Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-06
GOV. BROwNIOw AND THE LEGIs-
LATERE.

WV hAON y LII W AMI AFs0h9-
LATURE.
The truth of the old proverb, that " a
house divided against itself must fall, has
been again illustrated in the Tennessee Leg
islature. The reader il familiar with the
proceedings Of that body for the past few
weeks. II has at length destroyed itself as
an effective, constitutional, law-making or
ganization. A part Of it remains, but con-
trary to the usual course Of nature, that part
is the msound part When nature under
takes TO cure disease, she generally as fas. as
possible gets rid Of the unsound and vicious
causes Of unhealthy action. In this case I'M
perverted nature has no hand, and the dis
eased members slough off the sound.
1t would be tedious labor TO retrace the
canses and Influences in detail, which have
produced this result. 1t is sufficient to say
that they are to lie deplored by all patriotic
citizens. The masses Of the people Of our
State want peace, they want harmony, they
want equal and wise laws, and government
administered after the principles of republic
can liberty, and upon written constitution.
They have had turmoil and strife and discus
sion enough. Having differed in themost fear
full issues andexperienced the unhappy conse-
quenoes Of those differences they now desire
70 lay aside and forget them. They know
that the soil Of Tennessee will remain
in its magnificent verdure and fruitfulness
long after the present generation is
converted to dust, and that the unborn
children Of the future are TO inhabit and
enjoy it. They await to prepare and plant,
and as far as they are able to transmit this
inheritance to posterity. But they are OBJ
structed-obstacles are thrown in their way.
Because portion Of the representatives will
not draw distinctions and brand as infamous
and unworthy of selfgovernment three
fourths of the people, and so pander to and
feed the morbid appetite of a few temporary
ofice-holders and their expectant successors,
they leave their seats vacant.
To fill their places the Governor issues
his proclamation, ordering elections for the
purpose In doing so he arraigns, in effect,
the members taking this course for the high
crimes of revolution and secession" We
print his proclamation in full, and direct
the readers attention to it. To review such
state paper" would De profitless task.
He involves himself in the mazes of
prejudice and contradiction, and exhibits
tone Of passion that we do not
choose, at this time, to comment upon.
He even threatens dismemberment
of the State, and military government, and
such dire calamities to a civil and law-abid-
ing people. lie links the whole people Of
the State as represented in the Convention
Of the 22d ult, in a conspiracy with the retir-
ing members to destroy the State Govern
ment and reduce our affairs to utter confu-
sion and anarchy We repeat that We have
neither time, space nor inclination to combat
such absurdities. II would be time and
space forever lost, and an inclination that we
should be ashamed of tomorrow.
But we have this to say upon the entire
subject: There has been no opposition in
this State to the present Government Of the
State, as such. The proceedings under which
il was ushered into existence were irregular,
unusual and unprovided for by previous
laws; but il was accepted as the peoples
Government at the time, and those who have
returned to it since have accepted it and
obeyed its laws, and are now prepared to de-
fend it from violence. In this respect there
are no disloyalists in Tennessee. Ii may be
thought the administration Of its affairs is
erroneous and unjust-but an opinion of
policy is not, and cannot be con-
strued into enmity TO Government The
administration of Washington had its oppo
sers--and from that day to the present there
has been no time when the public admins
tration, its measures and policy, both State
and National, have not had their opponents.
So il is now, and so it will ever be. The
Legislative history Of Tennessee contains
the record Of proceedings upon proposed
measures, in time of profound public
peace, much more revolutionary than this,
and vet it was never alleged that the State
government was in danger. The Governor
has wholly mistaken the temper and desires
of the people. His hypothesis is wholly
imaginary, and his conclusions all wrong,
in point both of reason and fact. He mis-
apprehends the people, and his proclama-
ton in the nature of an appeal to them will
scarcely be understood except in the light
of an insult TO their patriotism and intelli- |
gence.
In the meantime, they will 60 forward in
the pathway of patriotic duty. They will |
reassert their attachment to government of
equal laws, in which all citizens of honesty !
and good standing are entitled to share alike |
in the affairs of state. And they will re-
elect those who have proved faithful to
them, satisfied that they viii be justified for