the 1st who received the announcement from his own lips that he could not without hazard to his own life serve as a Union judge again. I insisted, with my Union fellow citizens, that he should retain his office. Although there was a rebel candidate opposing him, r oing all he could to secure his election, Judge Patter son, without running for the otiicc, was elected by a majority of 4,000 by the Union people against the rebels. 0w, wh did he hold the office? It was simply in efcnse of the Government of the U.S. He held it for the purpose of protecting the loyal people of Tennessee. Arc, then, his very virtues to be brought up in judgment against him in this House? Is he to be.punished for holding the position to which his people assigned him, thathe might protect them against the rebels? Surely if our people are disposed to reward merit, 'if our people are disposed to do justice to those who were willing to go through fire and toil for the honor of the country and for the honor of our loyal people, the Senate of the U.S and this House will notplace their foot upon and trample down a true patriot who riske his life and all that he had for the honor of that flag under which you, Mr. Speaker, now sit.