Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-28
NO. 90.

demoralIzing effects of war are to be seen in
occasional disorders"
These effects are to be seen in the North
rs well in the South
"but these are localin character, not frequent
in occurrence, and are rapidly disappearing
as the authority of civil law is extended and
sustained. Perplexing questions were ma
turally to be expected from the great and
sudden change in the relations between the
two races but systems are gradually deyolp-
ing themselves under which the freedman
will receive the protection to which he is
justly entitled, and by means of his labor
make himself useful and independent men,
Der of the community in which he has his
home. From all the information in nv
possession, and from that which have re-
Gently derived from the most reliable author
ity, l am induced to cherish the belief that
sectional animosity is surely and rapidly
merging itself into a spirit of nationality,
and that representation, connected with a
properly adjusted system of taxation, will
result in a harmonious restoration of the
relations of the States to the National Union"
There is a little more testimony vet, Mr.
President; and it is worth while 10 consider.
while we are here to take counsel and to
know what we ought to do in the extraordi-
nary situation in which we find ourselves,
from whom will we take that counsel Are
we to take II from men, the purpose of whose
whole life seems to be to wage war upon
these people and their institutions? Shall
we take it from men whom they hate per-
sonally and by name, and TO whom it is al
most impossible to suppose they ever will be
reconciled? ? Or are we to take il from the
men who have treated it as a national war,
and who, in their conduct of it have won the
applause of both sections?
The President SAYS that part of his infor-
nation has been received from General
Grant Who is General Grant? Who is to
be put in the scale with that SCARED soldier,
and whose testimony is to weigh down his +?
Is he "whitewashing here too? Has he
forgotten the position he occupies before the
American people? With the highest mill
tary character of any man to-day upon the
earth, has he condescended to como here to
deceive the Senate of his country, and to
lie about the condition of affairs in the
South, which he has recently visited? Let
us hear what he saws, and listen with patient
reverence to the utterance of a man of sense,
patriot, and a prudent man, who desires
not to embroil, not to embitter, not to widen
the gap that already exists between two peo-
pie who ought to be fratemally united but
a man who desires to heal and to pacify n
man imbued with the spirit of Hoche when
he went to La Vendee, and where he sue
cee1ed when others had failed. What does
he say? 1t is not the tone or manner of the
letter writer, but it is the manner of man
and a soldier.
al am satisfied -
saws he, and when he is satisfied who dares
say he is not satisfied upon the score of hon
esty and good intent toward this Republic?
am satisfied that the mass of thinking
men in the South accept the present situa-
ton Of affairs in good faith"
That is what General Grant says. Is that
white-washing
The questions which have heretofore di-
vided the sentiments of the people of the two
sectious-slavery and State rights, or the
| right of a State to secede from the Union
| thev regard as having been settled forever
| by the highest tribunal, arms, that man can
resort to-"
| 1t is now said that they do not think so
| that they are only pretending, and have a
covert purpose of doing something hereafter
about this thing nobody can tell exactly
| what Perhaps We will be told they will
not ABIDE the result.
al was pleased to learn from the leading
men whom met, that they not only accepted
| the decision arrived at as final, but that now
| when the smoke of battle has cleared away
| and time has been given for reflection, thi'
| decision has been fortunate one for tho
whole country, they receiving like benefit:
| from it with those who opposed them in the
field and in council"
Why, Mr.. President, the common sense Of
that last utterance is worth more as testlmo-
nv than that of a thousand scribblers who
merely look at detached points of this great
field They have resolved to accept the de-
cision as final; and, what we ought all to be
glad to know, they have found that it is fol
their benefit They have found, too, after
the smoke has cleared away, that they are
really in a better condition than they were
before, that they have been relieved from
the incubus which has oppressed them fol
so long a time, and they are ready now Il
take their places in the Union, and along
side of the Northern States who have made
liberty their great principle rather thai
slavery. Why should they nOt2 If an,
man can give reason why they should de
sire to keep up this strife any longer, witt
their devastated fields, with their treasure
empty, with their society disOrganized,
should like to hear it.
l therefore hope, Mr.. President, that W
may meet them in a different spirit; tina
we may show to them that we made thi
war, not to make them eternal enemies Z
ours, not to humiliate them, but to rescu
them that we made this war TO go and &c
them out Of the clutches Of the bad men VIII
had misled them into the gloomy realm 9
secession and disunion; and that we intend
after the great military victory which W
have achieved, to achieve another by mag
nanimity and clemency in cur conduct to
ward them; that we will win them back :
be as they were before, our friends and on
brothers, of the same race and Of the sam
lineage hope, too, that this angry, irrita
ting and exciting mode of treating this sui
ieet, which is calculated to make us anythin
else than friends, will be discarded herea
ter, and that we shall coolly and calmly an
in the spirit of the nation, because that
the spirit Of the nation,) examine this quei
ton and do with it that which will be ca
culated to restore the old harmony and peaC
| and the old Union again.