The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-07-15
Id the Peonle 0f aenrrIa.

l feel profoundly impressed with
sense of the Obligation which / am rr
der 10 you for the manifestations q
your kindness and confidence which
have so often received. At four differ
ent elections you have houored me wit
! your suffages for the highest position
within your gift, and I have to the bes
of my ability represented you in tn
executive Office for eight years. Will,
my duties have often been Of the mos
laborious and trying character, fee
the consciousness that l have laboreC
with an honest purpose to promote
your best interests That l have com
mitted errors is not denied; that they
have been intentional, your conduct
has shown you do not believe
/ During the period of my administers
ton, the country has passed through a
most trying ordeal The great ques'
tons at issue between the North and
4 the South having failed to find q peace
full solution In the forum of reason,
have been submitted for decision TO the
arbitrament Of arms, and the judgment
has been against us in the highest tri-
bunal known among nations. The Son-
test has been long and bloody. Zach
party has learned to respect the man
hood and the chiValry of the other.
| But the South has been overcome by
the superior numbers and boundless
resources of the North. We have no
| further power Of successful resistance,
and no other alternative but to accept
the result
The government of the United States
having refused to recognize or tolerate
the State governments which have ex-
listed under the Confederate. constitu
ton during the struggle, has ordered
the arrest of the Governors Of these
States. was arrested and imprisoned
after had surrendered the Georgia
State troops and militia, and had given
my parole upon the same terms allow
| ed to General Lee and General Johns
ston, and had received from the Major
General, to whom the parole was given
/ the usual pledge of the faith Of the
United States, that was not TO be mo-
Tested so long as / observed the parole,
and obeyed the laws in force prior to
LIST January, 1851 Upon the facts be-
ing brought before the President of the
United States, he ordered that ! be re-
leased upon my parole, and permitted
to return home.
/ am embraced in one Of the. excep-
tions in the Presidents Amnesty Pro
clamation. I have received no pardon,
nor have | taken any oath, nor am |
permitted TO resume the exercise Of ex-
ecutive functions. was in the execu-
tive Office prior TO the commencement
of the war, and by the constitution of
the State then in existence it is declared
that / shall hold till a successor is
chosen and qualified. I have felt Tiny
duty to announce these facts to you,
and as can be of no further service to
my State by attempting to hold the
office of Governor, / hereby resign it
into the hands Of the people who have
SO long and 50 generously conferred it
upon me.
While taking my leave of you and
retiring 10 private life, trust it may not
be considered inappropriate for me to
add few remarks upon what / con-
slider the true interests, and the duties,
of the people Of Georgia In the present
hour. / have lately passed through
several of the Northern States, and
have been in some of their largest
cities; / have read their newspapers
closely, have had interviews with public
officials high in authority, and have
taken pains to ascertain both the policy
of the government, and the popular
sentiment of hecountry, on the subject
of the emancipation of the slaves Of
the South; and | beg to assure you that
there is no division Of opinion upon the
subject of immediate abolition 1t is
decreed alike by the people and the
Government They have the power and
they are determined to exercise it, and
to overcome all obstacles which We may
attempt to throw In the way. Indeed
they treat it as an accomplished fact,
undsr the proclanhtious of the late
Preaident issued as war measures ne
oessary to the life Of the government
As matters now stand, TO fight sgsipst
it is to contend against manifest destie
ny. Besides slavery has been so dis
turbed ard the slaves so demoralized
during the war that it Is matter of great
doubt whether they could ever be kept
in a state Of proper subordinGtion, and
the institution made profitable in
future
Under these circumstances the ques-
ton arises what shall We do7 Nothing
that We can do viii prevent the result
and it is my deliberate opinion thstany
effort on our part 70 thWart the viii Of
the government on this great question,
will only add to our miseries and our
misfortunes The statesman, like the
business man, should take & practical
view of questions as they arise, and do
/ for those dependent upon him the best
that can be done, under ell the oircum-
stances by which they are at TIE time
surrounded.
Applyiue this rule to our present con
dition. and remembering that reyolu-
ton and war often sweep away long
established usages, demolish theories
and change institutions, it is, in my
/ Judgment, the best that we accept the
fate imposed upon Us by the fortunes Of
var, and that we give mp slavery at
once. bv the action of the convention,
which Il Is supposed will assemble nm
der the csli of the provisional governor
appointed 70 re-erganize the State gov
eminent: That We organize system
of labor "a speedily as possible, which
viii be alike Just to the late master and
islave. That we return to the Union IN
good faith and do all in our power, IS
good citizens, to relieve the distressed
repair the damages which have result
ed from tie eoutest and restore psrma
nent peace and prosperity 70 TIE whole
country under the old Aag, 20 which al
must again look for protection from the
Atlantic to the Pacific (
As will give no advice 70 Others
which I will not practice myself, shaA
Immediately do all which the constitu'
ton and laws OF my State will permit
TO enancipate my own slaves, ana eal
I treat them IS free, and give them part
| Of the crop, or such other wages Is
may be agreed upon for their iqt9re
labor.
During my solourn there, found
among the people of the North, muol
less bitterness than had anticipated
towards the people Of the South, ]
we act prudently and do nothing 4
cause unnecessary sgitstion, or 70 pro
xolSe angry, Improbable discussions,
think there are strong reasons 70 mop
that sentiment Of iustice and iibarsl
/: ity viii prevail, so soon as We have gIV
. en- up slavery, and the passions engen
dered By the unfortunate and Eicke'
. assassination efthe late President hay
b had time 10 subside.
T. q