Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-30
FRUITS OF THE PRESIDENTS
POLICY.

POLICY.
The intelligent, patriotic and magnani-
nous policy adopted by President johnson
Immediately upon the final surrender of the
military power of the Confederacy, is now
bearing its golden fruits. Generally the
Southern people, through the proper forms
of action, have met the questions fairly and
made the necessary sacrifices promptly; and
have advanced, step by step, towards salts
fying all the demands Of the circumstances
surroundina them. The President, occupy
ing position overlooking the entire country,
has seen, with an eyeo of extraordinary acute
ness, the development of Southern feeling
and sentiment and the approaches this
people have made to complete restoration
of their disturbed relations to tie Federal
government Members of Congress, who
have kept scrap-books filled with clippings
from the letters of mercenary correspondents
of fanatical press, met him upon the as
sembling of Congress with opposition and
denunciation.
But the fruit ripens nevertheless. The
sway of the constitution is above the rant of
a fanatic, though he happen to be member
of the United States Senate Congress APP
points committee to inquire INTO the con-
dition of the so-called Confederate States.
The President relieves the Provisional Gov
ernor Of Alabama, because he has faithfully
| performed all the duties contemplated in his
appointment. The same in Georgia. The
same in North Carolina. The same in South
Carolina and in Mississippi. He announced
months ago that the people of the South
must be trusted. With a generous heart and
a brave hand, he does trust them. He di-
reefs that these States shall be placed in the
hands Of the people, and their administra-
ton confded to agents of the peoples choos-
ing. This is republican democracy, this is
constitutional rights-this is a full and fair
and just recognition of the truth and honor
of people, who, whatever else they may
have done, have never lost their integrity,
and never violated pledge.
Thus the President restores the Union
thus he withdraws that absouteism which
circumstances seemed to him to render neces-
sary for time; thus he guarantees to each
of the Southern States republican form OF
government; and thus he leaves them in the
general political condition they were in be-
fore the war. Satisfied with their sincerity
and good faith, persuaded that they will full
fill all their duties and obligations to the
Government of the United States, he leaves
them to act for and take care of themselves
Only Florida and Texas are behind and
they will range themselves in due time in
line with their Southern sisters. The fierce
attacks in Congress upon this policy has not
varied the course of the President the breadth
of hair.
This is the state of the question which
will confront Congress on its reassembling.
To change it, everything that has been done
will have to be undone. Will the President
recede Will he declare that he has been
guilty of great wrong towards the Union
and the Constitution? Will he, through
fear or any other motive, back down from
his matured Judgment and from his great
action in very great emergency? To those
who know the character of Andrew johnson,
as displayed throughout his political career
the answers to these interrogatories admit Of
no sort of doubt. The question will then re-
cur, what will Congress do? or undertake
to do2 What will the Caucus Committee
say? And what will be the effect of any,
thing that Congress may do, or the Com
mittee say? If they shall concede the cor.
rectness and propriety of the President
policy, all dispute will be at an end but il
they prosecute the war already inaugurated
then these questions viii be most pertinent
and pregnant.
In the meantime the Representatives and
Senators chosen by the Southern people have
maintained an attitude of dignity and pru.
dence which must be alike gratifying to THEN
constituents and honorable to themselves
They have observed the most perfect goot
manners. They displayed no rude soIici
tude to sit down among those who object tC
their presence, before their rights were fully
and expressly determined The fact of theil
representative character has been notified tC
Congress, and the rest they have left to tn,
Government to decide. Hwould be difficult
to prognosticate, with any degree of certain
ty, on the basis of what has already trans
pired, what Congress will do; but the course
of the President has been so straight and SC
plain, that his future action admits of nc
doubt. -,.. .-... f.'- ...-