The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-13
TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1855.


/, NASHVILLE UNION PRINTING co
TUESDAY, MARCH lS, 1855.
20
! The ''CentraI Directory and Theil
Witnesses.
. The Central Directory" of Fifteen
/, will find it difficult to discredit their
own witnesses. They have hunted for
testimony wheresOeYer they pleased;
they have taken what they chose to
e take, and avoided that for which they
I had they had no relish; they have ex-
: amined and reported with an entire
exemption from responsibility OF any
kind; and therefore they cannot, with
out gross indecency, disregard the con-
clusions at which their witnesses have
arrived. The great body OF the public,
and all that portion OF the Union party
which stands aloof from the Radical
faction, may object to the manner in
which the Committee have conducted
their inquiries. 1t may be urged against
these inquiries that they are one-sided,
incomplete, and in other respects un-
satisfactory; and for these reasons the
evidence presented by the Committee
will carry less weight in the judgment
OF the country than should be possess
sed 10y aught emanating from a body
protessedly charged with considering
the question of reconstruction. But
the Committee themselves have no such
liberty. They are bound by common
propriety to accept all the substantial
points which have been obtained under
their own manipulation.
Now, there Is not point upon which
the evidence thus far made public is
stronger than upon that part of the re-
construction question which relates to
the admission of Southern Representa-
tives to Congress The witnesses whose
names carry authority are agreed in the
opinion that it is in the highest degree
expedient TO admit the Senators and
Representatives from Tennessee with
out further delay; and Of course, if
from Tennessee, why not from other
Southern States, provided the persons
elected are equally eligible on the
score Of loyalty2 One Witness-Col
Spence-testlties, according TO the tele-
graphic summary Of the report, "that
the admission of Senators and Repre-
sentatives from Tennessee would have
a good effect, as it would set the whole
machinery in motion, and the people
would become better satisfied" In
other words, the brave men of Tennes-
see, who struggled and made sacrifices
to maintain the cause of the Union in
that region, justly consider themselves
aggrieved by the refusal OF Congress to
treat them as citizens of State form
ing a component part Of the Union.
The refusal of recognition as a State,
impairs the efficiency of all other gov
| ernmental machinery, Weakens those
| whose loyalty should be q source of
strength, and furnishes pretexts for
discomfort, of which half-converted re-
bells are not slow TO avail themselves.
! MajoT-Gen. Thomas expresses the same
view with not less emphasis. The ad-
mission of Tennessee toCongress, he tells
the Committee, would not only en-
courage the loyal people to exert
| themselves, but would encourage the
rebels to return to their loyalty Be
ing asked to give other reasons for
urging that the delegation from Ten
nessee should be admitted, the same
witness replied: ~ think the delega- |
| ton from the state Of Tennessee should
be admitted into Congress, for the |
reason that that State, OF her own &C
cord, has complied with every instruc-
ton Of the President, and has done all |
| that it was believed would be necessary
for her TO do in order to gain admission |
| into Congress. That the instructions
of the President, and the measures
adopted by the citizens of the State, |
may not be charged with laxity or in |
efficiency, we repeat Major-General
! Thomas enumeration of the steps that |
! have been taken: They have repudia- |
ted the rebel debt; they have abolished |
| slavery, and also adopted the COnstitu. |
tional Amendment upon that subject !
they have passed q franchise law pro
hibiting from voting every man who
has been engaged in the rebellion.
believe they have now passed bill |
! giving the negro the right TO testify in |
/ the Courts. The members elected to
| Congress can take the test oath, both
| Senators and Representatives. Yet
another witness, Lieut-COl. Barnard,
who, as a soldier, is not over friendly
/ to the civilians, thinks that the admis-
sion of Representatives would have q
| beneficial effect
But we need not extend this reoapit- |
ulation of testimony, which every man
who would judge properly of the man
ner in which the Reconstruction Com
mittee of Congress does its work should
study carefully. So far as we have
| seen, every witness who expresses an |
opinion on the subject is favorable to
| the admission of Tennessee. In every
| instance, moreover, the opinion is
| formed with reference-not to any the |
orv touching the relation Of States to !
the Union, not to any principle Of right |
within the Union, but-to the simple |
matter of expediency. As a mere meas
ure of policy, looking to the cultivation
| Of loyalty, the restoration OF harmony,
! and the development of industry in the |
! State with which the witnesses are more |
| particularly acquainted, they recon-
mend acquiescence in the suggestion of |
| the President and the view Tor which |
conservative members of the Union /
| Party have IN vain Contended.
And the Central Directory after
choosing their own witnesses and ar
ranging their own testimony, report a /
measure which virtually afirms that /
| Tennessee shall not be represented |
that her loyal citizens shall not be sus-
tained that her rebels shall not be en-
couraged to return TO their loyalty
measure which in reality declares that /
! all the manifestations of loyal devotion /
| TO the Union which Tennessee has eX-
hibited, shall 20 for nothing unless the /
dictates of disuniouists like Phillips and 1
Garrison be implicitly obeyed; a meas
ure substantially asserting the dismem- |
| berment OF the Union, the forfeiture Of |
! their existence as States by the entire |
I South, and the present territorial char /
acter Of States whose constitutional /
existence is upheld by the Supreme |
| Court as on p level with that OF New /
1 York or Pennsylvania.
A more infamous denial Of Justice, q
more fragrant contempt for evidence, 8 |
/ more wicked sacrifice Of patriotic inter /
/ ests on the shrine of partisan malignity, /
| it would not be easy TO imagine. Bold |
| in one sense, 1t is nevertheless marked /
/ by characteristic cowardice. For the /
/ authors of the measure, were their cour- |
age equal 10 their hate, would dispose /
/ of the whole question by formally as /
| serting the territorial doctrine. and the 1
! consequent absence Of sll right on the /
/ mart OF the South to representation in |
! Congress, except SIS the latter may be 1
| nIeased 10 confer IT. That issue, revo- |
! iutionary as il would be, would be pre-
| ferable 20 the roundabout method Of /
| r,.,b;,,,, the same end which the Com