The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-13
A. C. TATUM, Secretary.
MajOr-Gen. Thomas on the Political
Situation.

MajOr-Gen. Thomas on the Political
Situation.
The Tribune quotes conspicuously
the testimony of Msjor-Gen. Thomas
before the Reconstruction Committee,
SO far as it refers to the alleged disposi-
ton Of the "rebels at the South" to
"embarrass the Government in its ad-
ministl alton, as much as they can, 20 as
to gain as many advantages for them
selves as possible" and to the existence
of organizations, among them to involve
.he United States in foreign wars for
| their own selfish and sectional purposes.
And then, striking one of its charac-
t~eristic attitudes, it exclaims:
"Shan we heed these words? They
come from no Radical, nor newspaper
correspondent-if anybody chooses to
| sheer at them-but from a Major Gen
| eraI commanding FIVE States, and Speak
| ing whereof he knoWs-a Conservative
withal. He cannot refuse-the oun
try cannot refuse-to weigh well this
testimony, and grayely consider, in view
of it, the future that lies before US.
We are neither disposed to reject the
| Tribune's witness, nor to impugn the
/ importance and the reliableness of his
testimony. Only, we would like the
| customary privilege of cross-examina-
ton. If Major General Thomas, com-
manding five States" is n whose Judg-
ment challenges so conspicuous respect,
on account of his known conservatism
and wisdom, and his honorable record
in a and in war, (aDd none Of these
can be too highly recommended then
the more we can have of it the better.
| But Gen. Thomas e~ulogist Is too chary
| of the intelligent opinion which 1t
prizes so highly, and deals it with too
niggardly a hand TO its readers.
Gen. Thomas does indeed tate frank
ly and freely many facts in the condi-
| ton of the South which are calculated to
| awaken anxiety in the patriotic heart,
| and to tax the energies of the best
minds in the country to devise the ap-
/ propriate remedies. Nobody doubts
| the feverish, abnormal, and every way
| morbid state of the Southern people;
/ and the worst of it is that under the
processes which are prOpounded for
| their cure, the symptoms seem to be
growing more aggravated every day.
But what is Gen. Thomas panace3 for
this disease d? IN speaking of Ten
nessee in particular, he says that, not
w~ithstanding all the bitter personal
animosities which have grown out Of
/ the war, the Union sentiment has been
| sufficient to place the State in its pres
ent favorable attitude toward the Gov
eminent, and if protected and encour-
aged by a small military force, will
| gain the complete ascendancy in the
State in the course of a year or two"
| The small force alluded to is required
simply to prevent them from commit
ting ezcesses and being led astray in
their private aniomsities shat is, lit
tie more than a police force, for a tenn
porary emergency. He reports the con-
dition of the freedmen as very favor
able and constantly improving. They
shave no difficulty in obtaining en-
plovment at fair wages" and there is q
growing confidence between them and
the whites, which the administration
of the Bureau for another year like that
of the last six months he thinks would
| make perfect. But all these cheerful
prospects, observe, are contingent upon
their being properly encouraged" and
what he means by thatlet Gen. Thomas
tell himself
"Qaeston By Mr.. Gridr.-You say
you believe a gradual improvement is
going on in Tennessee as to loyalty?
AYES, Sir.
Q-GiYe your opinion as to whether
the admission into Congress of Repre-
s~entatives from Tennessee would tend
to encourage loyal people, and
strengthen their feelings of loyalty
Avery much; it would not only en-
courage the loyal people to exert them
selves, but It would encourage the
rebels to return to loyalty, because
they would see that their chances and
hopes were passing away from them; if
you will permit me to give additional
reasons why l think the delegation
from Tennessee should be admitted, l
will do SC; | think the delegation from
Tennessee should be admitted for the
reason hat that State, of her own &C
cord, has complied with every instruc-
ton of the President, and has done all
that il was believed it would be neces-
sary for her to do in order to gain adj
mission. All that they have done OF their
W accord in Tennessee; they have
repudiated the rebel debt; they have
abolished Slavery, and also adopted
the Constitutional Amendment Upon
that subject they have passed ran
chise law prohibiting from voting every
man who has been engaged in the re-
bzlion; and l believe they have now
passed a bill giving the negro the right
10 testify in the courts, and all the
members elected to Congress a take
the test oath, both Senators and Re-
representatives.. If these Representa-
tiyes shall be admitted into Congress,
it will be a precedent for all the South
ern States; they can see at once the
reasons why the Tennessee members
are admitted, and that if they expect
their members to be admitted they
must do as she has done"
This seems to US TO be simple COM
mon sense. The Southern people are
Inundated and mad That they should
organize and plot $50 as to gain as
many advantages for themselves as
possible, IS a phase of human nature
neither new nor strange. We have
seen as many as two or three instances
of the same spirit even in the North.
though, perhaps, not in political life.
We should o think of holding p our
"errlng brethren, just in their present
condition, as eminent examples of first
class sanctity, or even Of Evangelical
repentance. But the question is. how
shall they, in this grand sulk Of theirs.
be trested2 By further humiliation.
multiplied disabilities and increased
exactions9
We have asserted the supreme au-
thority of the Government snd can
afford TO be generous Whateyer re-
straints justice to others and proper
precautions for ourselves nav ccmpel
US to put upon the Southern people.
u temper should be kind, our desire
for perfect reconciliation should be
hearty and thorough. That tone Of
implacsble resentment for the past and
unconQuerable distrust for the future
which oharacterizes the -utterances Of
the Radical platform and the Radical
press, must be discountensnced alike
by al patriotic and Christian men. So
the loyal sentiment of the South,
properly encouraged might have a
chance 70 grow, and the very natural {
luminosity which now too evidently per- {
vades that rsvaged land might give t
way TO better counsels, and the eras
OF national brotherhood and o mat erial
prosperity be ushered in together.
This Is, at least one plan, and it ap- =
pears to be that Of Major Gen. George 4
H. Thomas "Shall we heed these r
words Y-N T. Tines
Tho Wssb;rA n