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

1 apuear before you IN answer 70 your Cali.
| The can. coming in the imposing form Il
| does, and under the circumstances 1t does,
| raouires a response from me. You have as
| signed to me very high, very honorable
! and responsible position. The position you
| know I did not seek. Most willingly would
have avoided il; and nothing but an ex-
| traordinsry sense of duty could have in
/ duced me to yield my own disinclinations
aud averslons TO your wishes and judgment
| in the matter. For this unusual manifesto
ton Of esteem and confidence, l return you
my profoundest Acknowledgements Of grati-
tude. Of one thing only can / give you
any assurance, and that IS, if Ishall be per-
| mitted to discharge the trusts thereby I'M
| posed, they will be discharged with 8 sim
| gleness Of purpose TO the public good.
The great object with me now is TO see a
restoration, if possible, of peace, prosperity
and constitutional liberty in this once hap
| py but now disturbed, agitated and dis
| tracted country. To this end ell my ener-
! gies and efforts 10 the extent Of their powers
| will be devoted.
You ask my views on the existing state of
affairs; our duties at the present; and the
! prospect Of the future. Tins IS & task from
which. under other circumstances, ! might
very we'll shrink. He who ventures 10
sneak and to give counsel and advice in
| times Of peril or disaster, assumes no enYia-
HE position. Far be that rashness from me
which sometimes prompts the forward to
rush in where angels might fear to tread.
| In responding, therefore, briefly to your in
| ouiries, feel, trust, the full weight and
| magnitude of the subject. 1t involves the
welfare Of millions now living, and that Of
| many more millions who are 10 come after
US. / am also fully impressed with the con-
sciousness Of the inconceivable small effect
| Of what | shall say upon the mOmentous
| results involved in the subject itself.
Ii is with these feelings offer my mite Of
| counsel at your request. And in the outset
! of the undertaking, limited as it is intended
20 be to a few general ideas only, well may
| Intimate an illustriOus example in invoking
aid from onHigh, "that may say nothing on
this occasion which may compromit the
| rights, the honor, the dignity, or best inter
ests ofmy country" / mean specially the
| rights, honor, dignity and best interests
| Of the people Of Georgia. With their
| sufferings, their losses, their misfortunes,
their bereavements, and their present utter
| prostration, my heart is in deepest sympa-
| thy.
We have reached that point in our affairs
at which the great question before US is
ssTo be or not TO be?"-and if to be; How
Hope, ever springing in the human breast,
promts, even under the greatest calsmi-
ties and adversities, never TO despair. Ad-
versity is q severe school, a terrible eruci-
BILE, both for individuals and communities.
We are now in this school, this crucible,
and should bear in mind that it is never
negative in its action. Itis always positive
Ii is ever decided in its effects one way or
the other Ii either makes better or worse.
IL either brings out un known vices or arOu-
| ses dormant virtues. In morals its tenden-
cy is to make saints or reprobates; IN poll
ties 10 make heroes or desperadoes. The
first indication Of its working for good, to
which hope looks anxiously5 Is the manItes-
tation of full consciousness Of its nature
and extent, and the most promising grounds
| of hope for possible good from our present
troubles. or Of things with US getting better
instead Of worse, is the evident general real
ization on the part Of our people Of theil
present situation. OF the evils now upoT
them, and Of the greater ones still impend-
ing. These it is not my purpose to exagger'
ate If could; that would be useless; nor Il
lessen or extenuate; that would be wors'
than useless. All fully understand and re
alize them. They feel them. Il is wei
they do.
can these evils upon us-the absence o.
} law, the want of protection and security o
person and property, without which ciyiit
zation cannot advance-be removedf o
. can those greater ones which threaten ou
very political existence be averted2 Thes
T are the questions.
II is true we have not the control o. al
the remedies, even If these questions coul
be satifactorily answered. Our fortunes an
destiny are not entirely in our own hands
! Yet there are soma things that we may, an
Z csn, and ought, in my judgment, to do
| from which no harm can come, and froT
which some good may follow, in betterin
our present condition. States and eommu
mites. as well as individuals, when the
have done the best they can in view of sur
rounding circumstances, with all the light
| they have before them--let the results b
what they may-csn at least enjoy the eonsc
lstion-uo small recon- pense that-ot havln
performed their duty, and of having a con
science void of ofiense before God and man
This. if no more valuable result, will
3 trust, attend the doing Of what propose.
