Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-05-10

EIEcUTTyE MkEsIoN,
A. t. Hodges, Esq, Frankfort, Kentucky:
Ny Desr Sir; You ask - put in writing the sub-
stance OF what verbally said, the other dsy IN
your presence GoyeEaor BramIstto and Senator DE
on. II was about as follows
am naturally anti slavery. II slavery Is not wrorg.
nothing is wrong. cannot remembsF when did no.
SO think and feel And yet nave never understood
that the presidency conferred upon ne sn Unrestricted
right 10 set ofelaly upon this Judgment and feeling
It wal in the oath took that would to the best OF nv
ability, preserve protect and defend the Constitution Of
the aiied States Ieould no. take the oee without
taking ths oath. Nor HRs Il In ny view that might
take oath TO get power and break the oath In use
that power, understood, too, that ia ordinary civil
administration this OATH even forbade 20 sctsesy
indulge my primary, abstract Judgment on the moral
qGestsn Of slavery had publicly declared this many
times and In many ways. And aver that 10 this day
straei Judgment and feeling slavery.
did understand, however, that my oath to pressrva
the coustIcon to the best Of my a5 Yiposedupou ne
that government that nafon % which that constitution
tie organic law Was It possible 10 loss the nstsp
and yet preserve the constitution
By general law. life and limb mast Be protscsa vet
often HRb must be Emputatsd 70 save LIE; but
life Ia never wisely given 70 save limb. feel that
measures othsrwiso Unconstitutional, might become
lawful BY becoming Indispensable to the preservation Of
the Constitution, thrcEgh the preservation OF the nation
Right or wrong, assumed this ground and now avow
It eoud not feel that 10 the best of my ability had
even tried 70 preserve the Constitution If 10 save
slavery any minor matter should permit The wreek
CT governments country and Constitution ali together
tAry emancipation, forbade it. because did not thsn
think it an indispensable necessity. When Httls later
General CsReTOn, then Secretary Of War gggeesed the
Ar1ing Of the blacks objected. bee6nss d not vet
thisk II an indispensable necessity When sill later
General Hunter attempted military emaneipation. /
again forbade IT, because did not ys think the ndis-
peussble necessity had come.
Whsn In March and May sad July 1862 made ear.
nsss and successive appeals 10 the border States 10 IA
yor oompenaatsd emancipation, believed the ladIs-
psnsAhie psesssS sot military emancipation aud arm
Ing the blacks would come pslsss svarted by that
measure. They declined The propagation and wsa
In my best judgment driven the alternative o sithar
snrranderng the Union, and with H. the Const aiou
Of laying strong hand upon the eolored eemeut:
chose the latter In choosing It hoped fo- gres or
gain than less; but OF this entirely eondent
More than year Of trial now shows no los5 bv IL III
foreign relations; in Cur hcus popular seutf
anyhow or anywhere. On the eoutrsry Il shows a
gSn Of quite hundred and thirty Thousand soldiers
and aboSers. These are paipable facz abauf
which, facts there be no ckviliDg We have ths
men, and We would not have had them without he
ssasufs
And now let any Union man who complains Of the
nessure test himself BY whiting down In uns lns that
be u for suedung The rebelion BY force Of arms and
IN the next that he s for taking three hundred and thirty
thousand rnen from the Union side and placing them
where they would be but for the MEASURE be Condemns
II he cauHo face hs cause 50 stated il Is only bscsuss
be cannot face the truth.
add Word which not Ia the verbal conve-sa
Hon In telling tha tale attempt no compliment to nv
own sagzeity. claim not to have Controlled evenfs
but esnfess plainly that events have Controlled ne
Now, At the end Of three Yesrz struggle The nations
eondition \ not Whist either party or Any man devised
or expected. G0d alone can claim n Whithsr Il IS