The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-07-14


: for this purpose; and when | saw th
long list of honored names signed 8
the call for this meeting, at once CAV
! it my hearty support and concurrence
In alluding 10 the past / shall as
+ no words of bitterness or reproach.
would have prevented the disaster 4
our cause, as / would have preventeC
the revolution at its beginning, if
: could. was opposed to that revolu
J tion-not that l wes insensible to the
rights of the South, but because
believed that those rights could be bet
ter maintained inside of the Union
than out of it. But when the issue was
decided otherwise, recognized in that
decision the voice of my country, and ]
gave whatever of strength possessed
to support its cause, to uphold its ban
ners. ! opposed the revolution /; but
when my State acted, gave my adhe-
sion to her action, and upheld it until
| the disasters have brought US once more
under the government of the Union.
But while disasters have come upon us,
do not admit that we are conquered
people-no, we are not conquered, but
OVerpoWered We are, by force of
numbers, brought back into the Union;
and it becomes US TO admit this fact,
particularly as it is likely to obtain for
us our rights from that government
which we have fought no gallantly in
the field
When Gen. Lee fell back from Pc
tersburg, when he was surrounded by
i orarrv J. III r,5p~v ,,,,r, 49, orI rzLo,, l. a
rendered his sword to General Grant, 1
felt that twas the duty of every South
ern man to follow his example, by Civ
ing up the cause and that it became
every Northern man to say, as General
Grant did on that occasion, General
Lee you are not conquered-you are
overpowered." This language expresses
the true sentiments of the two sections;
and l believe, Mr.. Chairman, if the
North is true to her principles she will
respect the South all the more for the
gallant fight which she has made in de
fence of her cherished principles. And
the South will now, sir, not grudgingly,
but freely and cheerfully, acknowledge
this as our whole country--from the st.
Lawrence to the Gulf Of Mexico, and
from the Atlantic to the Pacific This
do, sir; and therefore it is that l so
willingly respond to this call And
will now proceed, very briefly, to give
my views on the true relations which
We bear to the Government, and its
policy.
We are not conquered provinces sir;
we are not territories-we are States Of
the American Union. know the
President too well to believe that he
entertains any other view on this sub
ject He is man too loyal to the prin>
ciples of the Constitution to entertain
sny other view; and l believe, sir, that
be extends military rule over these
States, not because he is unwilling to
extend our State lines and boundaries |
to their former status, but because be !
is not yet assured of true loyal senti- |
ment prevailing in them As soon as
he IS assured Of this, be will gladly vel |
come them back with all their former
rights, except such as have been modi- |
he'd by recent events. / am anxious 10 |
have those rights restored, to have our
civil courts once more opened, and |
therefore rejoice that this step has |
been taken. We come, sir, TO offer no |
cringing adulstions to power, we come
with no bending knees; but, standing |
up like Anglo Saxons, like brave men,
we acknowledge that we have been !
beaten, but claim to be citizens of a Gov |
eminent existing under Constitution |
"a Constitution which ought to be sa-
cred.in war as in peace.
Should there be any bitterness or
heart burniDgs towards me, because | !
may have been more eager than some |
to restore peaceful relations to my
country, may say here that | have |
never seen the day that my heart did |
not beat warmly and truly for the South !
all my hopes were with her-but |
when the struggle was over, l confess
that vas anxious to restore peace 10 !
the country. wish 10 have no holding
back, no such swearing eternal ven 1
geance against the government as
Hamilicar made bic son Hannibal swear
against Rome Butrather let US pursue |
history and see the result Of that con-
duct Hannibal, indeed, led his yic.o- |
rious armies for sixteen years in Italy |
but at length the genius of Scipio |
drove him back, and gave effect to the |
motto, delsnda est Cartilage" a motto |
which was terribly executed. / would |
have no heart burnings on the part of |
the South; and for myself, recognizing /
this as 8 Union meeting, give my /
heart and hand to the measure. I do |
not doubt, sir, that the great body of |
the people Of the South will be true to |
the government Of the United States
] have said that We are States; and 1
think that after the present military /
government passes away, we viii revert /
10 all our rights. The proclamations |
Of the President indicate this, and thew
viii be carried out with such rnodilca- /
tons as have been made by the consti-
tuted authorities We must recognize
slavery in this country as dead. This
is necessary Cor the well being of the /
South. DO not approve the measures /
which have been taken 20 produce this /
result IS constitutional measures, but 1
because they have been too well ma /
tured and too successfully carried oat 1
to fail | think they might have been /
modified; that the emancipation Of the /
slaves should have been gradual; but /
that is OF no consequence noW-and / /
think that the people will accept the |
result a. hnality necessary for the /
repose, tranquility and prosperity Of |
the South With this exception, |
think we shoald 60 back to our old re- /
lations to the gsnerz3 government |
think that Georgia win adapt herself
10 this condition, andwithout degrade. I
ton or dishonor to herself With that
cause Of strife taken away, what IS there
% create future discomfort What is
there to divide and distract our coun-
try again
Mr.. Chairman, rejoice at the mag
nitude of my country. To borrow an
illustration from Mr.. Webster, eeldrtm
e vsaerabile a0mss cur country now
resembles the shield Of Achilles.
''Now The broad shield complete, the artiss
eroWned
VIA his isst band. aud poarsd the ocean
In IiTias silver seemed. the waves to roll,
And b at the bnokler's verge and bould the
wAols."
Such Il our country to-day, sir--a
great country with glorious futare-
II We be true 70 ourselves. Il is wise, you
viii agree with me, sir, not 70 seek to
quarrel with the North, hsnoeforth we
sre Americans - AmeFioans 81 the