Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-07-20
me POLITICAL CRISIS.

Some people think, and more profess TO
think, that II Mr.. LINCOLN had lived this
crisis would have been avoided. This is a
false view. We could easily prove il to be
false by a recital of various manifestations Of
dislrusl IN Mr. LINCOLN which appeared in
the last month Of his life To avoid going
into n Eresome detail, we will allude 10 only
one, which may erve as a specimen Of the
rest A few wee5s before Mr. LINCoI.N's as
sassination, the general association or con-
vention OF the Unitarian denomination was
held in this city, and was terminated by a
grand festival in the Academy of Music The
feature Of the evening was the speech Of Gov
emor ANDREW Of Massachusetts,. 1. was
long, imprisoned, able and chiefly occupied
with The political questions which then en-
CROSSED public attention. TWAS evidentthat
the war was approaching its close, and the
main driit and tendency Of Governor An
DHEw's speech was 10 excite distrust in Mr..
LINCOLN's settlement Of the political ques-
iions which would follow the war. He
stated that great as had been his anxiety
during the war, il was nothing 10 the anxiety
he felt lest the government should be found
unequal to the exigencies Of returning peace.
The whole speech was colored with sus-
picion that President LINCOLN would be
100 AEnlNih AllM AnAMlKNlL 10 the fnOuLns
FrOm a Radical point Of view, those sus-
picions were well founded. Mr. LIN
COLIN, Il is well known, was not :he choice
Of the Radicals in the Presidential election
Of 1864 That portion Of the party prefer
red Mr.. CHASE; but they were overcome
and defeated by the strong war feeling which
had gathered around Mr.. LINCOLN. Soon
after the assassination. many Radicals ex-
pressed the opinion that Il was a visible in
deposition of Providence, 10 give the coun-
try the benefit OF more vigorous cGunsels
Mr.. LuNcoIN's reconstructed governments
in the two States Of Lcuisianaa and Arkansas
had afforded specimens Of the easy terms on
which be would receive States back, and the
Radicals had confronted his restoration
policy with their determined opposition.
The mssgivings in respect 10 the course Of
Mr.. LINCOLN, expressed by Governor
ANDREW IN his speech al the Unitarian
festival, faithfully reflected the general senti-
meni Of the Radicals nj the time Of the as
ssssination.
The foregoing from the New York World,
Is undoubtedly true. Il was held, through |
out the South, at the time that the assassi-
nation Of Mr.. LINCOLN was the severest
blow that could have been given to our peo-
pie under the circumstances then existing. |
ANDREW JOHNSON has but carried out the /
lenienl policy forshadowed by the letters,
speeches and acts Of his predecessor SO
far as has ever been disclosed, Mr. LINCOLN /
had no other purpose than the restoration Of |
the Unisn on the basis Of the Constitution.
II be had not pursued the course that has
made the name Of ANDREW JOHNSON illus,
lrious among all the civilized races Of man,
he would have been untrue 10 his past his
tory and declarations. He was nominated
1t first because he was the most conservative
Of Republicans, having declared his oppo-
sition 10 the abolition Of slavery in the Dis
lrici Of Columbia, without the previous con-
sens OF the people, and with compensation
10 the owners.
The Radicals were not satisfied with him
Il Baltimore, in 1854, and they are now
seeking to accomplish the overthrow Of
President JoHNsoN's policy, because mag
nanimity, justice, and the faithful observance
II the Constitution were never part Of
heir views and desires.