Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-14
SATURDAY. APRIL II, 1906.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
For the Union and American.

For the Union and American.
In former years, and for long time before the
commencement Of the late bloody and ruinous
war in this country. there were Radicals in the
Northern States, and also in the Southern States
in Massachusetts and South Csrolina-equally
fnatical Those in Massachusetts, were radical
against African slavery, il texisted in the South
ern States Of the Union; those in South Carolina
we're equally as radical for, and propagandists Of
that institution. Each faction was characterized
by a single idea-the one for and the other against
slavery. Neither had any regular system Of pol
icy Of government. Each occupied the extreme
ends Of the same line, and were. consequently an
tipodos. and in irreconcilable antagOnism. Not
vithstanding. there was a remarkable union Of
,zetion by and between them in Congress. All
measures for moderation and for harmony. wheth-
er emanating from the Whig or from the Demo-
cratic party. uniformly denounced and op-
posed by the Radicals Of the North andby the
Radicals Of the South; the one seeing clearly and
beyond the possibility Of doubt the object Of
slavery propaganda. and the other as clearly and
with a. little doubt seeing the restriction and final
extrpation of slavery unmistakably foroshadow-
ed. Hence the Radicals North, and the Radicals
South. as is not unfrequently the case with ex-
treines. met. and cordially eo-operated and har-
monized in opposing all wise and salutary meas
ures intended and calculated 10 compose and set
tie conflicting sectional questions and differences.
Each political faction seeming 10 know that
final adjustment and settlement Of the vital
slavery and territorial questions, would be 70
them determination. In the North. these Radi-
Gals. by long cozening and manipulation, mes
merizod the Whig party Of that section, and won
it over to its own heresies under the belief that
that was the only road which would lead that
party into power. and secure TO them the admin
istration of the General Government, and the
consequent enjoyment Of the patronage, emolu-
mcnts and honOrs accompanying the accession TO
power. Hence the Whig party Of the North was
abolitiouizel under the cOgnomen Of the Repub-
lican party The Radicals Of the South. who
had, in name. identified themselves with the
Democratic party, for the purpose Of getting
control Of the Democratic organization South.
a. the surcst if not the only means Of consumma-
ting their darling one idea project the establish
mcnt Of a chivalrc republic. ON the llugenot mo-
del. we're but too successful finally in 1850, by
Inauipulations in mesmcrizing the Democrats
south. and ~ completely secessionized that party
south as the Radicals North had abolitionizcd
the Whig party North. The movements and
changes ia the North, induced in order to in
vest the Radicals and Wings Of that section with
the administration Of the United States Govern
ment by "A purely sectional vote. The Radicals
South. avowodly. aciuated by desire 20 protect,
aud perpetuate slavery. were really for a scpara-
ton of the Southern slave holding States, from
the Northern free States and the establishment of
a Southern slave holding Confederacy. Early in
the year 1860 in every national organization, pol
itical aud religious, the bonds Of the Union had
been parted and dissolved except the Democratic
party, and that had received within its 0rgsniza-
tion. the wooden horse Of secession and disunion.
The Republican Convention met, and adopted
purely auti-slayeey, sectional platform, and nom
mated sectional candidates for President and Vice
President The first II citizen Of Illinois. the sc
cond a citizen of Maine.-both Of the North and
sectional. relying only on free State sectional
votes for their success. They did not ask OF ex-
pcct support from the Southern States.
The Democratic Convention met in Charleston.
The scccssionists were there, and demanded such
alterations in the fundamental principles, creed
or platform Of the party so radically pro-slavery
that their adoption would dcertainly have annihi-
lated the Northern wing Of the party, and for
that portion of the party to have voted for or ae-
quiesced in the demands ofthe secessionists would
have been suicidal. The Convention could not
harmonic A portion Of the Southern delegates
withdrew and met apart from the Convention.
and finally adjourned TO meet several weeks
thereafter in Richmond. The Convention also
adjourned 10 meet in Baltimore the next month.
The Convention met in that city pursuant TO
adjournment and at the close Of a week of wrang-
ling ordinations and rccriminatons the seces-
sionists per sr, with the larger portion Of the
Southern delegates and few from the North
withdrew. and organized in a separate house.
when they adopted platform purely sectional
and Southern Radical, as that OF the Repubh
can party was sectional and Northern radical.
Candidates for President aud Vice President
were nominated who accepted the platforms
adopted for them.
The Democratic Convention, or the portion of
il which remained after the secession above stated,
re- adopted the platform Of the party, constitu-
tional and national in all its parts. and nominated
candidates for President and Vice President. The
first from Illinois. the second from Alabama. The
latter declined to accept and the position was
rendered 10 and accepted by n gentleman from
Georgia The Wings Of the South. all that then
remained Of that once powerful national organ-
ration, met In Baltimore aud nominated candi-
dates for President and Vice President. the former
u Tenncssean and the latter residing in Massa-
chusetts. Thus prepared, the parties arranged
themselves and the quadrRngular canvass com
uenced OF the four standard bearers in the
contest but one bore Hag Of nationality and Of
the Union. In the Northern States the contest
was mainly-it may be said entirely, between the
Republicans and Democrats. In the South, a.
clearly bet ween the Secessionists and Democrats
united and the Wings. In the South an unre-
lenting war was waged against the Northern De
mocracy. by the Scccssionists and Democrats,
supporting their nominees They charged the
Northern Democrats with having become aboh
tioniEed and were in fact as nimioRl to the insu-
tutions and Interests Of the South if not so.
than the Republicans.
The contest resulted. as every nsible and re-
hectinE man saw il itinevitably would. am as many
believe. the abolition republicans and the radi-
cal soccssionists desired il should In the election
ofthe Republican nominees. The Republicans de-
sired such a result because il invested them with
the administration Of the general Government,
with all the resulting advantages and benefits Of
power patronage and omolumcnts. They were
the Nictors and entitled TO the spoils The Sc
cosionists desired the result because il gave them
the nost.plausbo Of all preteNts for Withdrawing
frosa the Union and consolidating public seuti-
ment in the South against the North, and insure
the success Of their long cherished one idea pro-
jcct the establishment Of southern Confcderacy
composed entirely Of slave holding States.
The Northern leaders had reached their geal
in their accession TO power The Southern leaders
were well satisfied with the state Of things thus
far. An had worked well for the final success Of
their chrshed ono idea of Southern Confedcracy.
The Northern Rndical leaders could not believe
that the South would ever be blind and mad
enough TO attempt 10 socede In fact The Radical
leaders South would never believe that the North
crn men would fight to keep them in the Union.
which was regarded by many Of them rs q con
tract with the devil and league with hell. Both
parties were terribly mistaken. The sccossionists
were in earnest They would avail themselves
Of the favorable circumstanccs-thcy would
scccde and that by separate State action. South
Carolina, under the dwarfed power Of lIuguenot
chivalry, weut cut before hroakfast-othtrs fol-
lowed and the border States were literally dragged
ont ofthc Union and into the rebellion.
The truth is the people Of Tennessee, the
masses, and the same may be said Of tho masses.
the large majority Of the people Of the South
never were secosSionists never were disuuicnists.
They were born. bred and educated under the
Constitution and the common fag Of the country.
They entertained \ sacred regard for the princi-
plcs and provisions Of the Constitution which they