The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-19
agashrillR MniOn.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER IL, 1865.
Presiaent JohnsOn,s Policy.

SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 10, 1865.
President JOhnsOn's Policy.
Il slavery il never 10 be revived in fact,
the possibility Of its revival may as cell Be
vrecluded b. lar. II the Southern debt is
never 70 Be- paid, there can be no great
sscrifce in its formal repUdistion. If States
are never again to secede, they lose nothing
BY saving that ordinances Of secession are
void. II negroes are TO enjoy the protection
Of the laws. there can be no serious objection
TO their testifying Is witnesses. IN oar
5i,dczac1f tic S0sih 1goild Be foolish 70 sdcrf-
nee solid advantages 70 these useless PNHefiilOs.
Our estimate Of the radi-
al obstructivss has al along led Us to
apprehend I'M their majority in Congress the
chief object 10 immediate reconstruction.
Ne secordinelY anticipated the President
in tie advice be gives TO the South, as the
easiest means Of ioiling the radicals. We
sill think that nothing less than he recon-
Inends will save reconstruction IN this Con-
gress. As he has no power to control the
radicals bv authority, ne is wise in advising
me south 90 foil them BY concessions. Min
or uaints should be yielded for The sake Of
saving the main one. IL the President
wsveTs on this, the South is delivered over,
for the present, 20 the tender mercies Of the
radicals. but while be stands firm. We shall
wsive lesser issues, sl1dii0l0 some charm.
support hiHl 10 fhc 5csf Of or ability, and ad-
vis6 fke South 20 Do likcloisc ~. J. World.
But what are the Southern States doing to
sustain the Presidents PO'isy9 Have they
shown no disposition to " sacrifice solid ad-
Tantsges TO useless Puuctilios2
Let US inquire into the fscts and see:
We VIII begin with Tennessee, the Presi
dents own State. Has she come up to his
standards She has repudiated the rebel
debt, declared secession null and void, abol-
ished slavery, ratified the constitutional
Amendmont, snd elected representatives to
Congress who can take the oath Of Office.
So far al wei. But upon the important
question Of protecting BY law the rights Of
thefreedmen, making them equals before the
law with the whites, what has she done ?
Just nothing. A bill doing them justice on
the question Of iestilying in the courts has
passed the Senate, but hangs Gre in the
House Of Representatives and, We are told,
viii faii. Can Tennessee sppear at wash
ingtOn, and as a supporter Of the Presi-
dents policy-wh0 has complied with ali
Us dsmands-ask admission for her Senators
and Representatives into Congress? Surely
not. She can claim the favor Of neither the
Presidents adherents in that body, nor Of
the radicals.
Mississippi started well. She accepted
the abolition Of slavery and altered her
Constitution 10 conform 10 the change in
her domestic Institutions, aud declared her
ordinance of secession null and void. But
she has gone no further. She withholds
her sssent 10 the ratification Of the Consti-
tEiional Amendment, has refused the freed
men the right 10 testify ia the State Courts,
and sppesrs determined 10 deny them the
rights and privileges which the President
demands iOT them, and without which free
dom is but D name.
Alabama, following nextafter Mississippi,
with her constitutional convention, did bet
ter. She adi,d TO what her predecessor
did, the rcpudiation Of the rebel debt. Her
Lcgislaiure meets tomorrow. We shall
not anticipate lie action. We hope its first
act viii be TO ratiiy the Constitutional
Amendment and that she will follow it up
by doing iull and ample justice to her freed
men.
North Carolina stands upon the same
platform o. Alabama. Her action has been
The same and she has still to meet the
question Of ratification Of the Constitutional
Amendment, snd providing for the proper
protection OF her freedmen. She has elected
70 Cougre-s delegation not one Of whom can
take the oath, end perhaps beaten the Union
candidate lor Governor, thua showing her
deep-seated hostility 10 The Federal Govern
meni, aud her intention to DO nothing she
can avoid, to return TO her place in the
Netioual councils.
South Carolina has taken a step in advance
of Ri sissipfi. A ALBANIA and North Caro-
lima, and ratified he Constitutional Amend
meut. But she simply repealed her seces-
s.oa ordinance, thgs adhering 10 the doc
Urine Of secession, has not repudiated the
rebel debt, and seems inclined 10 keep her
fre colorcd population in state but little
better bsn ohject slavery.
Georgia. taking the cue nom south Car0.
lima, repealed her secession ordinance. ac-
ceptcd thc abolition al slavery, bat with sn
eve b. future compensation, and, not until
she found it could not be avoided. repudia-
led the rebel debt. She has yet 20 act upon
thc ratification question, aud TO pass laws
fsr Che protection Of the freedmen.
Florida has simply aunulled her secession
ordinance, and whilst recognizing the abo
lition Of slavery and adopting her organic
law 90 Che change, has refused to repndiate
TIE rebel debt, submnfng the meter TO =
vote Of ihe people. This is as Tar rs she has
coue. The other questions viii come before
abe Legislature.
Fea0s has, as yet, done nothing. Her
Provisional Governor Is D" Masking haste
SLOWLY"
iesIis'tna T. more advanced than Tennes-
soc, iassmuch as freedmen ia that State are
sdniuei o. wiinessei in the ooerls. But she
slili below the mark in giving her eolorod
PoPulstion their rights.
Arkansas s in about The came condition
ssgenucssce.
From this review, ID will be seen that not
one 81 The southern States have adopted ali
shs measunei OF the policy Of President
johnson. We do not believe that any Of
chem ir'end TO DO so, excePtas deraicr ~
-- Probably the President begins TO
tA.uk 81, and Tor this reason declared his
d'strust q the future.
How can the President, when Congress
meets sustain his policy against the assaults
OF The ra.ioals. when they can point to is
iaiiure, - us, after full time for o trial Of
ne experiment. In every Southern Stale cx-
reeied 10 act upon h9 What argument can
he nee OF sufficient potency 10 induce them
t's'sy iheir hnnds7 Possibly Che Word
can auswer.
Tho Ola ruiou and VIII, statesB,,u f,re