Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-04-07
The rruth OF Hi.torv.

hostility to ANDREW JOHNSON They care not how
ridiculous they make themselves if it viii only
serve TO disparage him.
For instance. the Patriot. borrowing the language
Of an abolition Journal characteristics the Homestead
policy as "eminently a Republican measure and
adds; Nevertheless, it is a fsvori:e measure with
the great leader and master Of the Democracy Of
Tennessee, ANDREW JoHNsoS-the man who above
all others, they prefer for the presidency" The
Banner, borrowing the language of Georgia paper,
which it says is Democratic, but which we would
not vouch for asks us: " How can the UNION AND
American reject Mr.. DOUGLAS on account Of his
Squatter Sovereignty heresy, and at the same time
support ANDREW JOHNSON, the advocate Of the
Homestead bil?" The Banner might as well have
asked US how we could reject Mr. DOUGLAS on account
Of ais Squatter Sovereignty heresy and at the same
time support ANDREW JOHNSON, the father of six
children. There would have been just as much fit
ness in the interrogatory. We might ask the Ban
BsT in return how il reject WIN. II. SEWARD &C
OOuntof his irrepressble conflict heresy and at the
same time support JOHN BELL the advocate of pro
tective tariff and internal improvements by the
General Government? Both of these measures con-
stttute part of the Republican creed, according to
the declarations of some Of their organs. But we
have simpler way Of exposing neighbors, by
referring to the known history Of the past and the
official records Of the country.
These papers, in their hostility to ASDREw JOHN
SON seek to make the impression on the public
mind that the Homestead policy of which ne has
been the able champion since 1886 is anti-savery
measure part Of the Black Republican creed of hos
tlity to the rights of Shareholders and gravely ask
hat
are the facts? In 1853 the Opposition in Tennessee
nominated and supported for Governor, GUsTtvUs
A. HENRY, l1bo made speeches IN taCor Of the Home
stead policy from one end Of the State to the other and
claimed to be a BETTER friend to that measure than
AN3REw JOHNSON; for while the latter was for re-
strietng the privilege to HEADS FAMILIES, the for
mer was in favor Of extending 1t to MARRIED AND
UNMARRIED persons, without distinction And the
editors Of these Opposition organs throw up their
hats for him and Ghouted for the Eagle Orator. as
one of the foremost statesmen of the age! Again.
in 1855, Gov JOHNSON was a candidate for re-elec-
ton, and many Of his friends were holding him up
to the public as the CdAN7IoS of the Homestead.
Instead of raising a whisper against him the
ground that his favorite hsbby was a Black Repub-
lcan measure. the editors Of the Banner and P0tri-
Of aided in bringing forward as the candidate of
their party, MERDErH 2. GENTRY. one of whose
best acts was. while a member Of Congress- to have
favored the Homestead policy, and to have voted in
1852 for bin ofths character, and the identical one,
we believe, introduced by ANDREW JOHNSON. And yet
the Patriot and Banner have now discovered that the
Homestead bill thus supported by Col. GENTRY, Is
Republican measure. Again. at a recent Opposition
State Convention held in this city, more through
the instrumeutality Of the Banner and Patriot than
any other organs of their party, the Hon. JOHN BELL
was nominated for TIE Presidency and held up be-
fore 5he world as a MODEL STATESMAN: and yet Mr..
BEILwhi Senator of the United States, and since.
has always been classed among the friends of the
Homestead and as one standing ready to aid in its
passage whenever he could do so. Our Nashville
contemporaries know this and sijH they for Mr..
BELL in preference to better men of their party who
have consistently opposed the Homestead policy.
