The New York herald., 1862-04-01
Progress or the War for the Union-Rcsto-
ration of TCnMe ssee and Florida.

ration of Tennessee and Florida.
While our encircling armies fleets and flotil-
las are steadily and irrcsstibly advancing
upon the contracting lines of the rebellion, the
question still recurs, what are we TO do with
our revolted States as they are rescued from
the military dcspotism Of jeff Davis. Are they
to be encouraged quietly to resume their old
order Of things under the Union, or are they to
be subjected to sweeping military programme
of cOniiscation. emancipation and an anti-sla-
very reconstruction of their local governments?
We have the answer, explicit and satisfactory.
in behalf of Mr.. Lincoln's administration. from
Tennessee and Florida, and in the initatory
steps commenced in those two States for their
complete restoration to the "old flag"
Tennessee, next to Virginia, has been made
the dupe, the tool, the fool, the drudge, the
packhorse and the impoverished victim OF this
rebellion. With the expulsion Of the rebel
armies from her capital, her people, to great
extent. were found to be incrcdulous, stupefed,
bewildercd sullen and poisoned with the virus
of secession, apparently beyond the reach of
any but the most violent remedies. But, for
all this, Mr. Lincolns Provisional Military
Governor, Andrew Johnson, substantially
assures those people that he comes among
them only to enforce the supreme authority of
the Union, so far as may be necessary, until,
with the expulsion of the armed forces of seccs-
sion throughout the State, the people of Ten
nessee may proceed themselves to rcorganize
their State government under the supreme law
Of our federal constitution, and with all their
local rights and Institutions. slavery and all, as
/ they were before the outbreak Of this rebellion
Such is the ground taken by Governor john
son in his official "appeal TO the people of Ten
ncssec;" but in q subsequent public speech at
Nashville on the 22d ultimo he takes
particular pains to assure them that,
so far is be from entertaining any
sentiment in common with our abolition re-
formers of the North, that be regards the abol-
ZIONIST and the secessionist with the same alb
horrence. He says, and he says truly, that
there are two parties in existence who want
dissolution that the abolitionists constitute
one of these parties, and that 'the two occupy
the same ground;' that abolition is dssolu-
ton, dissolution is secession; one is the other;
both are striving for the same object" and that
the only difference between them is, that while
tie abolition party think that dissolution will
destroy slavery, the secession party believe
that dissolution will save slavery. Governor
Johnson repudiatcs both these parties, and pro-
claims his policy to be that Of President Lin
coin, and of the two houses of Congress, as de-
clarcd by them in July last-the simple policy
of the restoration Of our revolted States to the
Union and to the constitution of the United
States, State lines. State institutions, slavery
and all.
We are not, therefore, surprised to learn that
since these declarations from Governor John
son there has been manifest Union reaction
going on among the people of Tennessee with.
in the protecting lines of our armies. Let
us get the rump Of the rebel army