The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-20

"a 1'AaAfaH " ~ ~ ~ q
Is It Of no practical Importance whether
the flag OF oar country, for which hall a
million men have laid down their lives, and
which bars thirty-six stars as an emf EN-
Of a Union Of t~hirty-six State. speaks a
nations truth or is il a monstr0us false
hood? These and many like questions are
involved in this discussion, and depend upon
the answer to the first. This is, therefore,
IN my judgment, a question Of the first mag
III ude, a question which must be met, q
question which neither men nor partiel can
avoid or put aside. 1t demands aud will
have an answer.
Il is a question too upon which there is,
and there can be, no eompron Sc or no neu-
ira lily. They are States in the Union IN
der the Constitution or they are not. We
must affirm the one or the other. We must
stand upon one side supporting the Lincoln
and Johnson policy Of maintaining the
Union Of the States under the Consiituti n
10 be unbrJken, or We must take our stand
with the Senator from Massachusetts upon
the other, and maiRiain that the Union is
broken; hat secession Is a sue ess so far, al
least, as 10 withdraw eleven States from the
Union, or 10 reduce eleven States TO the ter
ritorial condition. First, / call TO mind the
language of President Lincoln's proc anna
ton Of December, 1868.
In regard to that. he said, ] make Known
whenever 10 any Of the States of Arkansas,
Texas, Louisiana. Tennessee, Alabama,
Georgia, Florids, South Carolina and North
Carolina, a number Of persons, not less than
one-ienth in number Of the woes cast IN
such State, at the Presidential election, Of
the year Of our Lord 1850, each having ia
ken the cath aforesaid, and not having
since violated il, and being q qualified yo-
ter blythe e~lectioa law Of the otate IN &C.
c~essiOn, immediately before the 50 sy ed
act Of secession, and excluding all Others,
shall establish q State Government, whic1
shall be republican, and in no wise contra
vening saId oath, such shall be recognized
o. the true g-OyerOment Of the State, and
the State shall receive the benefits o. the
| Constitutional provision which declares
that the United States shall guarantee to
every St te in this Union a republican form
Of government, and shall protect each Of
| them against invasion.
Mr.. Do little dilsted at length GU Presi-
dent Lineoin's reconstruction pJlicy, ss first
applied TO Louisisna, and showed how IL
was approved by members Of the Cabinet
ana the 10, al people Of tie country, who
renominated Mr. Lincoln at Baltimore and
detected him. He argued that ii was not
only natural, but almost necessary, that
President Johnson should follow the policy
begun by his predee ssor.
The President would nave been false 10
the trust reposed in him, aud false 10 those
who elected him had be doae otherwise than
repudiate the assertion sometimes made,
81 That Mr.. johnson, by adhering to this
policy OF reconstruction was ready 10 be-
tray the Union cause, or great measures Of
the Caion party"
ne said n the States lately in rebellion
had gone ont Of America, they must have
gone 6y one OF the three ways.
Tirst-by peaceful secession by voting
and re diving themselves out or,
Secondly a successful revolution by
fghuog their way out 10 successful lnae-
pendencej o.
Third-They have been put out BY an &C;
Of Congress.
The strong men Of the south have main
tanned that the 6rst way vas always open
TO them. They asserted the right oil peace
fnI Accession. IT was always met, ho"eYeri
and overpoweredsby the logic Of Mr.. Web
Ser in this body, and resisted by the iron
will OF Andrew jackson during his admin
In their folly and madness the people Of
the South appealed 10 arms 10 discuss the
same question on the field OF battle. Ihe5
tried the second way, namely-by way ol
r~evoiunou-to cut their way out with me
sword. That, Cor s time, they made iearioi
progress in that direction. no one denies
but did they succeed No man. North OF
south, dare affirm it. The great Generals
we've found at last, capable Of organizing
and welding our immense forces.
The brave men under their command
crushed the rebellion and wrenehed The
word from the hand OF revolution, and
then. in the last tribunal Known 70 man
kind, decided, and IA such a way as q
leave no doubt in any sane mind. North OF
south. that no State can go out Of this Union
- - a. nHalla eaFpganOn. nUrahN
way of successful revolution; they neither
have the right nor The power 10 do So Mr..
Dooiittle raid IL remained to consider only
the other way-the third way-which, ioi
breyity. he would call, with no disresPect
? 10 his honorable friend from Massachusetts
the Sumner way for States 10 go out OF th'
Union. namely: by act Of Congress, the Sen
at0r having, at the tuner&l~ ceremonies upon
The death Of Judge Coliamer, taken occasion
10 announce his theory Of disunion, ascrib'
ipg.i in a great measure, the honor, II honor
ii be. to the deceased, Of separating the TeoeI
States from the Union.
