The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-23


Federal power. During the war, the legis-
lation VI Congress was necessarily tiuged
w!th the passions Of ihe time, and, upon
the return Of peace they were i0und upon
the National stature book some Of the most
stringent and proscripIive lave for the pun
| Ishraent Of persons, and cOnlscatiOn OF pro-
psrty. There wss but one way BY which
we could escape the severe penslties Of
these rigorous enactments, and that was
through the pardouing powers Of the Presi-
dent.
Soon after the surrender OF the southern
| armies, the President. by p-OclamatiOn, and
the appointment Of Provisional Governors.
announced his terms Of smnesty and the
policy BY which he proposed TO restore har-
monious relations 20 the recently disc0fd-
aut STATES. nder al the circumstances
associated with the new condition Of things,
70 must be confessed that the terms OF am
nesty wee as liberal as could have been
reusonab y expected. To the great mass OF
our couutrymeu q psrdon was rendered
Z vpec the staple condition OF taking an oath
u support the Constitutou and laws 5f the
| United States and the union Of The States
thereunder, including s. pledge Of obedi
| euce 10 the Presidential p-oclamstions in
/ relation 20 slavery. This condition was
/ readily and che srfully complied with. The
/ various classes who were excepted from this
| liberal condition, and who could only OBJ
/ tain amnesty by special action on the part
| Of the Executive, have presented their ap-
1 plieations in large number; and the ankle
/ " with which they seek icr favorable action
on their respective cases, gives evidence OF
the sincerity with which our whole people
are eudeavOring % conform 20 the full re-
quirements Of the laws.
The rec1nstruct ton, or restoration policy
OF the President was duly submit tod % the
people OF Alabams, and has been unhssi-
tatiugly ecceI ed By them. To tmBy be 81 e.
ly asserted that, as far as ths work OF recon-
struction has progressed This state, o has
been Ia strict Conformity with what was uu-
dersto ID 20 be the policy Of the General
Government. Without undue murmoring,
and in perfect god faith, our people have
patriOtcsuy coniormed to all the exigen
cies Of the situation They luliy and
fairly accept the re ul Of the war, with al
their legitimate consequences.
Cani0r and sincerity are prominent traits
Of Southern character. Our people never
dissembic; they always mean what they
say aud do. Their high character In this
regard is so well established. that all reason
aole men, in all psrts Of the country, must |
award full credit iortheir every action since |
the termination Of he war. Our sUldieTs /
bore themselves with manIiuess then they |
their paroles with scrUpulous good faith. |
Returning home, they sank the soldier into /
the citizsn and cordially uniting with 9TH |
eT citizens, they have given The whole !
weight Of their potent influence IN forward
ing the great work ct restlrat on. Patient
ly and uncJmp plaiuingly obedieut 10 all the /
requirements of the Constitution, laws, and /
even military orders Of the United states 4
since the war closed, the people Of Alabama
have given every possible evidence which
human action can furnish, Of uute gued in
t=gri'y of purpose, and devoted lol atty 70
the General Ooyernm nt. We may right
fully claim, therefore, that our Stale is fully
entIled 10 be placed in that position in She
Uuion Whtre she viii and as the pJktical
equal Of any other State under The Federal
Constitution. Iu this faithful acquig scence
in results, and this sincere desire for the re-
storation to amicsble and harmonious re,a-
tions with the other states of the Union,
there are DO party divisions among as. Those |
who favored, and those who opposed ssces-
sion, now stand firmly ald heartily to-
gelher.
A sudden and radical change has been |
wrought in our labor system. The ex-
tinct.on Of slavery is one OF the inevitable
results OF the war. The relation heretofore
existing between the whites and blacks has
been totally changed. The negroes are nov
free, and this stubborn fact is fully and un-
equlyocally recognized. How far govern
mental seton may be able to promote the
cOmmon intsTest q toe two rsces in their
suddenly changed conditions, IS great pro-
blem which time alone eau solve.
The normal vocation Of the negro, is that
of a cultlvator Of the soil. The sol aud
climate OF Alabama, are peculiarly adapted
to the growth Of cO.ton-that great staple
which weds a most potent influence ia
the commercial world. Land owners are
dependent upon tho negroes for the labor
which is necessary to produce c. tt0n.
Hence the negroes have bat 10 avail them
selves o the advantages which they pos-
sess as cultivatOrs o. cotton lands, 70 make
for themselves an independent living. In
their new condition, their future happiness
or misery depends entirely upon them
selves. They will hud No disposition o.
the part of the wsites 10 oppress them, or
withhold from them any Of those rights 20
which they are eati led as 4 sedmen.
The recent Convention OF the State,
ad ptei an ordinance Imperatiysly rrquir-
ing the Legislature, at its present session,
to provide full protection l0r the persons
and property OF the c0lOrsd population. OF
course, il is assumed lhat the Legislature
will take the required aCti q IN this regard.
In all this we see the evidence OF d hrin |
I
freedman in his new condition We VIII
not only extend 10 him ell his legitimate
rights, but Sill throw around him such ef-
flctive safeguards VIII secure him in
their full snd complete enjoyment. More
than this, / am persuaded our Norlheru Z
brethren cannot and VIII not ask Of u.s. AZ
the same time, II must be understood, that
politically and socially ours IS q white
mans government; in the future, Is has
been the case IN the past, the Stale affairs
Of Alabama must be guided and con-
trolled by the superior intelligence OF
the white msn. Ihe negro must al. o
be made 20 realize that freedom does not
mean idleness or yagrancy. Emancipation
has but leiI him where lie cana0t live with
out work.
Let Us hope that by judici0us policy on /
the art OF the State, aud by prudence on /
the part Of planters and others emplsyiug Il
negroes, we may not experience that inter-
rupti0u in the development Of cur indus
trial resources which might, at first never
have been apprehended from the sudden /
and radical change, to which our labor sys-
ten has been subjected. 10 may be-, indeed,
that BY additional energy, and b0lder en-
tsrprises, we may fi8d ourselves, at 10 DIS
tant day, on the road 10 higher pros
perIty and greatness, than we were likely 70 /
attain under the Old system.
At any rate, let US hope for the best We /
have vast resources which capital, science /
and labor, viii develop ia due time All /
these viii find inviting fields in Alabama /
I have necessarily touched but briefly upon /
topics pertaining to State p-hey. ! shall 1
perhaps have Occasion 10 refer 70 them more |
fully Ia formal communications 70 the Legis- /
lature.
Allow me to ssy, gentlemen, in conclusion,
that since the close Of the war, IL has eyi- /
deutiy been the studied purpose Of our peO- |
pie 10 move ia iull harmony with the ayow- /
ed policy o. the National Administration /
This at;ests the high confidence which is /
rcposed in the ability, integrity and pat /
ri0tism Of President johnson. have no /
hesitation in expressing the belief that the 1
President is doing eyeiyihiEg in his power /
% advance the best IL uteTe.t5 Of the whole /
country, both North and South. 10 bis 4
high and responsible position, be has given /
The most iudubitable evidence Of his pur-
pose 10 admins er the affairs Of the Govern 4
ment in a spirit Of isiTuess, justics and con /
servatiye nationality. I c0usider jt clearly /
our duty to give him our cordial and e.rH-
est support n the patriotic course he Eg pur-