Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-29
Inion and Amrritan.
FRIDAY. IUSE -. 1856.
The South and Her Enemies.
Able Speech from Montgomery Blair.

tract:
The Constitution and laws providing for
the Punishment Of rebellion are likethO Of
all civilized nations. Tine leaders, or rather
the miz-leaders. ofthe masses who are drawn
into civil war. have in all ages been pun
ished more or less severely at the close Of
the conflict. unless the Executive power
the Chief Magistrate embodying the civil
and military auth0rity-grant a general
amnesty. Our glorious chiefs and soldiers,
who fought the struggle TO its close for the
proclaimed purpose Ui restoring the Consu-
tuition and the Union. not for subjugation
and vengeance, suppOsing they had accom-
plished all when the .bels surrendered
their arms-surrendered their property
surrendered slavery, the cause OF the con-
hict-surrendered their secession principles,
the plea on which they founded the assumed
right Of separation from the Government
surrendered their credit and debt which
were the means Of resistance in the past, and
cut the sinews which might enable them 70
prepare for resistance in the future-in a
word. they surrendered themselves and all
they had to the laws and Constitution Of the
country The whole region they inhabit
has been desOlated n no scene Of warfare
was ever desolated before; the fathers and
children of every family were dragged in,
for the most part reluctantly, and were de-
cimated by the sword and musket.
The Presidents, (both Of them, the gener-
ais the soldiers who had passed through
this terrible strife OF kindred blood, the ma
fion seemed mere than satiated, not with
glory as a conqueror, but with grief at the
sad, most sorrowful sacrifice il had been
compelled TO make, and the spectacle it pre-
sented % the world but there is a body of
ruthless partisans among us, like the MEM
bcrs of the French Convention, who we're
not satisfied with the torrents that flowed on
the fields of Europe but who while enjoy
ing the luxuries Of the Capital piled the
guillotine 10 enjoy the tragedy of battle
without its dangers, now, when peaoe
j. restored and our soldiers have embraced
each other for more than year, are demand
ing more victims. They are passing resolu-
tions for the trial Of JEFFERSON DAVIS and
other criminals like him. All these men
are at the mercy Of the law, and tn se
abroad are, like the emigres Of the French
revolution, in probably a worse condition.
but this does not satisfy the Congressional
lnquisitors and Prosecutors.
Test oaths are brought TO bear upon their
victims TO punish them by disabilities, de-
nying them their right of suffrage and eli
gibility 10 ottice-oaths TO which the Su-
preme Court have deuied validity, az being
er post facto legislation inhicting forfeitures
in contravention of tie plain letter Of the
Constitution. To escape this decision, and
lest the prey may escape their fangs through
the pardon of the President, which growing
public opinion demands as the constitutional
remedy TO give relief 20 a great section, and
peace and good will TO the whole nation,
thev now resort TO the abrogation of the Ex
ecutve pardon as it exists in the Constitu-
tion, and convert the Constitution itself into
a bill Of attainder, subiecting every man
who ever held Office under either Govern
ment, whether guilty or innocent-whether
voluntarily engaging in the Southern cause,
or constrained by military duress, or the
controlling force Of the State, TO take part in
ito fall under the ban Of this new article
Of supreme law, which adds new penalty
and forfeiture 10 an offence after the fact,
- and convicts a whole class Of people without
a trial.
Another characteristic trait in this alta in
der marks the origin Ii comes from a body
Of Legislators who exclude the representa-
tiou from the States entitled to sit with them
who are most affected 10y il, and for whom
il provides continued exclusion, that they
NAV themselves establish party monopoly
iu the legislation over the country which
they have extended monopolies of trade and
manufactures. which this conquest over the
South, 10 its political aspect, is designed 20
perpetuate and to effect il they offer an I'M
mense bribe 20 the mass Of the people of the
South 20 assist in putting on their ietters If
the Southern people will make n hecatomb
af al the men who have ever been honored
sith their confidence or who have been
honored by the confidence of the National
Government by being called TO office, high
or low, from the South, and will give an
adhesion 10 the article proposed in Congress,
excluding them from their rights of ehgibil-
ity under the Government then Congress
will postpone a levy of taxes on the respect
i've States, consentng 10 the immolation Of
that great body of citizens who have in all
past time been and are now most favored
with their love and confidence. Ii is really
n very little sacrifice these Radicals make in
surrendering the right of taxing these States
for ten years, it, at the same, they get a rid
dance Of all the statesmen, orators, and eK-
perienced public men who live in the South
IN the halls of Congress.
They might we'll consider this as guar
anty Of all the privileges bounties, draw
backs, and indirect taxation which they may
maintain or impose hereafter on a people
who surrender their strength and submit TO
be bound for bribe Besides, they know
that IL the South should refuse 10 take the
bribe. aud vote against the,bribe rendered, II
will keep them without representation in
Congress. which is the main desideratum
they have in view; and in this case they
cannot hope 70 extort taxes from people
not represented, and from among whom they
exclude tax-gathers, by the imposition Of an
oath they have coutrived on purpose to ex-
clude every Southern man from assuming
the duty DO they expect 10 send citizens
from Northern States to perform this func-
tion? New England must then follow the
example of Old England, and send an army
with bcy ax-gathers into the South TO assist
in this duiy. Does she suppose that Penn
sylyania and New York will join in the
srhcme of enforcing taxation without repre-
seutstion? VIII the great Northwest, whose
oeople pour their productions down their
etreaus through the channel of the Missis-
sjupi 20 the South, and carry with their in
tereourse their kindred affections, generated
bv races and interest, enter into conspiracy
,n oppress and 0stracisr those in whose pros
peritv they are most deeply conccrned? ?
They know that the highly-gtted rcpresen-
tgtiye men Of the South-whom the couSti-
tu,ional article OF attainder is proposed 10
Aisfranchse, and, a consequence, 20 suffer
bspishment and coniscation-ior they live
where they are 10 be disgraced-have ever
been. until the late frenzied outbreak, in
unison. hssu and hand, in every crisis, with
The tier OF great States between the Hudson
and the Mississippi, which constitutes the
heart Of the Union.
Al the birth of that New England party
that iaade the English monarcuy its prolo-
type. the South, with JEFFERSON at its
head. stood with the central States against
the Essex Junto aristocracy, which, with ats
aomtcrpoise Of twelve senators outweighed
che political importance of the middle re-
zion. aud sought to dictate TO it. In the
var Of 1912 the South was still its support,
ana in az It's struggles for the extension Of
empire south and west In the Jackson eTa,
and in subsequent political conflicts, the
south was the unwayering slly Of the popu-
lar marty Of ;he middle region, which held
lie haiance II the Republic 1t was not
until the negro question, which so deeply
involved the pride rs well as the interests
II the Sonth. that il departed from its po-
{itical moorings And was II altogether the
fault Of the South that it was brought 10 the
alternative which led 20 its departure from
liberal principles? Il was the cupidiiy OF
ora England and New England that forced
slavery upon the reluctant South, and which
IL