Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-11

The fair and truthful statements Of the |
President and General Grant, in testimony |
to the good faith and general good conduct |
Of the Southern people, seems TO have in
famed the enemies of peaceful Union, and |
the work Of detraction and aspersion still |
goes industriously forward As general
proposition the open, manly and frank con-
duct of the Southern people, under circum-
stances so Overwhelming to them, has ex-
cited both the surprise and admiration Of
dispassionate and justminded men the world
over. The high traits of human nature can
be as well displayed in defeat, as in victory.
And ii Is in the power of the victor to
exhibit meanness Of soul and littleness of
mind, in the hour Of triumph, which the
vanquished might well afford to scorn. II
is fortunate, therefore, for the South, and for
the historic reputation OF the United States,
that the Chief Executive, and the leading
commanders Of the Union armies, who over
threw and crushed thearmed resistance to its
authority, have risen to the grand height of
magnanimity and justice toward the people
| Of a bleeding land; that they have pictured
| to themselves future for the Union, which
they have sacrificed so much TO sustain and
preserve, of peace amity, and equality, in
stead of one of injustice, discord oppres-
sion and strife; and are laboring to promote
the one and discourage the other. The
Southern people have met this spirit with
gratitude, pride and admiration. They have
felt, under this treatment, that they were
still people, whose manhood and honor
we're respected, and that once again in the
Union, they could contribute their full share
to its prosperity end glory, at home and
abroad, in peace and war, as in times past
They have acted in accordance with this
feeling and hope, honestly and sincerely.
But there is a class Of people whose
mental food is composed of detractior
and abuse-who, carrying into public at.
fairs their rule in private-never utter any
good of neighbor they do not happen t.
be very affectioDately attached to. Some o
: such characters are in Congress, some hold
! ing high places in State Governments, ant
great many degrade the press of the coun
try by connection with it. We see, ever,
a day, column after column of denunciatiol
y of the Southern people, denying their sin
cerity, accusing them Of settled and de
termined hostility to the government and Q
: secret intention, upon opportunity, t
It do some desperate, but underlined injury t
the country. 1t is a little singular that n
, proofs are exhibited of the truth of thi
defamation. In due time it will be see
y how unjust has been the course of thes
c calumniators. And when we see such STATE
I ments as that which follows, from the Al
+ gusta correspondent of the n. Y. Times, W
5, take encouragement in the hope that it
n not far distant:
!, The concurrence Of the people in the sugge
tons of the President and Mr.. Seward, the
adoption of the constitutional amendment, til
e enactment Of laws for the adequate protection {
;. the freedmen and their general acceptance Of Oh
situation, have not been, as the Radicals repre-
8 sent either sulIen or graceless. They have fe
) that the President was their only defence agains
A the degradation which Radical vindctivene
|
hands belle the false accusations of their would
be prosecutors, and prove their worthiness of h
a confidence and protection, they gave cheerful a,
sent to his requests the best earnest of the
sincerity and good faith. II every honest man
e | the North could have my opportunities TO judl
A | the popular sentiment here, and even If ever
Northern man who visits the South would see
y the truth, and tell Il, matter how it migl
clash with his prcconceiyed opinions or h
! | desires, the facts as state them would be 4
longer questioned All the stories Of disaffectiol
! dsloyalty, cruelty TO negroes, rebelious design
n | kc &c., with which the Radical press TEEN, ca
&c | be proved TO be groundless by any honest man
"a intelligence who will take the trouble to con
es here and try TO find out what the people thin
W and not what his newspaper or his party ma
| wish that they should think. You may d.
| pend upon il General Grant was right when
reported, ~ the result Of his observation, thu
the people have accepted the present situatiC
of affairs in good faith" Here and there yC
4 may find a hair-brained enthusiast who refus
to submit, and gives expression to his wild the
n ries; or you may find brawler whose only al
a. ment is contention, and who therefore, abho
ie peace: or you may find man who stayed
ve home during the war, but who now, that the ba
. tie is over declares, with bobadil swagger, he
rs mot yet whipped (; and any one of these thr
. | will make n great deal Of noise but the peop
D. have accepted the situation in good faith" al
30 and none more honestly than the leaders, DO
civil and military"