Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-15
OLD AND NEW PARTTEs--THE PRE-.
STDENT,S POLICY.

statesmen occupying positions differing from
those then assumed by their late friends
and uios persa. 1t might be both interesting
and instructive TO trace the rise, progress
and dissolution Of parties in the brief history
Of the Republic, and to analyze the causes
which brought them into existence and pro-
duced their decadence; but such labor
would be better suited TO a review or a his
tory than TO these columns.
Suffice it here to say, that the people of
this country have now reached point in
their career, where they are required to take
new positions on fresh issues regardless Of
past differences and past organizations, and
with a view alone TO future action, ceher-
ence, principle and policy. The parties of
the Past have performed their work, and
are no more as such. That work has, for
five years, thrown the country into disorder,
confusion and strife, which has cost the peo-
pie an expenditure Of blood and treasure,
which it will tax the wisdom, forbear-
ance and good conduct of years TO Ii
quidate. The good and patriotic people of
this country are now called upon to adopt
the last and speediest means to attain this
result. To allay strife, to produce concord
and confraternity, to restore the ancient re-
lations at amity aud unity among the States
and the people, and to send forward on a
calm sea the ship which has been tossed in
such stormy waters, is now the business of
leaders and people. The moment the storm
Of war ceased, this became the duty Of all
no less Of the victors than the vanquished.
No one in the government saw and recog-
nized more plainly this duty than he upon
whom had been cast the robes of the Chief
Executive. In such an emergency, it re-
quired no elaborate chopping of logic, or
lengthy detail Of reasoning to teach the man
whose heart beat only for the good Of his
whole country, for the entirety and unity of
which he had sacrificed so much, the great
object first to be aimed at He was AS wise
in adopting the means, as he was prompt in
deserving the end. To the vanquished at
large with proper exceptions, he offered the
amnesty of oblivion, upon their taking an
oath, in good faith, of obedience to the sup
port Of the Cons titution and the laws enact
ed hereunder. He called upon the States
TO discard their rebellious organizations, and
make new ones, upon condition of comply
ing with the judgment rendered in the Court
of Arms The South was bound by that de
cision and complied. They did not call upon
the Federal government to rescind the
Emancipation Proclamation-did not ex-
pect Congress TO reconsider the amendment
to the Constitution abolishing slavery-did
not request the payment Of the Confederate
war debt-but in all things that reason and
justice and the demands of the President
required, and which restoration Of law,
order and peace required, met the occasion
and left nothing which ought to have been
done, undone.
The process of restoration come to be
called the " Presidents policy" and was so
eminently successful that there seemed to be
no real ground Of complaint anywhere or
by anybody. II was so well adapted TO the
desired end that it met with no opposition
anywhere The parties in the North in the
then pending elections rivaled each other
in their emphatic endorsements Of il, and
outside OF those who were to enjoy the mere
r. hav ..fA
JoHNsoN appeared good in the sight of the
people, and they blessed it.
Upon the assembling of Congress it be-
came the duty of the President 10 announce
what had been done, the success which at
tended his efforts, and his views of what was
necessary 70 fully re-establish the govern
ment of the Union in all its parts and its
practical workings This was simply the
administration of the government in the
future upon the constitution. This was An
DREW JoHNsoSs plan, his policy, and his
determination. From it he has not depart
ed, and will not depart.
The Congress chose to think differently
and Join issue with him. The majority of
them neither approved his policy" nor
favored the constitutional administration of
the government. Accordingly, that body is
flooded with amendments TO the COnstitu-
ton, directed to a radical change in the fun
damental principles of republican institu-
forum reverberates from day to
day with denunciations of the President
he is attacked in his official capacity and in
his private relations, and the most infamous
warfare is waged upon him from the hust-
ings, the pulpit, and the press.
Such, then, is the issue. We are to have
a continuation of the Union, as framed by
the long line of illustrious men who wrested
it from British rule and organized it, admin
istered according to the constitutional chart
which they transmitted to guide us; or we
are to hand it over to such men as Thaddeus
Stevens, Charles Sumner and Wendell Phil
lips to unmake and make anew after fash
ion that no human intelligence can forecast.
Between the two, the people cannot hesitate.
They may be deceived for a time. Passion
and excitement may blind and pervert the
Judgment temporarily, but the right will
triumph. We have but TO adopt the lam
guage of the President in response to the
MARYLAND delegation: 1.-THE principles the
great principles, Of free government never
vet failed. In the possession Of these great
principles we cannot reach a wrong conclu-
sion. If we are right-if the principles are
right in themselves and we pursue them
rightfully-though there may be gloom
gathering around our pathway, though we
NAV not see our way entirely clear, yet in
the pursuit of principle, If follow it, it
will take us triumphantly through, without
regard to what may be upon the right hand
or upon the left" "Now is the time" he
continued, "to make basis and form
combination upon this great question, and
manifest thar il can be successfully demon
strated; now is the time TO gather the ma
terisl; now is the time 10 rally around prln-
ciple and lay basis upon which our Gov
eminent can proceed l."
ELECTION FOR REPRESENTATIVE.
In another column We publish from the
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