Smyrna times., 1863-03-26
Gov. Johnson on the Crisis.

Gov. johnson, of Tennessee, one of the
bold champions of the Constitution and the
rights it guarantees to the States, has been
making speech at the great meeting in
Indiana, where he was invited to give the
opinion of a Southern man of Northern
copperheads. Mr.. johnson has been a life
long Democrat, butihiss Interpretation of the
Constitution would not allow him to secede
or give aid and comfort to secessionists be-
cause his candidate was not elected. Here
is portion of his speech which will strength
en- the heart Of every patriot and should
bring blush to the cheek of every craven
hearted sympathizer:
Z" But we are told we cannot subiueate a
State. Can there be any society or civiliza-
ton without enforcement of the law! While
the rebels like you to talk with them about
peace and an armistice, and the Northwest
coalescing with the South, they are laugh
ing at you, and tell you that they want no
compromises that do not recognize their in
dependence. While the bowels of your
sympathies are yearning for them, have you
forgotten the Union men down there
do not come as begger to you-I come
with the Constitution OF the United States,
and demand that traitors and rebels shall be
put down. The Constitution says the Uni
ted States shall hot may guaratee to
every State a Republican form of govern
ment l cali upon your sympathies to fulfil
that obligation, and guarantee to the Union
men Of the South such a form of govern
ment. / demand your sympathy for loyal
men east of the Cumberland Mountains
the most loyal people in the United States
where they have dared to be loyal You've
some here who, because they are in a loyal
State, dare not be otherwise. Compromise,
indeed! Your sympathizers must want to
see me hung The redemption of that peo-
pie has been put off long enough. If it
does not soon take place, will come to H.
linOis, Indiana, and Ohio, and plead with
you for a chosen band of men to redeem
them. Voice.-We'll give you fifty thou
sand. There is fearful responsibility upon
those who precipitated the country into
civil war. They have caused all these new
made graves, all this suffering and sacrifice
You sympathizers and all, let me ask you to
raise your hand TO Heaven and see if it be
not red with blood. Do you talk of being
tired of wars If it cost your fathers seven
long years to establish this Government,
how much longer ought we fight to pre-
serve it So far as am concerned, would
carry 1t on not only seven, but thirty years.
Were my life spared seventy years, would
fight on--as long as the Moors against the
Spaniards-and like Paul Jones, when his
ship was sinking, in reply to demand for
surrender, answered, 'surrender-never !
We are only getting ready to fight"
al He believed the time to make firm,
united stand was now. Open the Mississ-
ippi, blockade Galvaston, Mobile and other
ports, let Rosecrans move on to Chattanoo-
ga, take Weldon, cut of'the Southern Rail
road, and the Confederacy will fall Sup
pose you compromise or declare an armis-
tice? They don't want compromise they
want you to talk about, divide upon it,
quarrel among yourselves, and then they
will conquer you in detail.
, He had spent his life in the South, picked
1 cotton with his own hands, owned slave:
obtained through his own industry, and had
them appropriated by these fellows, hi,
family turned into the street, and his house
" converted into barracks, as his portion o
: Southern rights and although he didn't
9 approve of the policy of employing negroe,
: in the army, yet he was for the Constitu
; ton, with or without slavery. If the negro
: gets in the way of the car of the State LEI
him be crushed; if not, let him remair
q where he is. Slavery as compared with the
g Government was as dust in the balance
r We cannot compromise with treason any
:, more than truth with error, or virtue with
9 vice. Would you have had the Almighty
e compromise with the Devil? Had he, Hea
u ven itself would have been compromised
!, Treason must be made odious, and traitor
punished and impoverished. You have go
y 1t to do, and must do it in time. II you
o compromise rebellion must succeed, in lesi
+ than six months new rebellion will breal
u out You ,0iu compromise ,cith that and in the
n end find your Government compromised
n away. If enough life has not been sacri
: ficed-enough blood been shed-if enough
i patriots do not sleep in their graves--ther
: | say TO Him who is on high, name tn,
! price and it shah be paid and if need be le
0 that, borne upon every battlefield, be bap
! tized in fire from the sun and bathed in th,
}, blood OF the nation"