The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-02-18
saashrille Anipn.
NASHVILLE UNION PRINTING Co.,
PUBLISHERS.
suNhAY. TERRUARY IS. Igaa.
r,he Nsr resi.

Messrs. Sumner, Stevens Il Co., have es-
tablished new test Of Republicanism, or
loyalty, which are Synonymous terms. A
man may have been an originsi Abolition
ist- he may have given the strength Of his
youth, the vigor Of his manhood and the
wisdom of his age to thegreat work Of Free
dom-he may haveeaeTi6ced his time, pro
perry, political prospects, and risked his
life for the preservation Of his country, or
he may have urged the emancipation Of the
slaves as q war measure, even though by
the act he lost the greater part of his world
ly possessions--he may have done all this,
and yet If be does not go one step farther,
and acknowledge that the negroes he has
spent lifetime TO free, are fit to partiei-
pate in all the privileges Of citizenship, he
is to be turned out of the Republican fold,
among the Capperheads or rebels, according
10 the amount Of stubbOrnRess- he exhibits
in refusing to stretch himself up to the mark
they have set.
Andrew Johnson, who made as many sac
ri6ees for his country as perhaps any man
on its territory, and who, STAKEHOLDER as he
was, not only sequieseed in the act that
made them free but urged it, and whose his
tory IS as free from spot or stain as that of
any public man the country has produced,
who since he has been President has exer-
eised the most watchful care over the inter
ests of tho freedmen, using all the pOEer
entrusted to him in securing to them ell that
was contemplated in the act giving them
their freedom, Andrew johnson, with a re
cord like this, is secused by the followers of
the men who lead this faction, Of falsehood
and tresehery 10 the eolored people, Of be- |
ing sympathiser with the rebels, and of
playing directly into the hands of the cop |
perhsads, and why? Because he is not in |
favor of placing the ballot in the hands Of |
the male sduits Of four millions of peo
pie, nine -tenihs of whom are but few de-
grees farther advanced in civilization than |
were their ancestors in the wilds of Africa, |
and who have no more knowledge Of the |
principles Of the government they are to |
have a voice in than those now there
This is ell there is about il. They do not |
pretend that he has reversed the policy laid |
down by the msrtyred Lincoln, Of they |
were candid they would acknowledge that,
in everything pertaining to the freedmen,
he is several steps in advance of Lincoln's |
policy they do not affirm that he has, in
any particular, lost ST ght of the land marks |
Of the Union psrty-they do no; pretend
that he has stepped of the platform they |
placed him on at Baltimore, but they them
selves, Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Ste |
yens, have made a platform--have drawn
up a new creed, have written out new arti-
eles Of faith, and because Andrew johnson |
aud divers and sundry other men will not
subscribe thereto. they are to be politically |
hung, drawn and qusrtered.
The beauty of the whole arrangement is
that almost every reliable Republican State
in which the question of unqualified suf-
frsge has come ,,p, has declared against it.
The Ohio Republicans, who are about as
loyal as any in, the North, refused 10 endorse
unqualified suiIrage-in Wisconsin it was
submitted to the people and was voted
down by Republicans; and in the other
States, the party has refused 70 shoulder it
or make it an issue in any shape, yet these
extremists insist that negro suffrage, pure
and simple, shall be our party shibboleth,
and all who cannot pronounce the word,
shall be hewn downl
President johnson Is, and probably all of
that portion Of the Union party who Op-
pose unqualified suffrge, are in favor of Civ
ing all negroes, who are fit to vote, the
franchise. They desired that the District
OF Columbia bilt should DO away with the
absurd distinction of color, and give the bal
lot to every man who could read it, white
or black. But this did not suit those who
are determined to either rule the party or
ruin it. They insisted upon unqualified
Suffrage, to humilate the rebels who re-
side in the District and for this they are
willing to sacrifice the party of the Union,
and place those very rebels in power per-
msnently.
We earnestly hope that wise counsels
may yet prevail, and that the danger now
threatening the Republic may be Sverted.
We cannot believe that enough Of the
Union party to jeopardize SINCE District
will follow these disorganizers, and foolish
ly undo what has cost the country hundreds I
of thousands of lives, and thousands Of mil
lions OF money. The Union party carried
the country through the Rebellion-it alone
can take it through the perils Of reeonstruc-
ton. If remains unit as II has been for
the past eight years, all viii be well-but
if it divides upon outside issues the scepter
will depart from Israel, and the esuse viii
be lost, aud lost Toledo Blade.