The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-27
Letter from DT. Bowen to Senator
Smith.


GoRDoxsyILLE, April goth, 1866.
Hon John W. SIN ii.
ESTEEMED FRIEsD:-My several answers
to the argument in favor of dePriying those
who were engoged in the late rebellion Of
the right TO vote by an act Of the legislature,
is that such legislation is 'orong, because it
appears to omanate from spirit Of
revenge. / have been panied TO hear
the advocates Of such legislation re-
cite their personal wrongs and in
Injuries as a reason for dislraDchising those
who were engaged on the side Of the late
rebelUJn. Now, ] think I know how 10
sympathize with all those who really suf-
fered as Union men. They suffered in a
just, and, in my opinion, a holy cause
Much OF al the wrongs and injuries and in
suits which true Uni0n men suffered, l have
seen and felt, eni endured in my own per-
son, and more keenly still in the innocent
members Of my family circ'e. Ny own ex-
perienee has been so complete that have
nothing to learn from oth.rs on this sub
jet. have felt in all its intensity, the
burning sense Of wrong and insult heaped
upon me, only because felt it my duty to
remain faithful 10 the government of my
fathers but as a christian man I dare not
allow myself to favor legislation to avenge
my private wrongs. Revenge is always
wrong. I. is wrong in principle aud
never can accomplish any good. The bosom
where it dwelis is never the seat Of hapPi-
nes', and the more it is cherished there
the more miserable it makes al within. It
is a Kissing serpent, which involves the
hearts ofits victims in its Shiny folds and
pierces them with a thousand poisonous
fangs. We may well adopt the language of
another, aud say:
Row ~retctei, Oh how fstal is ou- error
When Tn revenge, precip.tste We rum
keYe &c thu still slih double force IeCOlls
Rae On itself Eud Is is OEn revenge,
W one 20 the snort lived monetary jOT
Succeeds 8 train If ", es an age OF tofInenis"
Thus truly is it represented that what
ever Of momentary pleasure revenge may
give, its only and lasting results are IN
mitigated evil. In legislation, as well as
in the battle for the right, he never can OBJ
tain the statesman or the patriois's
mind whose only motive is to avenge h 5
own privste wrongs. Heca be neither, who
rises not above the idea of redressing his
own private grievances, and above the pas
sions and pr'judices Of the hour to act from
the Inspirations of a higher motive than
mere s.lfshness. Again, allow me to
qnote:
"Awsy with Or waite wrongs. Wen not 20 forth
To Fl sht for th5ssi bat for the gnts Of msn.
Snout 81 esdom, and the tslsmamc word
" n open all tls tT assures Of the -oul--
An war Tor thes. Is ust and Wiss an holy
But cry rsve~gs. and dark host Of passiOls,
Fell ~ the fer. q by na, sweeps along.
And makes even WetOTy a sound Of terror
For hat IS let TIT we csn turn 70 gOOd2'
All, my dear sir, that is the question
Prompted by a feeling of vindictiveness
when we have acc mp'ishcd our object, tbs
revenge Of cur private wrongs, what would
we have gsined that we could "turn t
good?" Cla bono Who w-uld it have
benefited? 1t would not have redresseC
one Of cur private grievances. 1t woulC
not have restored one Of our losses, or re
lea ed the aching heart Of one Of it
bereayemeuts. It would only have gratifie,
a bad feeling, whose qualification bring
only plin, and which only grows the NOR
ravenous by being gra'ifed.
It appears, therefore, conclusive to mt
that the Legislature has no right nor powe
under the constitution Of the United States
TO punish men without trial snd conviction
or to afiix penalty and prescribe punish
.nent unkn 5wn to the law, when the allege
ofense was committed. And that the law
commonly known as the franchise law, doe
do this i would be vain 10 deny. But
there was any constitutional right or Powe
TO pass such a law, it ougat not to be done
because it is impo,it and wrong, and ca
ouly be a pandora's box, without one soil
tary good What good has the existing La
done? It's only tendency has been to fomeu
dissens ons and renew old p.ejudiees. W
want healing measures, aud no such legis
lation is of this kind.
For the present, allow me to subscrib
myself, Very truly, your friend,
JOHN W. Bowen.