The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-20


10 Andrew johnson, Poor White. and
late lourneyman tailor, but now President Of
the United States, there appeared on Fri
cay deputstion Of the Ckivalry Of South
tafoiina, teekibg the pardon Of Jefferson
Davis late Preside Mt Of TIM Southern Con.
leoerscy, aud certain other magrstes a
that collapsed "institution.'' u ues e -,
these should thus sue for the pardon of 81
late leaders; ft, I'VE trust) that the Presiden,
should incline gracious ear 70 their pet.
ton Saith Byron:
- 'God save the Eingr--Ii Is a large eeopomv
In God 70 do the Ike; but IN 81 VII
Be saving, Oh the letter.
But the President was not content with
listening-he moved the Previous Question.
You ask me for pardon; have already lib
eraied on parole part Of those in whose
Dehsif you invoke elemeney; will see what
can be Gone O. 70 the rest: now let me ask
you what progress your State is making, OF
likely 70 make, ia securing TO her Black
people the common righta Of manhood, but
especially the rights T. sue and be sued in
your Courts, end TO give testimony there
in2"
Il was a home-thrust, Whereat the dele
CATION WINGED, auttered, and suddenly
grew reserved and diplomatic. They were
decidedly more reticent than the plain.
straightforward chief magistrzts they had
taken quite journey TO address end con
suit. II either party 10 that colloquv came
on seeond-best, II certainly was not Andrew
johnson.
Though this memorable conference was
reported IN full in our last, We reproduce
the following paragraph, in order 10 saw how
heartily and thoroughly we approve il:
ne President thoughtmany Of the evils
would disappear II they inauRurated the
right system Pass laws protecting the col
orea msn y ms person and property, aud
was IN the North. The question when last
presented Of putting col0red man on the
Titness-stand, made them shrug their
shoulders But the colored mans testiIno-
ny was 20 be taken for Ehatsit was worth by
t5ose who examined him, ard the jury who
near H. After all, there was not so much
Danger m this as was supposed. Those
coming out Of Slavery cannot do without
work; they cannot lie down in dissipation;
they must work; they ought to understand
that liberty means simply the ght to work
and enjoy the products Of labor, and that
the laws protect them. That being done.
ADD when we come 10 the period to feel that
men must work or Starve, the country viii
be prepared 10 receive a system applicable 10
both Waite and Biaek-prepared to receive a
sys en- neces AIRY 10 the case. A short time
back. you could not enforce the vagrant law
on the Black, but could on the White man.
But get The public mind right, and vou can
treat both alike. Let us get the general prin-
ciples right, and the details and cOllaterals
viii follow"
There is far more and deeper truth en-
bodied in that pithy paragraph than many
who Will praise it are prepared 70 accept.
The iallaey Of the monstrOus presumption
that southern white Judges and iuries win
give too much weight 70 the testimony Of
negroes, and will hang innocent white per-
sons thereon, il negroes are allowed 70 les
tify, was never more thoroughly exposed.
And the President very well understands
that II is not the black mans testimony but
his manhood that the ex-rebels revolt at
that they do not 80 much fear that which be
sWeaFs will unduly influence their courts ss
that his preceding or succeeding one Of them
in the w,tness-box will somehow contsmi-
nate and degrade their precious selves The
Bramin trembles for his caste if sndras and
fariahs arr lowed 10 defle BY their pres
enee a spot where he may be called 10 stand
or sit The next moment.
The President wisely suggests, that what
the country needs and must prepare for, is
"a system applicable TO both white and
black" He never spoke q truer word.
And that system can only be attained
through constitutions and laws which, like
the Federal Constitution, for example, take
no account of any ones color, but regard his
manhood and his conduct alone. II a man
does wrong, pursue and punish him as q
wrong dOer, but never as white or black.
His crime 10 q matter Of public, legal con-
cern his color is not. Here is the gene
raj principle" which, las the President sRys,)
being settled az il should be, " details and
will adjust themselves there
upon.
Let no one maintain heneeforth that we
have no right 10 NEEDLE with the relations
Of whites TO blacks in the reconstructed
States. Whoever does say it, places himself
in direct and palpable antagonism 20 the
position Of Andrew Johnson
N T. Tri5unC