The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1865-12-22
NUMBER, %.

A
make war, and make peace. The
states are political bodies, existing
under the Constitution, and subordin.
ate TO the sovereign power of the ma
tion; permitted by it to exercise such
functions as are pointed out-say such
as. the punishment Of crime, the ad.
mlnistration Of Justice, and to regu.a
late municipal affnirs, and for other
purposes, having the power of taxa.
tion.
TIE National Government may gov.
ern the seeded States with or with.
out the forms of State elections. Ii
it choose tohave elections, it has the
right to prescribe the qualifications of
electors; and it may make suffrage
limited or universal, The seeded
States have no such rights until they
| lleeme I'D e tho reQair9paents of the
National 6u.erlfss hs Ssss0 eb'
States have destroyed heir' separate,
governments. As communities Of
people, as States bounded by geo.
graphical lines, and having certain
limits, the rebel States are in the
Union, and have never been ont; but as.
governing powers, they are not in the
Union, for as such, in their efforts to
overthrow the Union, they have them
selves been destroyed. And the Ma
tional Government is bound by every
tie, political and sacred, to bold and
control the rebel States in a manner
that will secure the safety Of the loyal
people in those States, and of the
whole nation The Government con.
not allow itself to be destroyed by
hostile uoteS any more than by hostile
armies, and if an abuse of the elective
franchise under the Constitution be-
comes the means of endangering the
Union, safety must be sought in tho
adoption Of the maxim enunciated by
Hamilton and Lincoln, already quo
ted.
In the Southern States the recent
elections have shown that men who
had damaged the Union most receiv.
ed the most votes. The reputation
Of the Federal debt and the payment
Of the rebel debt, are alike popular
with the men now engaged in re.or-
ganizing the government of the South
ern States. The restoration Of slave
ry is hoped for, and it is looked to in
the voting and conversation Of tho
original rebels
The National Government will hold
the South by military power, as it
onght to do, until the people have so
far como to. themselves as to heartily
repent of the guilt and spieitof1he re-
belion, and afford proof Of their re-
pentcnce. Every consideration affect
the interest Of the country, and tho
happiness of generations yet unborn,
requires that the rebels shall not be
restored TO power And if We ara
hasty in anything, let it be in doing
justice 90 the friends Of the National
Government, If we delay in any.
thing, let it bo in giving pardons to
leading guilty rebels, and power to
tho organized enemies Of the Nation
al Government.
! have deemed it my duty to say
this much by way of explanation TO
tho loyalists Of East Tennessee, and
by way Of letting them know what is
to come upon the country, by what 1
believe to be the necessary legislation
Of Congress. And ~ order to reach
them, | will publish This brief address
in the Union papers Of East Tennes-
see. ! have no selfish objects in view.
] have no purpose to run for any office
after my term of service expires; and,
until then, if my life is spared, l shall
do my duty, without looking to the
effect Of my acts upon my popularity.
w. G. BRowNLow,
Governor Of Tennessee.
November, 30, 1865,