The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-31
Loyalty in the south.

lF.om tue Toledo Blade, Decs nbsrgTl
Some few men in Congress, and some
few newspapers In the north, are stiving
to force the Administration into keep
ing the Southern States in the condition
Of conquered provinces, so long as there
are any manifestations of dissatisfaction
with the existing state of affairs; so
long IS any men, women, or children
rail at the flag or 2 ay alteration TO the
memory OF the d ecessed confederacy.
We do not EXPECT that this genera
ton or the next will do anything else.
They hated this Government of the
United States, they hated the Northern
idea, which they saw would, ia a few
years, govern the country, and they
/ rebelled This hate had been thirty
years growing, it had been nursed and
cultivated for that time and the war
that resulted from it showed too plainly
that they were not only in earnest, but
terribly so
They were beaten at every point In
the held their arm les were crushed
l their cities and stronsholds were taken
one after another, and after four years
Of war, involving a destruction unpar-
alleled in the history of the world, both
of life and property, they were sub
dued-that is, they were oVerpowered,
I and the war ended, because they had
no longer the means Of continuing the
struggle. a.ir..
They did not lay down their arms be-
cause they had experienced change
Of heart, because they had suddenly
discovered they loved the old flag, be-
cause they preferred free labor to slave,
and Northern institutions TO Southern
institutions, but because their ability
to contend for slavery and Southern in
stitutions was gone, and they were
helpless
noes any one suppose that the rebel
Generals who surrendered with Lee
ana Johnston went TO their homes with
any higher idea Of the North, or any
{reater love for it than they had in
Ia7i ? They may have had profound
Jesteet for its strength, but none what
ever i1r It's institutions. They were not
WhlPpei into belief Ia our doctrines,
tney Weie only whipped into submisS
ihey accepted the situation. They
acknowledged their defeat, and &C,
cepted it with all the penalties accom-
PAuyihg The President laid down
certain conditions, which, when fulfilled.
would entitle then 10 readmisgion into
the unlon-would Eiye them the ben
eht7 they had so recklessIy and foolish
ly thrown away. he did not ask tkem
TO sing Hosannss to the conquerors-
ne dad not prescribe what they should
and should not think-he only required
that they should do certain things
These requirements were in no sense
punishments they were removals of
the cause of the war, they were guar.
antees for peace hereafter
This Is all we can expect. and ali il is
possible TO obtain from the South So
soon as they come up to the require
ments of the President, so soon we
must admit them 10 their former stand
ing. This fulfillment Of conditions ia
the penalty for their misdeeds, and
guarantees for their future good be-
hayIor To expect more is unraason-
/ able and foolish, for II is not in our
power to exact tit is not in theirs 10
] grant It If their actions and their
asaas are what the Government desires.
1t matters but little what this genera
ton thinks II they prasacs LOYALTY.
and yield obedience 10 tho a.