Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-04

ern States in Congress In insisting upon
the admission Of the Senators and Reprel
sentatives from the Southern States, the
President was but carrying out the policy
of Mr. Lincoln. In letter to the Hon,
Edward Stanley, Provisional Governor Of
North Carolina, by his own appointment,
Mr.. Lincoln wrote:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, lNKsHrEsToN
Sep. q; 1862. = Hon. Edparl Stanley- My
DEAR SIR: Your note informing me that
you will leave for North Carolina soon is
received. Your conduct as Military Gov
erHor of that State, az reported TO me by
Gen, Burnside, and as have heard it per-
sonally from yourself, has my entire appro-
baton, and it is with great satisfaction that
learn you are now to return to the same
capacity, with the appreciation of the War
| Department
shall be much gratifed If YOU can.
find it practicable to have Congressional
elections held in that State. before January
1t is my sincere wish that North Carolina
may again govern herself conformably to
the Constitution of the United Stated 0s q
Yours, very truly.
.gR.a ..Eb'F .EE s "A. LINCoLN.
Mr.. Lincoln, while North Carolina was
in rebellion, desired to see her Represen-
tatives in Congress, even though such
Representatives should be elected by only
one-tenth of the qualified voters of the
State In June, 1868, he declared that
"the people of Louisiana shall not lack
an opportunity for a fair election for both
Federal and State officers by want ofany-
thing in my power to give them" Here
we fed that President johnson has sim
ply carried out the policy of Mr.. Lincoln,
which the Republican party of that day
at least tacitly sanctioned, and now the
Radical wing of that party talks of ig-
noring the State governments organized
under that policy, because they viii not
ratify an amendment to the constitution
of the United States which is repugnant
to their sense of right and justice.
As toGen. Grant, it is we'll known that
he has said "no man living is authorized
te speak for him in political matters
He is represented as featuring the South
ern people because the will not ratify this
amendment, when he is on record show
ing tina; this people were willing to do all
that should be legitimately required Of
them. In his report to the. President, and
by him transmitted to Congress in De-
cember, 4S65, Gen. Grant said ; --e 81
"Both in travelling and while stopping. I |
saw much and conversed freely with the |
citizens of those States, North Carolina, |
South Carolina, and Georgia. as we'll as |
with officers of the army who have been |
among them. The following are the con-
illusions come to by me: -sass Fa-i
II am satisfied that the mass of think
ing men Of the South accept the present !
situation of affairs in good faith. The
questions which have heretofore divided
the sentiments of the people of the two /
sections-slayery and State rights, or the
right of State to secede from the Union
they regard as having been settled forever
by the highest tribunal-arms-tha man
can resort to. l was pleased to learn from
the leading men met, that they not only
accepted the decision arrived at as final, but
that now the smoke of battle has cleared
away, and time has been given for rehec-
tion, that this decision has been fortunate
one for the whole country, they receiving
the like benefits from it with those who
opposed them in the field and in the
cabinet" '-D- -e-- %
"My observations led me to the conclu-
sion that the citizens of the Southern States
are anxious toreturn to Self Government WITH
IN THE UNION as soon as possible; that
while reconstructing, they want and require
protection from the Government; that hey
are IN earnest IN Wishing to do Whdt they think
is required By the Government not kllmilitiHg
to them as cetizens, and that if such course
was pointed out they would pursue It in
good faith. u Is TO be regretted that there
canaOt be a greater eommiRgling at this time
betDeeR the citizens Of the tao sections, and
particularly those entrusted Nth the Law-n1akiHg
pOi0er."
These were the views which General
Grant formed from careful inquiry and
and as they have never been
or modified by him, the public
can Judge how far he may be supposed to
sympathize with the aggressions of the
Radical majority in Congress