The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-05-18
FRIDAY, MAY IS, 1866.

One of the chief probably the most
important, in their estimation, of the
charges which the radicals bring
against the President is that he has
proven false to the Republican party.
Inasmuch as he never belonged to or
made any pretense Of belonging to the
Republican party, it is impossible for
him to have been untrue to it. He has
been a strict construction democrat, "a.
Union loving and Union supporting
democrat, and nothing else. Mr.. Lin
coin accepted his services as such in
the important position Of Military Gov
ernor of Tennessee, and when the
Union party in 1864, composed Of Re-
publicans, Democrats, Wings, Adolf
tionists, and -others,s concentrated as
the National Union Party, they chose
Mr.. Lincoln, Republican, and Mr..
johnson, q Democrat, TO represent them
in the Presidential campaign, and in
vited all who desired vigorous prose
cution of the war and. the speedy sup
preston of the rebellion 10 cooperate
with them. In his letter accepting the
nomination for the Vice Presidency, he
appealed to his "old friends of the
Democratic party proper" not as Re-
publican, but as Democrat, to vindi-
cate their devotion to true Demo
cratic policy and measures of expe-
diency by sustaining him in the high
duty of first preserving the Govern
ment," after which there would be
time enough TO attend to other mat
tiers. He made no promises, gave no
pledges, which he has violated, de-
ceived nobody by profession or pre-
lenses, and is, therefore, not justly La
bic to the charge of being false to the
Republican party.
But, grant that he was Republican
and was elected by the Republican
party exclusively, with what grace can
any man Of fairness and honesty &C
cuse him of being false to party2 Is
he not the President of the whole PEG
pie, of those who voted against as well
as those who voted for him; of those
who unfortunately were engaged in
rebellion, as well as those who adhered
to the Union cause2 And is il not his
duty TO lay aside party feelings, partial
tiles and prejudices, and seek to protect
alike the lawful interests, rights aud
privileges of all classes and all sectiOns2
As candidate, one may be the repre-
sentative of party, but when he as
sumes authority as the Executive Head
of the nation, he would be false to the
Constitution and to his obligation as
ruler to God and the people, if he did
not lay party aside. There is too great
a disposition to use the government to
sustain parties, to strengthen sections,
to build up the interests of classes and
monopolies. This is hardly excusable
in private individuals, or in legislators.
For the President to pander to such
evils would be in the highest degree
reprehensble. 1t is an honor to Pre-
sident Johnson that he is embarrassing
to do his duty to the whole country,
disregsrding sections and parties.
Radicals have recently been extolling
Gov Swami, of Maryland, as one of the
best and soundest men in the nation,
patriot aud statesman of the right
stamp lie supports the Presidents
policy, and they have now opened their
artillery upon him. He is very ANAL
man after all, and disloyaL They are
like the negro who when he had the
rabbit in hand, boosted that he was
good to "roast, bake, broil, stew or fry,
but who when it escaped, exclaimed
go long you nasty little wormy thing,
you no account no how"