The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-15
glas4rillg @Hluiua.
nm. CAMERON a co., PubIlshers.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER l., 1855.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER u, 1855.
%
Hostility 20 RecOnstTuciIoH-A Ba,
Spirit.
There Is class of public men who. an
!, psrenuy, desire an sAdefitts postponemen
Of the restoration OF the South. Ibev dt
e not openly 4vow il, bat their words auy
actions indicate settled purpose Ut OBJ
strucuon. There Is no end 10 tue reouire.
I, ments and conditions they would I'M pose
They are captious. exscting, mplscabIe, not
z 60 much from devotion 60 any principle as
:. from original bent. They deal with the
whole business IN the shylock mood Then
= main stuay seems " be 10 Z. feed iaI the an
client grUdge.H phis spirit ought 10 be
marked we'll. IL is the spirit OF evil. It Is
! "lthout wisdom. and can work mischief
only 10 90 shall prevail, a. certainly as
iute the late war wal have ror is SEQUEL a
reign Of seelioual hate and slrile tha. viii
De Taught with lnancisl calamity and with
Disgrace 20 the republican name.
Enough has transpired since the war TO
prove thatthe southern people are sincerely
desirous Of genuine reconciliation. They
have with one accord acknowledged them
selves utterly Tanquished. They began by
accepting the bread amnesty oath OF Presi-
dent johnson without hesitation or reserve.
They continued by putting themselves
promptly into the path which he indi-
Gated would take Them back into the
Union. They received the leaders be as
slgned them as Provisional Governors. and
lreated them with all respect and cont
denee, though many Of them had never be-
lore been the men Of their choice. They
elected conventions, composed, tor the
most part, Of men IN fOli sympathy with
/ ne government and these conventions re-
modelled the Sale Constitutions in substan-
| tai accordance with the suggestions Of Pres
ident Johnson. The Legislatures have been
ahimated with q similar anxiety to satisfy
! me Government At Washington. We be-
IeYe that there has not been an instance Of
persistent holding out by any southern
/ convention or Legislature sgainst any So
| ncilatou VI President Johnson frthe adop- |
! ton OF auy measure that would in his opia- I
Z ION facilitate The work of recoustructlon.
10 Is true that the elections for State officers
snd toDgres 5men have been in many cases /
unsatistactOry. Yet there has been no eyi- 1
/ dencs that such elections were inspired bv /
opposition 70 the Government There Is
reason 20 believe that such elections were
influenced BY personal Predilections and
/ PreJudicrs rather than BY political motives.
A. all events, taking the action OF the
D
as whole, IL mas been emineutly reasoua-
Die and proper. History might be searched
without lndlDg another instance Of a van
pushed people submitting with so good
grace No person would have ventured 70
predict IL ear ago. It's opposed to every
I oid conception OF the PrOuud aud Imprac-
Hcaole character Of the Southern people.
The great question OF the dsy is, Il w that
We have lhis display of good sense and
good ieeling 70 the Southern people, wheth
er we snail encourage il, and make the best ,
Of 1t, or meet 1t with distrust and aversion.
It's shame that there should be such a / q
question. The duty Of the gOyernmentand ;
oi The No-theru people in ths premises
ought 20 be plain enough to eysry man 20 /,
eNcIude all question As victors in the war. /
We are bound by every manly sentiment 10 I
generous policy Of reconciliation. As /
Union men, in consistent devotion to that a
cause IA the name Of which the terrible !
struggle was maintained, we are morally
Obliged, IN consistency, TO do our utmost 70 b
have the Union fully restored lust so soon :
"a II can be done safely, and without sacri- =
ice Of principle All sacrifice Of principle. d.
II Is true, ought 70 be opposed. The time Of :.
saeritcing principle 70 the South for the =
sake OF concIlIauJn aud peace has passed !,
forever. There Will never be another com ~
promise OF right with the South, and we u
hank heaven for 10. But nothing Of the .;
kind Is asked for now. The only sacriti .e r
hat Is called for is sacrifice OF feeling. -,
mat ought 20 be made 10 the last title Ev- =,
Try old amnesty and resentment should be-
utterly cleared from our souls Every / -
memory OF our former wrong should be ei- y
aced forever. The favorable disposition OF T.
he Southern people should be met with a ..
rue brotherly spirit, and the way should be
made clear for their early return 10 the euiov- =,
neut OF the common birthright. They are =,
suffering people The war has lettthe des -
Jlate. Poverty brnods from the Atlsutic 10 -
he Rio O6raude. No change is possible until =,
-he securities audblessiuss Ofthe constitution 4
are restored. The political and sOc.sl svstem h
If the South must be relieved from all un-
ertaipty, and receive that stimulus that Il
'su come only from a participation in alt =,
he iuliness OF American life This speedy n,
Is Just as ueedful for the ma q,
;ou at large ~ for the South The national t..
inances, "a ell admit, are beset with peril -
They rest on foundation OF irredeemabIe =.
paper, which never has been end never can -
,e 9 safe basis What il more necessary .,
han all else 20 stay up The national credit, M
md 20 restore souudness 60 all the business J d.
iperations ut the country, Is q regajnine Of -
omething ike ghe % d equilibrium Of trade r,
between this aud foreign lands But the "a
N.I
i millions against us until the great South in
IN staples are reproduced and supplied ior
Xport. As prerequisite % that, the South
lust again be vitallzed with the iie-blood
q our institutions Keep her under the
ron heel Of military government, and
here will be no more chance OF her sc
uring energy and thrift than there is in h
be case Of Mexico. Treat her with harsh
less and she vii yield TO discoursgemsDt .
r. what would be still worse, 10 raueor and -
The South would be worse no
ven than para yEsd limb upon our body .
oliIc. It would be al incurable ulcer, pc
aud consuming the very life o. ac
ur national system. Pc
Ofany specific measures Of Teconstruction
.e do not now speak. We do not regard it nc
s question Of measures so much a. Of no
Dirit. Let q truly liberal spirit prevail gu
. Congress, and il would very easily shape sal
y the measures nseiful Tor Just, safe and w
uick reconstruction Having that spirit, No
resident johnson has carried recon struc- 70
on 70 Ils present stage in . wonderfully Nj
hort time. He has made no concession Of uF
rnciple, and yet be has inspired the col
1uthern people with such confidence in GU
IS good viii and fairness, that there is No
Dthing be asks Of them which thsy do not 70
leerfulIy accord. No man. TO-DAY. il an
.ore popular with the south than be.
0ngress has but 10 complete the work Of n
in the same generous spirit ne
bind the South 20 it and 10 its present - U
0rthern constituents with hooks OF steel .h' IN
has but to show q disposition 10 smooth
ld facilitate, rather than to impede ami UP
ar, 10 obtain from the South as ready a an
implisnce with every reasonable require COZ
ent a. has been given 70 the expressed as
,sres Of President Johnson. Every man o.
Congress who refuses 10 show this spirit, cas-
ID devOtrs himself 10 tie perpetuati0n Of eol
itern-ss towards the South, ought 10 be -, ~
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