The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-04-21
= nos,,Iop of President Johnson.


Tss Position Of President johnson.
Very naturally there is considerable
.,a,,jstion in the public prints and in
a,bl;c and private circles, north and
= touching the position Of President
1,bnson relative to the disposition TO
- made of the rebels after peace shall
- proclaimed. The latest enunciatlon
Of opinion by Gov johnson was made
in public speech in Washington on
the Sd inst, on the occasion OF The
celebration Of the fall of Richmond
The following Is an extract from that
speech:
.1s the Senate Of the United States,
when the conspiracy was mstu'edI and
Senators we're retiring from their seats,
when I was called upon to say what
would do IN the matter, my reply was that
General Jackson, while President Of the
United ststcl ia 1882 and 1888, declared
that traitors should be hung as high as
Hamau's gallows, and then put his foot up
on il and crushed It out. That Old msn
now sleeps IN the tomb, and we're it possible
70 commuri ate intelligence to the deaa'
and he could be made to know that trsll'is
and treason we're rampant in the laho' II
would cause the OLD man to turn over N
his coffin and burst its lid, and rise from
the tomb and shake of the hsbliments o.
the dead, and again reiterate that memor-
hble sentence, that "The union oi lhs
States must be preserved When sskeo
wbet would do, Eaid arrest i1eD' u
traitors, try them as traitors, eOTT1u t'e'1
rs traitors, and hang tloni as traitors ALO
N this connection will say that, iakiDe
into account the persecution, oppression an1
Jansshment from all that is sacred and
dear 70 men, that the trait0rs-that q the
lead ne traitors, who have d'e,l'ed al0
involved the nation in this diabolieai re-
bsilion-I should say that sheir reward
should he the halter and nc gali0los. re-
peat. that conscious, intelligent, leading
traitor should suffer ibe penalty Of death
And On the other hand, TO h'
Ds,r,e who have been deluded and MS
led I would extend leniency and human
" and IN invitation to return to the aie'
glance hey owe to the country. We nave
The gratifying intelligence to day thai ln'
outuost Of the Southern Coniederscy Ma
h.e,, taken. In addition 10 that the gate
Of The citadel have been entered by our VIC
mi
q rebuke Of Divine Providence against
nroud and imperious class when We Sc
mat their city was entered BY colore'
troopsY IN this great cause Of human iree
com il is the pride Of my life that hav
been permitted TO participate in labors tina
have, under God, tended to achieve thu
-i,ria1s result. And while have been la
boring 10 remove this disturbing elemen
fom The country, trust may be permit
t.ats sav have labored equally well 70
tho emancipation Of the white man as 10
"a, ,sblo sons, and acknowledge the su
rr-Inscy Of the constitution ana o6edIenc
o the law"
This Is Consistent With the utterance
of President johnson during MS sd
ministratiou as Military Governor @
Tennessee. He uniformly declares
that intelligent, conscious traitor
should be punished and impoverished
whilst the deceived masses should b
encouraged to return 10 their ALE
glance, and be treated kindly and lei
ienuy. If any citizen Of TENNESSEE
not leader in the rebellion, but VIII
had given it aid, and afterwards becam
satisfied Of his error, repented Of it. an
returned to his allegiance, ever receive
a word Of Iebuke or reprOach from III
Governor, we are not aware Of the fac
on the other hand, we know of hume
Gus instances in which he extended th
hand Of friendship TO persons who ha
Usen reclaimed, and manifested a sir
cere desire TO serve them, whenever l
could do So
Called TO the broader and more e
tended theatre of the whole Union, Y
believe he will not practice less g
bearsnce; and we would not have hi
leopard the future safety Of the Go
eminent by making treason respect
BE The Nation must come out Of ia
conflict with the brand Of hfamy j
delibly fixed upon the chief traitor
and their crime rendered forever hi
eous