The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-14

Since the installation OF the President of
/ the uItet States there have never existed
/ such clements 90 invoke snd inspire a great
/ State paper ss those which surrounded Mr.
johnson wheu he peuucd the Message be-
I tore us. The occaslon and the theme were
| alike grand IN interest aud result. The
I auditory was the civilized world-the ques-
I ton, the right as well as the capability Of
man for seit government. OF the mere
manner Of the Message, II is unfair 10 judge.
/ for doubtless, the style and text have been
mutilatsd in the pr0verbiaI inaccurscy Of
I telegrsphic transmission. But no verbal
defects have been sufficient 90 hide from Us
the spirit and body Of the document. Aficr
I thanking God for the end 0i the war, aud
paying q tribute 20 the memory Of his
predecessor, Mr.. johnson launches his arEu-
ment into the marrow Of the great question
of the day. He hslts not TO talk Of Govern
ment details, or % ad0rn his speech with
"ghuerIng generalities." What was Co be
done with the States lately 10 rebellion,
their arms being stacked snd surrendered
This Is the question, and the topic and in its
discussion he prefsces his own programme BY
q asearching analysis Of the theory q the Fed
erl Constitution end Governmsnt-thai
theory, Of course. tempered BY the heat
evolved from successful war against the
extreme State Rights principle. He passes
from this analysis 90 vIudicuton Of tbe
principles Of Republican freedom. lie
takes his stand on she side Of the Cohstitu-
tI0n. He declares for peace, harmony and
speedy restoration, aud paints both the i'm
policy and the savHgery 0f the alternative
theory Of dividing the nation between van
quishers aud vanquished, and the great per
lls and eXhausting expense Of martial gov |
eminent for the South. Ia a word. the /
~ don't Q o b..
programme Of reconstruction with which |
his speeches and published declaratious I
have made the country familiar, and which /
hiss csused the South 90 regard him a. O. /
great beueiact0r and wise statesman. No |
matter that he has not done this with an
elan and q spirit ofdeGauce that would have |
kept pace with the srdor OF cur desire aud /
our sense Of right. No matter if the Prssi /
dent hiss forgotten the prime rule 9f puRl- /
ism, which is to get the first blow and make
it telling one, in all great encounters. He
has done enough 20 plant himself squsreiy |
and fairly in antagOnism to the radical pro-
gramme which tTnmples constitution, ires-
dom and humsnity under the feet Of cruel
and inexorable partyism.
he has thrown down the gauntlet 10 the /
Summers and Stevens OF the Puritan school
Of politics, who will not be slow % pick 10
up. Iudeed, they have for SIX months past
been sharpening their knives for his official
throat, aud the issue is made up between !
them. The conservative men of the nstiou
lnd the whole South must stand by him ia
the deadly duel, because he is the champion
1f constitutional liberty. No act of trucu-
.euce can now avert the consequences of the
ssue 80 Joined Nay, If he were 20 crawl on
his belly 70 the feet Of the radicals. and
lumbly pray for orders 10 DO their bidding, |
they would only use him 10 throw the
squeezed orange away There Is no com
promise that csn save him from political
leath and official extinction.
The quest on wall 60 before the great tri-
ounal OF the American people at she polls
Jf 56s-the question Of constitutional free
dom or Of radical higher law dIabolisIu. If
ndreW Johnson is made Of the stern stuff
hat should belong % the champion Of so
mighty q cause, he viii triumph, and his
name will shine in history as the greatest
lf the American Presidents. lf he fails,
God help this country. That the people are
1n his side by a majority Of millions, W. do
not doubt, and be Is armed with such wea-
l0ns Of warfare as no other POteutats on
,arth can WELD. The People, the Army |
md the Navy, and the public patronage are
IN at his command. He is less than a civil
nero and statesman Il ne does not bravely /
meet and successfu fully v vauquIsh party that
ramples all Laws, human snd Divine, under
oot, 10 maintain its clutch on pOwer.-M5-
,iie AdUCrtiser.