Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-29
REPORT OF GEN. sCHUnz.


proper to send Gen. Schurz into the lately
rebellious States on tour of observation,
and TO ascertain the condition, feeling, spirit
and prospects Of these people, and how they
were affected towards the United States Gov
eminent. His report was submitted TO
Congress at the same time as that of Gen.
Grant upon the same subject. Its length
was so formidable that it did not obtain
reading before Congress, and never will be
read by one-fourth Of the members. That Of
Gen. Grant was read Immediately, and was
so clear, brief and comprehensive, that, in
the opinion Of most of the members, what it
did not contain on the subject it treated,
was hardly worth knowing. The report of
Gen. Schurz was therefore, turned over to
the Public Printer, and will be duly read
and pondered by the antiquarian few hun
bred years hence. Mr.. Sumner, of the Sen
ate, and Mr.. Greeley, of New York, howev
er, were somewhat interested in bringing
the matter before people now living, and
consequently it appears in full in sixteen
compact supplementary columns of the New
York Tribune. We should not like to haz-
ard our general reputation for sanity by
saying we had read it. but we have read the
Geographic summary of it, and Mr.. Gree
ley's comments upon it. In these we find
two ideas that seem to call for remark, to
wit:
l. The Southern people, though abiding
the decision reached by arms, are not free
to admit that they have changed those opin-
ions which led to the struggle.
2. The people of the South are unwilling
to confer upon the negro the right of suf-
frage.
1t is upon these facts that the disunionists
in and out of Congress, propose to fight the
Presidents reconstruction policy. Upon the
first the Southern peoplemay well rest their
case upon the testimony of Gen. Grant. Gen.
Shurz is equal, in point of competency, as a
witness, but the jury of the country will con-
slider the credihility of the two. The one is
a native born citizen, who has come up, by
his native powers, to the highest rank in the
esteem and confidence of the American peo-
pie. He has now no temporary objects to
accomplish, but is intent alone upon subserv-
ing the highest interests Of the country. The
other is not n native born citizen, and
though n person Of eminent parts may not
be az familiar with American character and
training as one of inferior natural endow-
ments, though it be as insignificant a per-
sonage as Gen. Grant. There will be but
very slight hesitation in the public mind of
this country upon the comparative value Of
the statements of two such men. Besides,
since his return from his mission Gen. S. it
is announced, has assumed the responsible
position of Washington newspaper cores
pondent. He is engaged in this business for
the n. Y. Tribune. While this is no dis
grace per SC, the established reputation of this
class of newspaper functionaries, is not such
as TO impress the public mind with the con-
viction that they are the most truthful men
in the community.
Upon the second point the question, hap
PLY, does not turn upon merely geographic
cal line. The same testimony to a disin-
clination to invest the negro with the right
of suffrage, may be taken in Wisconsin, In
diana, Ohio, and even Connecticut, and used
with equal force against them. If it is a
Just ground for refusing the Southern States
their rightful participation in the affairs of
the government, it would be equally potent
to eject the representatives Of the States
named from the national councils. In this
respect there is no difference between Con
necticut and South Carolina. And we I'M
dertake to affirm that if each of the New
England States had such a proportion of
negsoos to the white population as exists in
any six of the Gulf States, 1he opposition to
equal rights and privileges" would be even
greater than it is in the South.