Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-09-19
THE KNOXVILLE WHIG
Knoxville, Tenn, Sept. 10, 1876
A FaithleSS President.

When contrasted, the opinions and the actions of
Andrew johnson as Military Governor of Tennes-
see and as Vice President differ widely and radi-
Cally from those of Andrew johnson President
that they seem 10 proceed from two essentially op
poste men, What said and done in the for
mer positions gives the lie direct 20 what has been
said and done in the latter position. Let us draw
the contrast.
Before he became chief magistrate of the nation,
he declared, repeated occasions, with all the We
hemence of language for which he is celebrated
that treason must be made odious and traitors pun
ished and impoverished" Shortly after his acccs-
sion to power, he proceeds, with indecent haste to
make treason respectable by appointing its minons
TO office. He punished traitors by pardoning them
by the wholesale and impoverishes them by restor-
ing TO them their estates beled in the courts for
confscation. In the district under the control of
General Fisk alone he gave back TO traitors estates
10 the number of l,l73, embracing 355, 73l acres
and valued before the rebellion at the enormous
sum OF twenty-seven millions, one hundred and
eleven thousand four hundred and ffty-six dollars
Could any conduct more completely, more directly
moro efficiently give the lie 20 preceding declara-
tion?
After having voluntarily pledged that traitors
should take back seat in the work of restoration "
-" that this work must pass into the hands of the
friends of the Government, he basel betrays his
pledge on September 2l lS65, by telegraphing TO
Provisional Governor Holden, of North Carolina,
that I" all those who aspirant5 TO seats in the
Convention, and are elected will be pardonei upon
your recommendation and submission ofther names
by telegraph Here be even goes far in fasifying
his declaration about traitors taking BACK seats in
the work Of restoration, he hurries to pardon them
10 enable them TO take FRONT seats On the 1th
of October last he again gives the lie TO his pledge
by causing telegram 10 be sent TO Provisional Gov
ernor johnson, of Georgia, in those words Send
further list Of members elected to the Convention,
IN order that psrdonS may be issued. With what
bold decision and keen desire does he speed to the
rescue Of rebels and traitors, not only removing
from their sacred persons all fear CT punishment,
but even clothing them with the authority TO do
work which he had solemnly asserted ought TO be
committed 10 the hands only of the friends of the
Government. Nor did his faithessness stop here
To other Provisional Governors he sent similar mes
sagcs Of merciful and fraternal feelngto ex-rebel
Congressman Orr that he might become Governor
of South Carolina TO ex-rebel General Humphreys
that he might become Governor of Mississippi; and
TO thousands of other prominent traitors, who had
left the Congress of the United States the army and
the navy, and numerous other positions Of honor
and trust under the Government, TO assist in hound
ing on the rebellion-unpardCned rebels excepted
from the general amnesty whose strenuous exerons,
on the field in the council, to disrupt the Union
of our fathers had made them beacon-lights in the
Confederacy. He pledged himself to the justice Of
Furnishing traitors but where has he tried and con-
victed even of treason? Where has he ever
punished even one in the remotest degree for his
great crime against the nation unless it be JEFF Da
Wis, whom he holds in confinement seeking an op-
portunity TO let him 60 but fearing the resentment
of the American people? He pledged himself 20
impoversh traitors, but where is one from whom be
has taken his property?
But even here Andrew johnson did not stop in
his perfdious violation of his most solemn declara-
tions. Throughout the South he appointed a host
of collectors and assessors of internal revenue post
masters and other officials selecting for these posi-
tions almost invariably men who had supported the
rebellion, and who could not take the test oath
But there is no end TO the inconsistencies of Ian
Cuage and action on the part of the President. He
asserts Of Congress that it is body which assumes
70 be the Congress of the United States" If he is
sincere in this sweeping charge, why does he not
treat the body pretended Congress Why does
he send messages to it, from time tc time, relating
10 the state of the country? Why does he review
the acts of the Congress, approving some and Veto
ing others Why does he send nominations to a
pretended Senate for that body's consideration =
What would be thought Of a Judge Of Court, if
he believed that the Sheriff only assumed to be
Sheriff. yet should command him to perform all those
duties which only rightful Sheriff can do, recog-
niziug his acts as valid and binding the Court
No, the President is only talking for selfish
purpose trusting to the ignorance Of the people in
whom he processes such reliance His acts belle his
declarations.
After this career of perfdy-after putting to
shame every pledge he made against traitors-atter
violating every promise he made 10 use loyal men
in the work of restoration he has the etirontery 10
90 on a stumping tour through the Northern States,
announcing everywhere that lie has not changed,
and referring for proof 60 his anus-faced record
With treachcry on his lips, and with betrayal in
his heart he asks the American people TO give him
their confidence in his plan Of placing the work Of
restoration in the hands Of traitors, instead of loyal
men, he promised.
How can any honest man indorso the double
dealing of the President? How can any one be
sure that the utterances of to-day, will not be basely
falsfed by the dOings Of tomorrow? Where there
has been so much OF the demagogue how can any
thing of the patriot or the statesman be looked for
Who that is in his senses will trust dOube-dyed
traitor 10 his own deliberate and solemn declara-
lions? But enough of this sickening record.-NGsh-
riue Press aad Times.