Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-17
LETTER FROM THE HON. HORACE
MAYNARD.
The Presidents Policy not Accepted In
Good Faith by the South.
FOUNTAIN HOTEL.

inc FresiGent'S Policy not Accepted In
Good Faith by the South.
meeting was held in Memphis on Saturday even
ing. the 18th instant to reorganize the Union party
The principal feature the reading of letter from
the Hon. Horace Maynard. After paying well de-
served tribute to the Union men in Tennessee he
quotes at length from the speeches. messages. and
other utterances of President Johnson to show what
he had required of the South to conform his policy
He then goes to say that the South generally has
not accepted that policy in good faith. We quote:
have purposey extended these citations to show
the uniformity of principle pervadng the Presidents
official course since his induction into Office; might
add since his appointment as Military Governor of
Tennessee. The rebels endorsed profusey az wise
liberal, humane and Just, both by their press and
tneT TepreSSe ds men They had the power by
teal effect, to crown with immediate success and
thus elevate the President at once among the great
law-givers of mankind. Unfortunately, their con-
duct has not always cOrresponded with their profess
sions In some instances, they have declared valid
their State governments and their acts and proceed
ings. They have repudiated Provisional Governors
at the first opportunity In recognizing their State
Governments, they have made disloyaty to the
United States prime qualification. being the bet
ter eXpress on of the public sentiment. They have
refused to declare null ordinances Of secession, but
by repeating them, have declared them once valid,
thereby virtually reassertng the right of secession.
Instead of abolishing slavery, was done in Ten
nessee they have treated it as destroyed. and have
refused to ratify the constitutional amendment for
bidding its existence. They have, by every means at
the men who have never falered in their allegiance
to the Government" They have in every instance
failed ITO extend the elective franchise to the freed
men, and in some instances have denied them ade-
quate protection in their liberty and property their
right to claim the just return OF their labor, that
the President has been compelled 10 inerpose by the
organization of the Freedmens Bureau, and some
times by the repressive hand of military authority.
So far from seeking to be represented in Congress by
men of unquestioned loyalty, they have, defantly,
and in spirit of bravado, selected men .ayowedIy
and bOastfully obnoxious to existing constitutional
and legal tests. They have clalnored for the pardon
of all the leading, conscious intelligent traitors in
eluding the chief conspirator himself And this they
call supporting the Presidents policy. 1t cannot
be concealed that such conduct has produced wide
now on probation before the country, with preds
position largely in their favor. But there is natural
~ profound solictude to know whether their COM
ing back means peace or prolonged hostility.
As for Tennessee, he afrms that she has been
faithful. lie says
In grateful contrast is the attitude of Union-Iovne
Tennessee. By the free choice of her loyal citizens
and in ancipations of these views and measures of
the President, she adopted them In spirit and to the
letter. excepting only the elective franchise to coored
men. This if We may infer from the late report of
the Committee on Reconstruction, Congress is will
ing 1t should be left to her enlightened judgment and
good Intentions Indeed as with just pride we claim
the President, so may rightfully claim these prin
ciples principles. They but the reproduce
ton of ideas long since familiar to u.s. made so, in
part by his own uniform and oft repeated utter
anees. of the rebeous ssterhood, Tennessee from
the very first has stood apart and peculiar We her
representatives conscious of right could appeal to
the country in her behalf There she is all dishonor
wiped from her escutcheOnl