The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-02-27

c~ensured, by any one. He is sworn to
defend and protect the Constitution and
he would have merited the eontempt
and scorn Of all honest men. had he
put his signature to an unconstitution-
Al measure. His worst enemeis ever
should applaud an act which evinces
only a disposition to discharge his duty
according 10 the convictions Of con
science and judgment An act which
must have been painful, for he could not
but reflect that it would bring down
upon him denunciations in quarters
where better things oughtto have been
assured. He must have felt that his
motives would be mistrusted and in
peached and that he must rely upon
the developments of the future to rein
state him in the confidence Of many
who would be affect be the airs Of
the sianderer.
The party which rallied the patriotic
of all parties under the national flag,
for the vigorous prosecution of the war,
and the suppression OF the rebellion,
and with these objects in view elected
Lincoln and johnson, now that these
objects are accomplished, ought TO have
the e'lat Of restoring the Union, and Of
providing for the absolute freedom Of
the late slave, and for their protection
by law in their rights as freeman. It
could not accomplish the one, by any
more just and p~Taiseworthy policy than
inaugurated in Tennessee by President
Lincoln, and prscticed by President
johnson in the cases Of North Carolina,
and other States. Congress could, With
out injury to any one, adopt this policy
and aid the President in its enforce
ment The other, respecting the freed
men, presents grave obstacles, but,
we doubt not, can DO properly
adjusted if Congress meet the Presi-
dents objections with a fair spirit, and
with a disposition 10 do justice to all
concerned. The Freedmen's Bureau
was adopted as a war measure, andwaE,
therefore, limited 10 the close Of the
war. It's best friends did not claim
that Congress had power to enact it in
time Of peace. 1t has done some good,
and some mischief Continued as pro.
posed, it would, in all probability, grow
only in its power to do mischief. There
are but few candid men in the North
who, il they were familiar with "bu-
resu justice" would not agree that the
sooner the bureau was dispensed with,
the better for the country. If the
Southern States do MT enact laws for
the protection of the freedmer, and
execute them fairly, instead of going
outside of the Constitution for a remedy,
give the United States courts iurisdic-
ton over the subject. They would
do justice to all paTties-to the
whites and to the blacks-nO
the one sided justice we have
now, all on the side OF the freedman.
Then there would be no cause for com
plant Ana in a few years, the States
would discover that their true policy is
to give the freedmen all the advantages
possessed by Others TO better his condi-
ton, and would grant them freely. The
people of the South, like all Others, act
from motives Of interest, and when
they find is they will that it is TO their
interest to make an intelligent, repect-
able, worthy citizen Of the freedman,
they will take steps promptly to make
him so. Wewould prefer to trust them,
in this respect, to communities in which
there are out few colored persons. They
will soon conquer their prejudices, and
do ali that is necessary to elevate the
negro.