Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-09
WAsHINGT


From our Special Correspondent
W4EHIEeToS. December 5th l556.-Upon ny
arrival in this city a few days before the open
ing Of Congress. I found the usual animation and
hustle incident to that occasion. Officials, ex-
-ecutiFe. ministerial and legislative. both civil
and military, are the central figures at this sea-
son. knew Washington at a time when the
military feature was not SO prominent but aIasl
the golden days when the civil victories Of peace
were more esteemed than those Of war have
passed. The rude alarums" Of war do not OBJ
trude now as they did year or two since, but
there Is yet LEFT about the city military impress
which one could Well wish removed. The lead
ers in social circles are preparing for the season
alses and despite the tempestueus political
weather which thesFinter at the Capital is to
witness. the rounds Of pleasure and gayety viii
temper it with amenity. Would that could
hope that the fair spirit Of social and genuine
friendly intercourse could exercise the foul
demon Of political and sectional rancor
But such is not to be the ease. / have not yet
been able to make sufficient observations to give
you positive information. but have seen enough
TO satisfy me that good men are despondent. /
have attended many sessions Of Congress in
times Of great political excitement, but have
witnessed nothing to compare with the state of
feeling exhibited by the leaders Of the Radical
party in Congress. Their hate for the President
and for every conservative man or thing, North
or South, is perfectly ferocieus 1t is difficult to
tell whether they most abominate Northern
conservative. or what they call q Southern
rebel" They are in temper to believe moth
ing good of the Southern people. A miracle
could not convince them that the South is not
to-day as hereeIy rebellious as when its legions
were laundering at the gates of the Capital To
one like myself able to bear witness to the sim
.eerity and submission to defeat by our people
and their perfectly pacific temper, such infatua-
| ton is Incredible. i am amazed that mea pro-
Tossing patriotism and constituting themselves
the especial guardians Of the country's safety.
can be 50 Willful and unreasonable. But SO it is,
and the consequences viii be seen in the legisla-
| ton Of this winter.
The impeachment win not be brought forward
as party measure. It will be discussed in Con-
gress, however. and find individual supporters,
but the more sagacious among the Radicals
know that the President has been so clear in
his great Office that they fear to risk it. In
stead Of bold attempt to depOss him. they pro-
pose to deprive him of power by piecemeal. and
by railing accusations and formal investigations
to utterly destroy his o2icial influence with the
mass of the Northern people. This game has
been already commenced, and you may expect
to hear that he has used the appointing power
cOrruptly; that he has abused the pardonins
power and nullihed the confseation laws in the
interest Of rich rebels; that he has used favorit-
ism in the new appointments in the reglar army
with fell designs upon the nation; that he has
connived at Surratt's evasion ofarrest, with hor-
ribIe hints that he had great reason for so doing
that he is a usurper and the most dangerous man
in the Government. These charges and inuen-
does are to be made the pretext for exactinG
onerous and humiliating conditions from the
Southern people. Already tae proposition hal
been made to oyertum their State government
and place the whole area Of ten States in terri
torial vassalage and Il IS believed that Il '0i
pass.
The Radicals will not withdraw the constitu
tional amendment and tender universal suffrag,
and universal amnesty as a basis Of recOnstruc
ton. The more inscriptions of them do no
hesitate to avoW that this would produce imme
didte restoration. and that they are not prepared
for that. if the whole political power Of TIL
Il
They intend to make the rejection of the amend
ment casHs bslE to exclude the Southern
States, at least until after the Presidential cleo
ton Of 1868. They intend that no electoral vot
shall be polled in that election, that endanger
the Success Of their candidate. If the South wer
to-day to offer suffrage to the negroes as eondi
ton Of the resumption Of the full rights Q
their States in Congress and the electoral col
lege. it would be rejected. Their boosted Tegar
for the rights and welfare of the freedmen is
sham and deceit. 1t is proven that they wan
) power, and they will scruple at nothing to re
tain It.
Amid ell this clRmor and rage of faction
President johnson, can assure you, is calm an
seIf-poised, and not in the least cast down. TIL
message is regarded As an admirable paper Il
itself. and most judieious under the eireum
stances. His friends in Congress are few bu
undismayed. They are perfectly satisfied Wit
his course. and intend to sustain him as bes
they can against the assaults which are pre-
pairing against him. They have not strength +
succOr him as he deserves to be, and the vet
power which the Constitution gives him is
complete nullity, for nothing be could say, n
matter how just in ITSELF could Withstand tn
Predetermined luminosity of the Radical leader
towards him. d g.
The Tennessee delegation are ali in their seat:
Mr.. Thomas from the sixth district is also here
and viii demonstrate his right to the seat Of MI
Arnell. if the Committee on Elections, vii
open their eyes to facts and their minds l.
reason. cEDRIc.