The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-15
The "RebeIlIOn HesOIutiOus'' Of
Hon. Garreft RnTEs

/
overthrow Free Government by again set
ting the discounted Slave 0hgarchy on
its legs. Beaten down and preparing
even the most desperate of toe Rebela-to
"suecumb," these worse than "copper"
head" resolutions, could they pass, would
put anew the breath of life into the fatal
ly stricken and gssping "COnfedracy," )"
and leave the guiltiest Wretches that ever
cursed earth with their presence TO 90
clear-nay, to boast of q partial success
in having attained the positions of he
rOes in their attempt to destroy the
Union.
Mr.. Davis ought to have learned by
the miserable fate Of bis confrere, VAL
landigham, that his movement must not
only prove failure, but that; persever-
ing, he is sure to attain an unenviable
notOriety to destroy all chances of his
own usefulness in the future. The tenn
per Of the people inregard TO these mat
ters has certainly been thoroughly tested,
if the war and the events connected with
it have tested anything; and the most
carless observer, one would suppose, must
have noticed that whilst in the outset
the people were prepared to talk softly
to tour erring Southern Brethren" the
most forgiVing, or the most disposed,
then, TO overlook their crimes, have 10
longer patience with that persistence in
evil doiug-that murderOus deieImina-
ton still to slay the defenders of Free
GovernmeDt-manifested at Richmond
and elsewhere in the seeded States
/ Had the leaders of the Rebellion-the
vile gang who, month by month from
! their cushioned seats at Richmond, send
thousands after thousands to miserably
/ perish--had these exhibited the slight
| est conjunction for their unparalleled
crimes, the folly of the member from
Kentucky would not have been SO mar
ked; but listen IS attentively as we may
for sign of repentance, and although
voices are heard bemOaning their blum
ders and defeats and failures, only savage
defiance is hurled at the Government in
return for every proposition which looks
even remotely to Cancellation"
In dealing with the actions Of men
like Mr.. Davis, who have some showing
of loyalty, we desire to put the best
construction on what they may think
proper to do in the direction Of the put
ting down or ending as some way the
Rebellion-we desire 10 think charitably
of their efforts; and yet come to the
real merits of the case, and who does
not recognize in Gen. CAN'T of Arkansas
"a repentant rebel who has thoroughly
sounded all the depths of the terrible
attempt at reVolution-One 8 thousand
times more useful to the cause of "recOn-
struetion" than the member of Congress
from Kentucky or any of the mistaken
troupe who act with him.
Fortunately, very fortunately for the
| noblest cause which ever demanded the
best efforts of determined and enlight-
ened men, the country does not accept
/ the leadership Of the Hon. Garret Davis,
or any of his way Of thinking. He has
been sadly left behind in the great
march of events, and without seeming
at all conscious of the fact, notwithstsnd-
| ing the warnings he has received. But
the fate of Fernando Woods resolutions
should have taught the Kentucky mem
Der something in relation TO the true
temper of the American people, falling
so silently, so fat as they did, that il
was plainly evident that they had
hardly vitality enough to permit Of their
being killed. Who cared for them
How much attention did they elicit from
any quarter ?-and when at all noticed,
what sentiment was manifested for them
but the most provoking contempt? It is
certain, however, that the resolutions of
Mr.. Davis are not intended to emulate or
share the fate of his confreres, for their
very bulk-if nothing else-seems to
forbid such q result. But that will not
save them.
Let us note now that Mr.. Davis as
sumes to speak for the South measurably
assumes to know the temper of the
Southern people by virtue Of bis resi-
dence in a border State. SO far, what
he may say will perhaps, with a few Of
the more short-sighted and timid in the
land, have a mOdicum of weight. Bot
should il? Is il true that he, outside the
Rebel lines-never having been admitted
TO the councils of the Rebel chiefs-ia |
more competent than Mr. Lincoln, whose |
Proclamation of Amnesty" he assumes |
severely to arraign-to judge Of what is I
needful in closing the Rebellion! No |
reasonable person will say that be is;
and so, on that score, let as oppose TO |
him General GAntt-before referred to
who has himself lad a bitter personal |
experience within the Rebel camps. lie /
says:
"We ought to end the struggle and sub
NIT. But You-(the Southern peOple)- /
say il is humiliating. No more than to
surrender when whipped. We have done
that Often-slways when we could do
no better. / have tried the experiment
twice, and found it By no means foolish.
Submission is but surrender. We are
fairly beaten in the whole result. and
should at once surrender the point"
Yes, that is the conclusion for the
South to come to-the conclusion dtat
,0iH hare 10 be faced up TO at last; and Mr..
Davis nor any one else can save, them
from it-Mr. Davis, Of Kentucky, no
more than his disreputable, traitor
namesake At Richmond.
It is worse than idle for this Govern
ment in closing the Rebellion to deal
with the Rebel chiefs, the men blacken-
ed with treason, Feeking with the fetor
Of false oaths, as if they were equals and
conquerors, permitting them TO approa eh
with the air Of such. Submission is the
wOrd-the only condition that the Gov
eminent can listen to and retain its dig
nifty, its prestige, is character as a G0Uesu-
nseHt Short Of that, and permitting
these murderers Of their own people aud
those of the loyal States 10 take their
places under the old order Of things, and
the Rebelli.n and its suppression would
never prove the mighty lessOn that is 70
teach this and coming generations how
monstrOus were the crimes committed
by ambitious men for that old bauble-
the possession Of power. Let the Gov.
ernment deal mercifully, considerably,
with the many led astray, By the wiles
and ..tTeaeherous pretensiOBs Of the great
criminals; and for all that the Presi-
dents "PrOcIamatiOn of Amnesty" pro-
yides. Bul let the country, as Il i0iH,
stand by the Federal Executive in the
wise distinction be makes, the needful
distinction-DeedfaI 70 punish the chief
Rebels, if The force Of example has ever
meant anything in any case.