The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-13
The Coalition Against the Constltu
tiOn-Cato and Andrew Johnsou.


That period in the history Of Rome which
Immediately preceded the destruction Of
the republic and the establishment Of a
military tyranny was exactly analogous to
the present period in our own history.
There was then in Rome coalition of am
bilious leaders, soldiers and demagogues to-
gether, who seduced the people TO their
side with the cry Of popular rights, by
promises 10 smeliorate the condition Of the
oppressed aud TO obliterate aristocratic
privileges. The people listened to this cry
and adhered 70 those who raised it, Uot-
withstanding that any new privileges could
only be obtained IN defiance Of the very
constitution that guaranteed those they al
ready had; notwithstanding that 20 set
aside that constitution would take away the
very foundation Unpopular rights snd leave
| the people exposed 10 the encr0achment Of
| power from whatever quarter it came. The
| short sighted people listened to the latter-
| ing pleas Of the demagogues, and by their
countenance and support gave strength to
those corrupti0ns of the law that under
mined the glorious fabric of the republic
and brought in the empire; Tor the cry of
populer rights, the support of the oppress-
ed, was the preteXt ana power the only OBJ
| iect of those ambitious leaders. 1t is the
same with US. We have the same coRli>
tion, animated by the same purpose, putting
forth the same preteXt One OF the least
discreet of the radical leaders has declared
that power is the only object OF his party
Mr.. Thaddeus Stevens has publicly given
as the reason of their violent acts that the
republicau party must be kept in control at
any expense. But the mass of these men,
more discreet aud more dangerous, ever in
sist before the people on the cry OF greater
1 freedom, equal rights TO all, the hollow
sham of philanthropy and national justice.
! And with this pretext these organizers OF
! evil, these enemies Of the constitution, nave
hitherto been able to decsi-e the people.
At the time when the coalition between
! the demsgogues and the people was forming
/ in Rome there was one man who saw
through the whole, and saw that the newt
| able results Of success must be the ruin Of
| the country. lie stood UP alone, the incor-
ruptible, unhinching defender Of the consti-
tuition. Friendship, interest, fear-noue Of
| The influences that ordinarily move men
! could turn him aside from that course. He
| had the most undaunted moral courage that
| ever enpobled a human cause. He had an
/ honorable impotence % the attempts
against his country, and denounced Win
| fercely bitter iDyectiye the authors OF
/ those attempts. He could brave odlum
| easier than surrender his convictions, and
be regarded popularity with contempt
! when it became necessary 10 weigh II
| against duty. He was the one man Of that
| age whom the lover Of freedom can sin-
csrelv admire. He watched faithfully over
( his chosen chsrge-the constitution Of his
! couutrv-snd detected in the inception and
! faarlesslv exposed the dangers OF all those
/ Isvrs thai lpassed in defiance of his protest,
/ 6pallv made the republic such political
! chaos that despotsm was a preferable
| change from such freedom. This man was
| Csto. In the possession also Of this very
character the anslogy between the Roman
! period and our own holds good. Andre"
! johnson is another Cato. lie also Is the
rrest defender Of the constitution Of his
4 Country. alike from the open and insidious
ssss.Its Of the men who find that its clear,
! unauestionsd provisions stand IN the way OF
/ their ambitious purposes. He defends It
/ with a courage, 8 constsncyI az uunlnchlns :
/ iirmness, worthy Of his great pro'otgFe,
| sid denounces its enemies with lnVectlYs
! not less bold ana biting. The men sgalnst
I whom Cslo defended his country forced
1 him % the execution cf 8 lsw obncNIous TO
| has sense Of night. That duty removed him
| fsr from Rome, and let them free 10 pursue
4 their purpose. and in The same way the radi
/ Gals, Whaieyer obnoxious duty they msy
] force upon the President. will not be free
! TO pursue their schemes assiast the c1nsu-
! tuition until they have removed hila from
! the sphere in which be can defend Il.
Il our country there IS 8 limit to the sue
/ cess Of bad smbiiion never before found IN
any other. That liz1it is the earnest, deep
/ patriotism Of the people and their universal
] intelligence. Had there been q sufficient
| intelligence snd true love Of country in ths
| Roman people 70 understand the motives
/ .~S the acts Of Cato be would have
| been sustained against all opponents, the
! events thst crunbled away the liberties o
Rome would not have isssp plses, snd lh'