Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-23
A WISE woRD FRom suAssACHu-
xETTN-

Governor Andrew Of Massachusetts, has
retired from the Gubematorial chair Of that
State. He was elected to the position before
the war, and was reelected during its con-
tinuance. He was thorough war man, and
went as Car as the farthest against the re-
bclIion and lis supporters and sympathisers-
Owing TO the family and other unavoidable
engagements Of the people Of Massachu-
sets which made il inconyenient for suf-
ficient number Of that people TO enlist in
the Union Army to meet the demands Of
the occasion, his genius was taxed to supply
the deficiencies. He did II admirably. He
sent agents to recruit in Europe. He sent
agents 10 recruit among the negroes Of the
South He was met with many re-
bluffs. Sherman in Georgia put a flea
in the ear Of his agent. The New York and
Western press we're continually upbraiding
and ridiculing his expedients to supply the
Massachusetts, quota. II Is not our province,
at this day, to criticise those expedients. 1t
| is enough for us that Massachusetts gave
men 10 the contest, apd is entitled to her
proportionate share OF the credit Of perpetu-
aiing the Union. The Governor who did
this and saved the blood Of his own people
is, at least, entitled to her praise, and to a
character for shrewdness to be envied by the
mass who found no remedy against the re-
peated and memorable drafts which they
were required to meet from their own homes
and fresides.
Upon going out of Office Governor An
drew delivered valedictory, addressed to
the people of Massachusetts,. Having borne
his part in suppressing the rebellion, he gives
his views as TO the best method of restoring
the damages inflicted upon the country by it.
His valedictory in this respect assimilates
the breaking up of very gloomy and
disagreeable "speel" Of weather-when
the sun is occasionally breaking out and
gladdening us with all its glory, and
is then obscured by broken and drifting
clouds. II also assimilates the exhibitions
Of IA disordered mind in recovering its ma
tural and normal strength, now beating in
the darkness of obdurate arrangement, and
then bursting out in the evidences of serene
philosophy and truth. In this valedictory
we find both characteristics distintly marked
in an eminent degree; for, there MAY be
method in madness, and true genius in a
mind given to excentricities. We subjoin
the following passages to illustrate our ideas:
We are DESTROYS of their 1.-THE Southern States]
reorganization, and TO end the use of the war pow
err. But / am confident we cannot reorganize
political society with any proper security: /. I'm
less we let in the people 70 corporation. and not
merely an arbitrarily selected portion OF them.
2 Unless give those who are, by their intelli-
/ gencc and character, the natural leaders Of the
people. and who win surely lead them by and by.
| an opportunity 30 lead them now. i am aware
| that il has been iavorite dogma IN many guar
| ters No Rebel yoters. But IL Is impossible in
certain states, to have any voting by white men,
| il oEly loyal men,, !. e.. those who continued 80
| during the rebellion, are permitted 70 vote. This
proposition Is clear that the President adopted
the expedient of assuming that those who had not
risen sve certain civil or military grades in the
rebel public service. and who had neither inherit
ed nor earned more than certain amount of pro-
perry, should be deeIned and taken TO be suf1ci
entity harmless to be entrusted with the suffrage In
the work OF reorganization :.
But do not regard the. distinction between
loynl and disloyal persons Of the white race, resd
ing in the South during the rebellion, as being, for
present practical tb ioya
few with certain prominent and honorable ex-
ceptions) can be well Disseminated from the dis
LOYAL mass. And since the President finds him
self obliged let in the great Of the disloyal
by the very terms of his proclamation of amnesty,
10 participation in the business Of reOrganixlng
the rebel States. am Obliged also 70 confess that
think the making of one rule fer the richer and
higher rebels and another rule for the poorer and
more lowly rebels, is impotic and unphiosophical.
| find evidence In the granting Of pard0ns that
such also Is the opinion Of the President, When
the day arrives which must surely come, when an
amnesty. substantially universal, shall be. pro-
claimed the leading minds Of the South, who by
temporary policy and artificial rules had been for
the while DISTINGUISHED. will resume their in
ana ane o.
and will cnttle them 10 lead. will lead and these
men--not then estopped by their own consent or
participation in the business Of reorganization
may not be slow 10 question the validity of great
public transactions enacted during their own dis
franehhise@e9 i / + asked IN reply =, What
content I? answer that while do not know just
what they can do nor what may come of it,
neither do know what they may not attempt.
that we ought to demand and secure the co-ope-
ration Of the strongest and ablest minds and the
natural leaders of opinion In the South. II we
cannot gain their support Of the Just measures
needfu for the work Of safe reorganization, reor-
ganiEation will be delnsiye and full Of danger:
Why not try them? They are the most hopeful
subjects TO deal with, in the very nature OF the
case. They have the brain and the expe-
rience and the education to enable them TO under
stand the exigencies of the present stu
alton. They have the courage as well as the
skill TO lead the people in the direction
their judgments point. in spite Of their
those Of less experience, who have less hold on
the public confidence, are comparatively power
less. L. it consistent with reason and our knowl-
Southern men able to face about, to turn their |
backs on those they have trusted and followed. |
and TO adopt the lead Of those who have no mag |
netie hold ON their hearts or mlnds2 Reorgani- |
nation in the South demands the aid of men of |
great moralcourage, who can rcnennee their own |
bend what the work is. and what are the logical |
consequences Of the new situation; men who have /
interests urging them e rise 10 the height OF tho
occasion They are not the strong men from whom /
weak vacillating cOunsels come: nor are they the /
great men from whom come counsels born Of pref |
adiees and loies having tneIr ro9t n an nssitS
hope Of resurrection.
Whereupon, we have to ask opponents of
these opinions in Tennessee, what reasona-
BILE arguments they can oppose to them.
the same were enunciated
few days ago by the incoming Governor of
Ohio, Hon. Jacob d. Cox, which were duly
laid before our readers. These gentlemen
have no personalities to subserve or avenge.
They present their opinions from an unbi-
assed standpoint and these lie at the foun-
dation of the contamination of other Interior
views of government which they entertain.
This is beginning corner in the survey of
the situation. And in this they are not
If variations occur, and they
ieviate, or go beyond, or fall short of the
true reckoning, it is no fault of the begin
ming corner itself 1t was fashioned and set
up BY our ancestors when there were no
,uch passions as now prevail. We must go
back and chip off the new and diseased out
growth, and adhere to the old marks.
II is little singular that there should be
ound men in Tennessee forgetful of the es-
ential principles of our government when
Governor should exhibit so
much wisdom in relation to them. Let our
adicals answer and reconcile the matter.