Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-31

earthly authorities but as the gift o. God The tJniou
men OF Tennessee aud Of the south re ever ready to
swear support. protect, ard defeudhe Constitution
OF the United States and union Of all e States there
uader and to faithfully abide by and SUPPORT all acts Of
Congress and Of the President aud all in LAWFUL authority
parsed and done under the provisions thereof whether il
Do IN reierepce TO African slavery or other matter On
tne occasion OF tho assembling of he people to reorganxe
the adnnisirt iheic State Gcvernnea made vacant
py the acs OF rebels, such oath might with color Of
proPrety be required of character ia all cases
wlere the loyalty of the voter may be questioned ques-
tohaole But the loyal of the South will not
upou inc order OF their taking it but upon all occaons
season and out of whenever and wherever called
on they are willing TO this tesas test of charac
'er-ah evidence of what they arenot SO recantstion
" FORMER unsoundness But the oath which the Presi
'en' Pfescioes ne virtually admits in his argument hsf
may not lawfully require Of the citizen condition
OF pardon and OF the restoration of forfeited rights
Do the President the loyal men Of the nathan ov
nothing TO the Union men of the SlayehoIdng Staesf
suppose the heen Slavebodng States or even the ten
States named 10 tie Presidents proclamation with tho
dlsloya portion of Virginia, bad indeed been unit for
rebellion and dissolution, is it reasonable 20 suppose
hat The EFFORT to restore the authority of the Government
would have failed Has the task been 10 easy az il Isl
The Union Of the South called for the protection of
1uo PROMISED III assistance
operation in the suppression of the rebeion and they
have kept their promise with effect. Had their weight
been thrown into the other scale there is little reason to
suppose that the President would now be in position to
oer terms OF pardon to rebels To abandon the
measures directed to the liberation Of slaves the Pres
csnt asrs would be not only to relinquish lever of
power, but would also be asIuundmsr h.esA
of faith" May not venture in meekness to remind the
Chief Mssstfs loyal men Of the SRS5dht Lave
ka. -
oeen % n. lever Of power w6ich ia the future would
prove nuch in the restoration of the auth
r"y o. 'ne sosernment than Ntha aworn alegiancss1
recanters OF former ansoundness; and that to
faith is also pehted in manner as sesn hs mo.t
distinguished considerationf"
Ia conclusion the writer would say for himself that n i
not care for the institution of slavery which has trrsa
him up to enter this his humble protest aoa;nst az
plan of the President For years before this rebslion
broke out he has believed and sid that the domnearino
power of slavery propagandism mist be met and broken
down. or 1t would break down the ibtes of the nation
The slave propaganda has forced the ss.e upon the
try and will continue to force it until the sution shah
be destroyed. This is matter of opinion The BORDER
States, at least, Including Tennessee will nd Y 70 thar
interest to dispense with Institution which lie unro6t
able and lies cubus upon the bosom of their Lros
perity Perhaps the Gulf States, if left to thenseve,
would retain the institution for time but the danger to
the national integrity and peace from them, unsupported
by the Border States, would be small indeed Neither
will the loyal men Of the South regard this question with
eye single to their personal interests Their
Of action during the trying ordeal which their
political faith has been subjected is test of soundness
reliable than auy Thousands of sworn recantatons
Of former unsouDdness that they true the interests
of the public peace aud welfare. We cannot have liberty
for white or black without peace; and perhaps we cannot
have peace secured until th question of slavery s settled
speak OF the pernaaence of peace. We willing to
consider this quesouas sopcregns and not subjects
Dssrm the rebellion and the intimidation of the
Government arms, except terror to evil doers and
have confidence in the loyal people OF the South and those
who return without price to their loyalty, that they will
dispose Of the question of slavery wisely and we'll Does
Their commit the elective franchise the States to be re-
claimed TO the custody of 1.-THE of the population whose
perjury ard washed from their be.r.
and the blood OF their loyal fellow men from their
by the atonement OF sworn rscanalion of former nm
soundness gwen for cOnsiderations Surely the pra,
dent loses sight Of the logic which he himsem .I NJ
ters in this connection when he Says An atemf ,.s
rany and protect revived State Government
ed in whole in preponderang part from the very ee.
mens ag4inst whose hostility ard violence it is to be pro-
tected simply absurd II this plan the President ia
the best which humau wisdom devise to reunte the
fragments Of broken Unop then the conclusion of the
whole matter is the President gives it in the closing
observations Of his Message The war power ia attn our
main reliance" JOHN LELLYETT