Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-07-19
Address TO the People OF Tennessee.

I
FELLOW CITIZENS: Called to- the
Chief Magistracy of the State without
my own seeking, BY the unanimous nom
Ilinstion of q great onvention, and an
almost unanimous election by the loyal
people; entering upon the discharge of
my duties nearly simultaneously with the
fall of the rebellion, fendly hoped that
the whole people, wearied with war, des-
olation and anarchy, would hail with
delight and support with alacrity the
coming of civil Government and the
inauguration of law and order--that q
patriotic people would leave me, like my
predecessors of other days, with little 10
do but to witness and encourage the
cultivation. Of the soil, the pursuits Of
commerce and the arts, and the redress
of grievances by the courts kfo4 "
But / am panied to announce my
serious apprehensions that different
order of things is soon to be sneoHn-
tered. The harangues of aspiring poll-
ticians denouncing the termination of
slavery, the establishment OF a free
State Constitution, and the veryoexist-
| ence of the Government over which
sm called to preside as unconstitutional,
| spurious and asurpstion-ths. conduct
of numerous county officsrs in evading
or failing to perform their duties, the
holding of numero local eectious tn
! defiance of law and the instafment into
office of disfrauchised rebels, proclaim
too plainly to be misunderstood, that.
the spirit of rebellion and nulliicationi
still exists and must be met and defeut-
| cd, .'i = -.a ~ -'1 'sl'i .''...' y = !.
In order that all who desire m az ua.
derstand the basis and true foundation
of the present Constitution and govern.
ment of Tennessee, 1 propose, in few
plain words, to show it's validity and CON
stitutionality. Z
The Constitution of the United States
declares that "ths United States shaii
| guarantee every State in this Union a
republican form of government" The
government of Tennessee was usurped
by military despotism, resulting
anarchy and reign of terror. Our no.
bic and glorious national Government
/ determined, at the cost of many thous-
and lives and many millions of money.
to perform it's duty by guaranteeing to
US free government Both military
and civic measures had to be brought
into requisition. The military per
formed its duty in blood on the Geld Of
battle But it appointed civilian, in
the person Of our present honored Chief
Magistrate of the nation, to carry out
such civil policy as was found necessary
to executs in good faith, as guaranteed
to the people. After over three years Of
patient toll his labors resulted in the es-
/ tablishment of the Government now in
power, which is so 6ercely denounced.
/ 1t is his workmanship-the fruit of his
mind, acting under National aathority.
and proudly proclaimed by him "the
supreme law Of the Stateof fennessee..'
and from his heart be congratulated
the people upon the happy result" Does
any suppose he will not stand by il and
maintain it with the force of the nation 2
/ Strange to say, there are those who, not
understanding the man or his duty, de-
clare that he win not sustain it, but will
set it aside and not ALLOW its Legislature
to meet again. 1t may be some relief
to the friends of the new Government to
be assured that most of those who so
claim to represent the President, are
men IN whose honesty he never had any
confidence The President will sustafa
his model scheme of reconstructibg the
government of rebellious States and
that with just so much force, applied in
Lust such manner as may be necessary
4 When the nation entered upon its
task Of furnishing the people Of Tennes-
see with republican form Of Govern
msnt,. it bad right TO present fust such
| particular form Of fres Covers ment as
vss most adapted to the con5iticn-of TIE
/ people, and 70 choose ths meaAs OF l. !.
ting tbs Government or foot If Il .nd
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