Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-08-15


The smithlsnd Kentucky Times ssys that the
President fights the Radicals because the memory
Of sacred oath fingers about his honest heart to
support the Constitution" Wonder if the memory
of an oath to support the Constitution FINGERED
about bis honest heart" when, in Is, he bOited
from the Tennessee Legislature and induced twelve
others to bolt with him, 10 prevent an election OF
United States Senators because men could not De
elected of bis political party.
When, as Brigadier General in the Federal army,
be suppressed Conservative papers. did the memory
of that oath "linger about his honest heart "nen'
as Military Governor of Tennessee, he had private
citizens thrown into prison scithout trial. ala the
memory of an oath to support the Constitution ano
habess corpus linger about his honest heart
When as Governor of Tennessee he required all
voters in the Presidential election of 1864 to SWEAR
that they were opposed to any srmistice or cessa
ton of hostiities until the rebels surrendered I'M
conditionaly," in other words, that they vera OPP
posed to the Chicago platform and Mcclellan there
by keeping men from the polls who had never been
identified with the rebellion directly or indirectly
did the memory Of this "sacred oath linger about
honest heart 2?
hypocrisy of Andrew johnson in the affection he
now processes for the Constitution, and make cat
echlsm of considerable length. The truth is no man
ever occupied the Executive chair of Tennessee, or
the Nation, who has shown as little regard for the
forms of law and the Constitution as has My
Policy" When he hiss thought his selfish interests
required it, he has disregsrded and trampled upon
the Constitution with as little hesitation he would
tear an old Almanac or swallow dram of good
whisky.
On the subject of " violating the Constitution,
we quote the language of Andrew johnson as given
in speech revised and corrected by himself and
published by his authority. The speech was de-
livered in the Capitol at Nashville the evening
of January 18th, 1865. 1t was addressed to thu
Convention which changed our State Constitution
and abolished slavery. The entire programme by
which our State Constitution was changed was orig
! mated by Andrew johnson, and was dictated b.
| him to the Convention. Seine members of the Con
vention, among whom we remember Hon. D. c
Trewhitt, the sterling patriot and able ChsDcello
of the Chattanooga District, objected to the mode
proposed by the then Vice President johnson, OF
the ground that it irregular, and not in accord
ance with forms Of law and the Constitution.
Mr. johnson replied to these objections in the fol
lowing language:
Now you cannot get back in the present chao
and disorder without some irregularity'
Talk of violating constitutional rules. Why hoy
much law and constitution have you got now? Il
he absence of BOTH if you act irregularly, who dar
-ay sught against it? Where is your law now
Lincoln may be charged with irregularity, but il h
saves the Government by it who can find fault P
You can place your hands on your bosom and sat
isfy your conscience, and all the people will 50.
Amen l may refer 70 the case of the Roman Con
sui, used by Mirabeau before the French Assembly
| to illustrate: In preserving the State from dan
gerous conspiracy the Consul had to Overstep tn
law. Afterwards, when be appeared before the tri
bunes, one Of them, an enemy of MS, wishing t.
embarrasss him, said: Will you swear that yol
have observed the law2" The Consul replied: 90
swear that have saved the RepublicW
| He swore, not that he had observed the law, bu
that he had saved the Republic. May not you ex
ella i'm, after having discharged your duty when yol
90 home, I'VE have saved the Republcp Ava,
with there petty aspirations, and unite to save tn
country. Do this, and l may repeat with Mirabesu
II swear that you have saved the State"
The Convention did what Moses asked, and b
"swore they saved the State" Because, now, tn
State Government, as Moses made it, will not b
coaxed bought or bulled into support of his rebel
copperhesd programme, he swears he viii destro!
| it, and accordingly under orders from the whit
House." members of the Tennessee Legislature ar
boiling and rebcl!ing against the Constitution ant
laws and endeavoring to break up the Legislature
So much for the sincerity of the President of tbs
United States in bis professions of reverence tht
forms Of law and the Constitution.
After replying to the arguments Of these loyal
men, Mr.. johnson delivered scsthing rebuke t
constitutional sticklers OF TO his own lsnguage)
the SPURIOUS McClsllan-Vsllandighs m-De
mocracy:'
1t is objected by the enemies of the Government
or rather of the people, that the Constitution la
been violated and great principles violated In thi
war people were compelled TO do irregular things K
restore the law and save the Government just as
man, pursued by his moral enemy, and driven t.
the wall, may commit homicide, in order to save hi
life. Now this nation is an aggregation of indiVid
uas and when the traitor raises his to stab tht
Government to the heart, are you not justified il
striking him down without regard to forms? tAp
plause.
This language uttered in defense Of every alleged
violation of the Constitution by Abraham Lincoln!
admi nistra:ion, sounds strangely enough in view o
his lippant talk on the 22d of February, about tn
Constitution being rolled up during the war Ike
pisce Of parchment" Verify our Moses has
record on ali sides of al questions.