The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-15


The Seeds Of the Presidents Policy.
The New York Evening Post after
reading President Johnson's speeches
and other public documents, since he
became President, comes to the follow
ing conclusions respecting his chief
mofres, "the seeds, 20 70 speak, OF bis
policy "He has q great aversion TO
war measures or war legislation in peace
times; he believes there is vast and ire
sistible power in free and full discus
sion; he loves peace, and ali its ways. he
thinks that by extiTpating slavery we
have flung out the only seed of discord,
and that now, when armed resistance
to the Government has been crushed
we should fall at once into the old ways
And he regards this of so great impor,,
lance that he would like to set all the
machinery of Government going from
the exact point at which it was stopped
by the rebellion 1t is reported Of g
German professor, who was snatched
away in the middle Of a lecture, immU-
red in prison, and only liberated after
twelve months confinement, that when
he was set free he gathered about him
as quickly as possible his old class, and
calmly proceeded to finish his lecture.
As / was saying, when ] was interrupt
ed, began the professor and in q SINH
lar spirit Mr.. johnson Issued his recon
struction proclamation, bidding those
only to be electors who were so under
the State laws before the war; suffering
those who held local Offices ia 1860 10
reoccupy them until their successors
could be r~eappointed, and in every way
aiming to restore the country, and e.
p~ecially lis political institutions 70 the
condition they were in just before the
war broke out-Wilh the exception Of
slavery.
at is as though he had said TO him
SELF Once more we may advance by
argument, discussion, votes; once more
we can appeal 10 the people at the bal
lot-box Before the war, we were stead
lily but surely towards full and
broad and universal liberty, by peacea-
BILE discussion. The war interrupted
this grand march Of the nation now
let US resume it There may be evils,
but they will be corrected in time by
our old and wise methods; there may
be suffering, and wrong, and prejudice,
but all this Is only temporary, and will
be cured by discussion, by appeals to
the common sense Of the people, by
experience.
"This is, we believe, the fundamental
idea or principle underlying and shap-
ing Mr.. Johnson's policy. He believes,
as we too believe, that in the Union,
with our Constitution, with peace and
free discussion, there is no limit to our
possible progress as q nation, no wrong
that will not be righted, no inhuman
prejudice or hatred that will not be
rooted out, no class so low but it viii
be raised up, no condition, however de-
plorable, that will not certainly and
speedily be improved.
And believing this, he Is not only
anxious that we shall at once recon-
mence our peaceful march, which was
interrupted 10y the rebellion; he Is not
only confident, from u past, that the
American people will be true to right
and liberty in peace, as they were in
war; but he has a Jealous reverence for
the instruments of this progress, the
Union and the Constitution. The q
he would seek by all means TO strength
en- in the minds and hearts Of all the
people; the other he would not rashly
amend, and he will strictly construe,
"While we hold fast to these we are
safe" he cries let US have patience, for
with them all good things will come to
US in time.
Snow this idea is not merely grand
it is true; it is philosophically cor
rect it is such a fundamental principle
az bears up a just and b]eneicent
policy. Il represents, withal, the feel
ing which lies deep in the nations
heart We admire and approve it with
al our hearts