The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-16
Tbe 1Reconstruc,iou Platform.

The Reconstruction Platform.
The report of the Committee on Re
construction may well be termed a plat
fam, since its makers can have no ex-
pectation of its serving any other par
ticular purpose than that of going to
the country in future elections on the
issues thus presented. AZ "constitu-
tional amendment" $50 called, its fra
mers cannot have the slightest hope or
expectation of having the States it Is
especially intended to control, accept
it; because what might have been done
earlier in the session and in q better
spirit OF Cancellation, cannot have any
chance at present, when Mr. Stevens
and others have spent months in fari-
ously menacing the States in question,
and doing otherwise all that seemed
possible to provoke permanent opposi-
ton to their measures and their policy
And admit all that they charge of
mistaken folly, of madness, in fact, in
attacking the Government concede
what is patent to the world, and which,
therefore did not need this long reci-
tai to make plain-that the States in
revolt provoked all the punishment so
far received-all that does not prevent
the inquiry at this stage of proceedings
whether it is wise on the part of those
who profess to desire above all else q
restored Union, to estraDge still further
these people, to make the breach be-
tWixt the sections which still exists,
hopeless of being closed for perhaps AN
other generation.
Read the carefully elaborated argu-
ment as attentively as we may; admit
as logical sequences of what occurred
since the fall of Richmond, the irregu-
larities which have now and then been
witnessed in regard to constitutional
action-all this cannot contravene the
fact that the very men who make this
argument fought for four years on the
assumption that the States were NOT
out of the Union, and in proof of their
belief in such view of the case, took
from one of these States as q candidate
for the Vice President the man who
now proves an obstacle to their schemes
for further national divisions in the in
terests of party ascendsncy. So long
as his great predecessor lived, they
never disputed this view of the politi-
cal situation; and it is only now when
they have no longer any need of South
ern Unionism that they unhesitatingly
snub it, repudiate it, and concluding
that they can do without it, let it suf-
fer along with the disloyslty it COM
batted during the war
The Presidents policy, expressed in
| two lines, is worth their many columns
of reconstruction argument-let the log
atty of tie South be represented IN Congress
By loyal men-snd these politicians may
rest assured, that when the people are
called upon to pronounce between the
two, the one will be understood and
adopted at glance, whilst the other
with its lengthy distractions and intol-
Grant conditions will be condemned as
utterly behind the wants of the hour
And that these party leaders expect
anything more than q further post
ponement of the settlement of Vexed
questions, further putting off of recon
| ciliation, is evident enough. They do
not want these matters removed from
the political arena, leaving them with
nothing to fight over, agitate over by
way of getting political notoriety and
position. With peace indeed conceded
to the country, their vocation as CAB
blers, as disclaimers, would be gone /;
and so it is that they have designedly
left matters hopelessly in allegiance,
consoling the ration with the assertion
that the States unrepresented in Con-
| gress are unfit to be conceded that
privilege, and must be kept out as long
as they choose to insist upon it in the
interests of party.
And so it is, then, that all this grand
ado about reconstruction means lite
rally no reconstruction at all is a de-
fusion, an igEuS tatstuS which has been
made to dance before the eyes of the
people for the past six months, merely
TO subserve party ends. Whilst the
President has demonstrated his sim
cerity, his honest desire to have these
troubles ended, and the country once
more launched on a career of prosperity
and happiness, these politicians have
been connecting impossible conditions,
debating interminsbly almost, TO at
last give to us columns of barren logic,
mocking the countrys wants, and
wearing out its patience.
And what is the conclusion of all this
further than that feverish uncertainty
indefinitely continued, which checks
! trade, which curtails enterprise, which
prevents the country relying upon any
certainty upon which it may build sue
cess. True, the politicians have at last
well defined platform, careful re-
hash of all the old troubles and provo
cations, which used on the stump in
coming elections will serve q good pur-
pose in infaming the public anger,
which will revive to an extent sufficient
to answer their purpose the old enmi'
ties which of late were fast dying out.
Armed with assertions and reminders
like this, demagogueism putting on the
semblance of patriotism will be able to
stir anew old animosities; to kindle
anew old feuds; widening the divisions
which under right policy would have
grown less and less dangerous and inju-
rious as time advances.
More and more we honor the Presi-
dent for a policy the opposite of this;
and the people, when the facts are right
ly understood, will honor him too. The
nation did not fight for continued di-
visions, but for permanent peace, and
Thought it had won it 1t did not know
how potent was party spirit was fanatl-
cism, was pestilent ambition to post
pone the blessing asked for and expect
ed; but when the time comes 30 pro-
nounce upon the policy which would
give us peace against that which would
consign US to eternal strife and possibly
to further conflict, it will recognize as
only enemies those who have so far
forgot their duty to country in devotion
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