Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-23

In the House OF Representatives at Wash
ington, on the 18th inst, the Hon. Thadeus
Stevens, of Pennsylvania, delivered speech,
in Committee Of the whole on the State Of
the Union" which the reader will find in
our columns this morning. 1t is seldom we
meet with Congressional effort so pointed,
so direct, 50 plain and 50 full Of meaning.
Whilst we sincerely regret that any citizen
Of the Union should have felt called upon
TO declare the sentiments and principles en-
bodied in this parliamentary effort, we are
gratifed that one member of Congress, COM
bining both intellectual ability and convic-
tons ofjudgment, is able to apprizethe South
ern people, andthepeople of the United States,
Of the views and purposes Of that class
known az radicals, in earring forward the
government and dealing with those questions
most vitality affecting the future of common
country.
Mr. Stevens is a gentleman of mature ex-
perience, and beyond the age usually allOt-
ted to men. While he disclaims speaking
for or committing others, he represents the
opinions Of a very large and formidable
part Of the people of the Northern section Of
the United States 1t will be seen, from
careful reading Of his utterances that he
takes issue with every thing that has been
done by the President and by the lately re-
bellious States, towards fair and complete
restoration Of interstate relations under the
constitution, and propOunds with great
clearness the views Of those, who, to carry
out a fanatical feeling, want now to produce
a practical severance sof the Union. The
South is represented as dead, and incapable
Of resurrection except by the aid of higher
power. "The future condition Of the con-
quered power depends on the will of the
.conqucror" They must come in to the
Union as new States, or remain as con-
quered provinces" "To prove that they
are and have been out of the Union, for all
practical purposes, and are now conquered
subjects tothe absolute disposal of Congress"
is an easy task with him. | know" says
he, "cf no arrangement 20 proper for them,
as territorial governments. They can learn
the principles of [negro] freedom and eat
the fruit of foul rebellion under such gov
ernments." These are some of the views of
the radical representative speaker, on the
subject of constitutional government,
But, not content with stating what he re-
CARDS as the proper course of action which
the President ought to have pursued, in the
equally important and critical emergencies
in which he was Providentially called to
exercise his present Office, he assails, both
directly and indirectly, every principle
which that functionary, for the good
of the whole country, has sought to en-
graft upon its policy. We cannot on this
occasion enter into the broad field of dis
cussion which is thus opened up. Nor can
we undertake to expose the fallacies of the
speaker, IN euenso, or defend the amply mag
unanimous policy, first of Generals Grant and
Sherman on the occasion of the surrender of
the Confederate armies, and secondly, of
President Johnson's subsequent course. We
may say, however, that the speech to which
we are now referring embodies all the prin-
ciples, in one shape or other, which the
American people will be called upon to de-
eide, in the various steps towards a complete
restoration of the Union of our fathers.
1t is true, that as politician, the first
step which Mr.. Stevens took in reaching his
present position, 10 wit, the advocacy of
universal confscation of property in the
South, was repudiated everywhere alike by
all parties but, still, it is apparent that he
was not greatly discouraged thereby, and is
now only intent upon making anew a Gov
mcnt that will come fully up to hissIandard.
If he succeeds, and the result answers his
expectations, he will be called great for all
timo. If he fails, (of which there seems TO
be no sort of doubt in proportion to his
approximation 10 success will his name he
accursed by both black and white.