We have in previous number Of this paper referred
70 the fact that Homestead resolutions have, at
least two different occasions if not oftener, passed
the Tennessee legislature by the votes of members
of both parties We have also called the attention Of
our neighbors to the fact which they viii never
chronicle that their d" Second Washington, 1lHIAED
FILLMORE had favored Homestead bill; giving
Homesteads Of not only one hundred aud Sirty acres
but of sir hundred and forty acres, to every head Of
family; and not only granting HoIlesteads to heads
of families but unmarried men, eighteen years Of
age and upwards and granting them not only to our
natve-born citizens, and not only to native and
foreignborn citizens bit to any IA Russia. Prls-
sa or EdmScbat5d. who would emigrate to this
country within year or more from that time; and
not only to persons Of white blood, but to all half
breed Indians included These things only serve to
show the insucerity and laughable inconsistency of
those Opposition papers in Tennessee who are now
assailing the Homestead as a Black Republican
measure, intended to aid the Of anti-savery.
Now, let rs refer to the Congressional Journals
OF 1852 and 1854, when ANDREW Johnson was press
ing his bill before the House and see what it was
thought of by Southern members of both par
ties. May y. 1852 the question beng upon the
passage of the Homestead bill, it was passed-yeas
IO7, nays Sc. Among those who voted for the bill
were, Of Alabama, James Abercrombie and Alex
ander White. Why's; VIM. r. W. Cobb Sampson
Harris, Geo. s Houston and VIM r. Smith. Demo
Gratis Of Kentucky, Presley Ewing. Ben Edwards |
Grey. Wm. T. Ward and Addison White Vhiqs; /
James W. Stone, Democrat OF Missouri John G. /
Miller and Gichrist Porter. Wigs; John : Phelps /
and Willard p Hall, Democrats. OG Louisiana /
l0Iu MOORE " ll4 AlCA VI 4 GIN anu LOUIS ~
Martin. Democrats OF Maryland, Joseph L. Colt .
man and Thomas Y. Walsh Wigs; and eff Deia-
ware. Geo. Read Riddle, Democrat Of Arkansas
Robert ". johnson, NOW Senator) Democrat OF Nir-
GINA. George W. Thompson and Fayette MeMulin, .
Democrats. Of Tennessee. MEREDITH. GENTRY. /
Christopher H. Williams. Albert G. Watkins and
William Cullom, Wigs; Andrew johnson, Geo. W.
Jones' VIM. II. Polk, John H. Savage and Frederick
P Stanton, Democrats.
Again: Ia the House of Representatives, March
6. 1854 the question being upon the passage of the
Homestead bill it was determined in the atlirma-
ive-yeas l97. nays y. Among those who voted
fer the bill were James Abercrombie, Wing: VIM.
R. ". Cobb. Gee 5. Houston VIM. Il. Smith Dem
,crats. of Alabama. Presley Ewing Ben Edwards
Trev. Ieander N. Cox and William Preston, Wings;
John c. Breckenridge (now Vice President) John
4 Elliott Richard H. Stanton and James s. Chris.
nan. Democrats, of Kentucky. William Dunbar
md Roland Jones. Democrats, Of Louisiana. Al
red B. Greenwood and Edward A. Warren, Dem
,orats. Of Arkansas. Fayette NcNullin Of Yir
Z. Maxwell. of Florida-JOshUa
-ansan.. of Maryland, and Otho r. Singleton, Of
Democrats. Of Tennessee, FELIN. X.
yOLyICOFFER, Robert N. Bugg, and Charles
Ready. Wigs; George W. Jones, Samuel A.
smith Frederick P. Stanton and William N. Church T.
veil, Democrats.
It will thus be seen that the homestead bin Of
>nRrw JOHNSON has received the support Of men
f all shades Of political opinion, not only in Tenn
ssee Int elsewhere. e. Fireeaters and tgion
,en - % Radicals" and Conservative" NhigF.
democrats. Know-Nothings and OpPosItionists have
n supported it. led on by astute men ike IoLLcoF-
rR and GENTRY, without discovering that Il was a
BACK Republican measure And yet fle rceoFds
hat contain these facts viii mouder to dust before
5a information they contain would have reached
he public through the columns Of the Opposition 4
ress.
In the last Congress some Of these Southern OPP