4 The 6rst great duty, then, would er
= ioin AZ this time, is the exercise of the sim
,Ie. though difficult and trying, but never
theIess Indispensable quality Of patlene
Patience requires of those afflicted 10 bei
IL .nI 10 suffer with forttude whatever IL
a nav befall them. This is often, and e
. peciaIly ia it the case with US now, essenti
- Tor their ultimate removal by any instr
', | neutaIities whatever. We are IN the col
dition Of a man with disloeated limb, or
le broken leg, and 8 very bad compound ira
~ ture at that How it became broken shoul
y not be with him q question OF so niue
importance as how it can be restore
10 health, vigor, and strength. This r
uuires OF him, as the highest duty TO hin
self. TO wait quietly and patiently IN spin
and bandages, until nature resumes h'
sctive powers-until the vital function
rerform their Office. The knitting of q
homes and the granulation of the hesh T
ouire time. Perfect quiet and repose, eve
nnder the severest pain, Is necessary.
will do 10 make too geat haste TO get We
An attempt to walk too soon will only NAL
he matter worse. We must, or ought no
therefore. in a similar manner, 70 disei
line ourselves to the same or like degree
patience. l know the anxiety and restles
ny ness of the popular mind to be tully
our feet again-tO walk abroad as we on
did-to enjoy once more the free outdoor 9
Of Heaven, with she perfect use Of all o
s. limbs. | know how trying it is to be
e. ,ied representstiOn in Congress, while :
are nsyinr our proportion Of the tsxes-h'
onnovfne II is 70 be even partially und
.;I;.srv r,,le-and how injurious it is 10 q
3, .arsrsi interest and business of the eou
~ 10 be without post Offices and mail CO.
munications; to say nothing oi divers on
mata ers on the long list OF our Present
convCuiencies and priystlons. All Ine
he howev er, we must patiently pear ara
dure for 8 season. WIN qhlet anu -eP
we NAV get well-msy get once more
our feet again. One thing is certain, u
bad humor, in temper, exhibited either
fa restlessness or grumbling, VIII not mas
il.
Next to this, another Great duty we o
TO ourselves is the exercise ofs Gberalsp
Of forbearance amongst ourselves.
The first step towards LEGAL or gene
bermonv, is the Punishment from
breasts of every feeling and sentiment c
Il cnlated TO stir the discords Of the p'
m Nothing could be more injurious or Il
~ ,bieyous TO the future OF this country, Il
si the agitation at present OF questions that
! ,;Sod the people anterior 70, or during
'ts,,,,cs II tie late war. On no occasi
:. sr5 ssrecislly in the bestoEment of of
o,cbt sorh differences OF opinion N
- ever 10 be mentioned, either TO
AGAINST snv one otherwise equslly enVi
&c confidence. These ideas OF sentiment
other times and cirenmstancessare no'
gerrns from which hopeful organization
now arise. Let all differences OF oPln
touching errors, or supposed errors, Oh
head or heart, on the part OF an! ~
past, growing out Of these matters5 ue
once, in the deep ocean of oblivion tore
AAAAtAs A4eN AlcAN LN AZ -
examinations on sccount OF acts OF o.
days. No cauvassing Of past conduct
motives. Great disasters sreupon Us ana
whole country, and without enqulrlng
these originated, or at whose door the L
should be laiG, let US now, as conf
on. qharers Of common misfortunes, on hii o.
sions, consult only as to the best means
der the circumstances as we find then
secure the best ends towards future ameli
tion. Good government is Whist we "
This should be the leading desire and
controlling object with all; and ] need
assure you, if this can be obtained, that
desolated fields, cur towns, and villa
and cities. now in ruins, will soon, like
Ph@nix, rise from their ashes, and all
waste places will again, al no distant
blossom as the rose
This view should also be borne
mind. that Whstsver differences
oninion existed before the late
of the war, they sprung mainly
differences as to the beet Dsesns 70 bep