Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-08
LrNora IN q Jan. %. 1866.

LENorR, N. c., Jan. %, 1866.
PRESIDENT JoHNsoN:-Though the APP
peal we may make be vain repetition OF
numberless petitions, yet the spirit within
us this day impels us to still another effort,
and moved by spell over which will has
no control, we indite a prayer for the release
of Jefferson Davis.
Not carelessly, in spasmodic emotion OF
pity for the unfortunate, but earnestly, fer
vently, prayerfully, we send you the indy
ing, unresting appeals of Southern women.
The mighty of ages past who have gloried
in the resistance to armed force ofman, have
bowed to woman's prayers and woman's
tears. Be great in weakness; spurn the SER
vile throng that clamor for the blood that
will some day be required of you, and let
kind mercy plead.
As the quiet, placid stream that has
flowed peacefully for miles, is suddenly in
terrupted by the jutting crag of some bank
impediment and, from thence impelled, the
waters moan and dash forward in restless
agitation, so, to the new era of peace in our
land, is the imprisonment Of the late South
ern President. Tour acts of independent
Justice produce the first, but the cankering
sore of past animosity is kept infamed by
this one sad, unfortunate thing the vision of
lonescaptive, afar from home and friends,
with the shadow of the weight of anguished
years upon his brow.
o. sir, this haunts us continually; tbs
ever comes, memory saddeT than sorroo,
more torturing than the pain of Tantalus,
and for which we find no Lethe. But for
this, the wise policy which you have other
wise adopted, would serve to still the turbu-
lent tide of bitter strife that ebbs with great
fitful waves; but for this, grateful nation
would hail JOHNSON as the heaven-given
clue through the labyrinthine mazes of dis
cord. H
You believe that the prisoner has sinned;
but oh! that he has suffered, the dreary
agony of mind for long months bear wit
ness
o, it was hard, hard forus to bear, in those
| first weary days, the crushing knowledge of
| the failure of hopes, which, if false, were all
| in all to us; but begirt by the strong sym
pathy of human love, with face turned to
face, and heart to heart, we sought and
| gathered from each other small portions Of
the solace our bursting hearts, so wildly
claimed But he who, through storm and
sunshine, had been with us, he who bore in
his breast the torturing disappointment of
| great soul defeated in the one concentrated
purpose, which if wrong, was uaselfsh, he
was alone midst foes and strangers, desolate.
| There is no despotism like a mental,
and whether he has suffered under this suf-
fciently to expia.e his "crime," God knows
best.
There is no darkness like the cloud of mind.'
o, President JOHNSON, lift this gigantic
shadow from the brow of Peace, and let il
cease to overshadow the deeds of mercy for
which many bless you. From every fireside,
in every cot, village, town and city in the
Southland, ascends prayers to God that he
NAV soften the heart of the one who has it in
his posoer to release from captivity the one
who was our ruler, and that he may be re-
stored to the "loved ones" for whom the
world holds no beauty and life no joy while
he is captive. o, even now, in the infancy
of the New Year, grant our prayer and
spare him! Would we could write upon thi:
paper one-half of the burning desires fol
his release that fill sthe bosoms of Southern
women, or record of the tears that daily
fall for his lonely lot
Be lnercifull Cast from you the un'
worthy thoughts that !war against your ma
ture-all that was left of the angel in oul
fall. Then in the last day this deed will
greet you; and then, when all life's ambi.
tons are over, you viii find it all glorious
and beautiful-the charity that "covereth
a multitude of sins" Release the prisoner
and the recording angel will write ut in the
Book of the Lamb that has promised to re-
ward the merciful with like mercy. Wash
your hands of this mans blood, whether
in wearing captivity or the reeking gibbet,
and assert the manhood of one in the Crea
tors image. Do this, and surely the burst O
grateful thanksgiving that will rise from
thousands will reward you, and the prayer
for Gods blessing upon ANDREW JoHNsos
may not fall UNDECIDED at the feet of th'
Blessed One, who has said, "lnasmuch a
ye did it unto the least of these, ye did i
unto me'