Mr.. D~oolittle then showed the Southern
States TO be in the Uni' n under the Consu'
tution. aud inquired, what IS their true SIT,
nation. -and what rights they have, ans
What duties devolved upon them, saying;
have shown that in view OF puoile iaN
nothing can be more clear than that Stai'
does not consist IN the form OF ITS govern
meut. That is one Of its antecedents TIA
- he democratic. aristocratic or thee.
cratic: IL may be military, II may be re
? publican. despotic or mcnerchicali u MAJ
- nave been anv one Of these FORMS or :
mixed enc, and yet IL j. e state u ma!
; change Us government every year, ss q treI
{ casts of its foliage that STATS no more e"a
sists Of its form Of governments IMAM MAJ
consists Of the garments with when ne D
-. q. -af HaafrnWad nv 4 de
I claratton Of martial Jaw ~ II nor hy war
unless conquered by q foreign power OF as
membersa bv q revolution. To be invaded
does not destroy il If It expci the invaders
10 he torn hv civil war, and even % h
drepched in fraternal blood, does not de
strov it either, unless the anal issue OF arm
J. shall be against il.
In the course Of his Argument. Mr.. boo
Il little said that Congress not only emp were
but =, ouired the President to perform RtEo
fld duty-1ne TO make war, and the o ne
E, 40 stop makiuU war slsr the end is reached
and make peace. The first of these grea
duties. making war, rested mainly upo'
" PRECEDENT Lincoln; tbs second, maxim
IS p,ace. rests mainly with his successor
Tasnk God. Mr. Lincoln wss permitted {
live until he hrst great work Of crashin
m The rebellion was almost done, and the SEQ
y otd, hardly less important, work Of recon
b. suuct,on was already well begun.
7. Ihnvs already called your attention
,, his last public spsech. just before his ASA.
~ snaton, in which he explained, ~deonedsn
I enforced this policy OF r-econstructiou.
"a WIS 81 such q moment Of exa taton, VIE
' the PRAYER o his sout was answered, he T.
= by an assassiu's haud. This great Office q
y the Presidency p~rovilcntially fell upon ri
johnson. with 81 its duties and responsihil
~ titles The grayest Of them, 81 know-th
D" armed forces % The rebclliot-havc sgrrcJ
dsrri. aud its second Freat duty Uas thst
uslfur reace. aui then CishsudiuE %
81 s-rav. WAer hs tooE the Presidency the,
ie wee mora than a million men upon ca
Il faIls ofthc ARMY ani many Of the rebel 81
\. mies were stl "a tlr hcld.
lie then cons icred the mcsi Important
!, aud lust o. ihst moment, perhaps, the mo-
pnaoiicsl question, uamely What were ID
powers aui duties imposed by law Upou %
10 President ID clo.ius the war and maki N
-- peace. which must precede the disbauGiu.
"a OF the armyr What terms, he asked. ha
lr the President the right 70 demsnd a. con
ii Siton precedent 10 peace and b with
drnWal Of the arayf
First, snd before an A. unqualified sub
mission 10 the VoirIEutiou 81 the Coito
e. States. aud sll lass ut (luEcrss passed o
d. pursuance thereof.
y Second. The amending Of acts, laws, 81
proceedings hy which the States made 81
prosecuted the Uar sgainst the Unite
States.
he Third. An ocguiesccnce in tL6 ~s.tustio'
te which The var has brought upon them, ia
ID icliiIuC ths abolition oi slavery, tdr, 90.
l5 90 account OF which. they made war. 20
security so such acQuieEcencc, aud IS a "a
= lromc test of is good faith. rae adoption G
.u the constitutional amendment.
M Thssr are the conditions IN subsianc
which NJ. lncoln three wears ago ga
~ueuucci ~ the terms of pscihcatiou, an,
% which be pledged he support Of the Gov
he srnmcut These src the substance az 10
terms offered by President johnson - seF
e o-ai OF the states. OF TO the people OF sewers
of the afs,es. Several Of The States hay
accepted them and oier now 10 resume al
tte political duties - states IN the Outcn
aud practicsly enjoy thaiT sights - such
N Af. ID. stated other cousidcfstous * sap
Mt pot ofths Presidents policy including Tia
81 tnance and Industry.
- LEtn no man misUndersiaud his position
:" wife the guilty Leaders who excited IN
lle'ple " thess States 10 rryolt lie bad