Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-25
WAsHrNaros. Oct. l6. 1865

To His Excellency Andrew Johnson, President Of
the United States n
SIR: In presenting to your consideration
the accompanying documents, alluded to in
my note of the 18th inst, beg leave to re-
mark a s i a
The issues of battle, which are ever the
dispensations of a Divine Providence. have
placed in your control the person Of the late
Chief Magistrate Of the subdued and extinct
Confederacy, Jefferson Davis. %
That we, the pioneers Of Texas, whose la
bors and priyations were the first instrument
talities in introducing the great 'Ione Star
State" into this illustrious constellation, in
common with the entire South, regard Mr.
Davis with profound yeneration and affec-
tionate sympathy, is a natural sequence of
oer late political connection with him, and
of our knowledge of his eminent political
and moral virtues We consider him, in
his present sufierings, as a vicarious sacri-
fee, and no more justly obnoxious to the
vengeance of the laws alleged to have been
violated by the recent effort to establish
separate nationality in the S1uth, than any
one of ourselves. His exalted position was
imposed upon him by the unsolicited suf-
frages of his compatriots, and can
attach no more of guilt to him per-
sonally, (if guilt is TO be ascribed to
any, than to either one of the many ten
thousand brave men who placed him there.
But wherefore impute guilt TO political Of
fence, by similitude 10 which, in all its es.
sential properties, our immediate ancestors
constituted you and all of Us members of
free and independent government? The
whole moral difference in the two series of
events is involved in the one simple fact Of
failure. While success consecrates reyolu-
ton and converts its actors into heroes, fail
ure brings odium upon every motive, how
ever pure, and disrepute upon the most IL
lustrious Of those who sought to accomplish
the highest good for that region of country
which peculiarly enlisted and intensified
their every sentiment of patriotism If on
this basis of failure the jealousies of political
power have erected the authority TO punish,
the higher and holier principles Of humanity
have established, and the laws of God have
enjoined, the exercise of glorious clefnency.
Although especially commissioned by a
few pioneers of Texas, feel authorized to
assume that the entire population, with
few inconsiderable exceptions, concur cheer
fully and ardently in the benefcent purpo-
ses of the memorial. / will avail myself
of this opportunity to say to your Excellen-
cy that there is no intelligent, rational man
in Texas, or probably in the South, who
entertains a thought OF renewing the unhap-
py controversy, the gratuitous assumptions
Of a partisan press TO the contrary notwith-
standing. Having been deciSiyely over
powered in arms, they frankly yield the
contest, and have good sense and magma
nimity enough to return, with full purpose
of fidelity, to their frst allegiance, recogni-
zing the hand Of Sovereign God, 'the
Judge of all the Earth in the inevitable
issue. That they regard the instant eman-
cipation of their slaves as a grieyous mea-
sure is would SAVIOR of dissimulation to
deny. They know it to be fraught with i'm
mense loss TO themselves and with disastrous
results to the ignorant, improvident race
whose well being was the professed object Of
it. One consequence already developed by
brief experience, is very general and
gross demoralization Of that ill-fated, i8do-
lent people. -. fis
That there Is a prevailing desire TO render
to the freedmen full protection in person and
in property, and such equality az these i'm
port is generally true; and is BY no means
impugned by conviction that ali persistent,
artificial and compulsory efforts to elevate
the negro to social and political equality
with the white man, must enure TO the
proximate extinction cf the inferior race,
while Il will debase the superior in the
precise ratio Gifts practical operation.
The heritage Of the son of Ham, the OBJ
scure son of Noah, precludes such equaliza-
ton,
With great consideration, your Excel
lency's obsdient servant, M
Dawn G. BuHxET.