The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-23

= these are the most who wish to me
squarely the rugged issue of negro 81
irage. In the last Congress Mr.. Wint
Davis came very near carrying throu
such law. Substantially the saT
B measure is now before Congress aga
Is and is known IS Ashley's bill Nun
Q rous congressman have urged this up
, the Presidents attention, and mo
d have pressed the general policy of pl
II Tiding rather by law than by constii
g tional amendment the guarantees whit
9 the entire Union party, with exec
= tons too Insignificant to be mentioned
e agree in considering essential to al
) safe organization.
: To such suggestions the Presidel
) has replied that he considered N
: Ashleys measure simply bill 9or Il
2 dissolution Of the Union. He hs
: risked his own life and property to pE
I serve the Union. The people of Il
country stood and had stood upon Il
: position that the rebellion WAS to |
put down and the States thereby keI
in the Onion. Mr.. Ashleys bill no
proposed to turn them out and pr
scribe conditions for their return.
he thought the true course for tt
Union party to pUrsne was with ope
: arms and cordial hand" to Welcom
these States into a participation in th
Government Thus we would hay
them as the friends Of the Union part
and not make them its enemies, b
slamming the door in their faces.
THE PRESIDENTS STATEMENT OF HIS ow
THEORY or RECONSTRUCTION.
In such connections, the Presideu
has more than once stated his own the
ory OF reconstruction in words mucl
more explicit than have found thei
way into the public documents.
During the rebellion, the loyal Gov
ernment had in a sense been over
thrown 1t was therefore the duty o
the United States and of the President
during this time, 10 do ali in their pow
er to secure 70 these States republican
governments. This became especially
his own duty, as one charged with see
ing that the laws were executed. Hi
own action in prescribing terms upoI
which these STATES should be recognized
in 80 far as he had prescribed any, moi
in harmony with their forms of State
Government, or in so far as il 9eemed
70 imply that they would not be recog
nized as States unless they complied
with his conditions, was in reality and
was meant TO be only advisory. he
had not intended that his own require
ments should be considered as condi
tions precedent, which the Executive
or any branch, or all branches of the
Government had any right to ex.
act, before these States should be en-.
titled to recognition as States in the
Union.
In fact, these States were entitled to
be represented in Congress, all through
the rebellion. Indeed there was great
er reason for their being then repre-
sented than there was at other times.
Congress had repeatedly dealt with
them as States during the rebellion.
Members from Virginia, for example,
were admitted. Direct taxes were sp-
portioned among them just ss among
the other States, The 9Th section of
the act of the 7th of June, 1862,
in its latter clauses recognized the same
principle
The rebel States are therefore now in
the Union. Indeed, their governments
are more republican, more democratic,
more in harmony with the spirit of our
institutions, than they ever were be-
fore. If Congress would only look out
there now, it would see Legislators,
Governors, State officers of all grades,
members of Congress, all elected by
the people; Courts in session, taxes be-
ing collected, mails being carried.
Surely these made States in the Union,
if they were ever in it
OF THE ADMISSION OF SOUTHERN MEMBERS
or CONGRESS.
In numerous interviews the Presi-
dent has stated to different gentlemen
in substantially the same language, his
views concerning the admission of Teb-
Ell Congressmen. In one of the minutes
before, me, find q memorandum to
this effect
He repeatedly alluded to its being
the prerogatiVe and constitutional duty
of each house TO Judge Of the merits Of
each claimants election 6y Itself This
also was the wise way Of keeping bad
men out of Congress, who might not,
through personal disqualification, be
| entitled to seats. But it was grossly
wrong to exclude States because Of OBJ
iectiOns 10 individuals Each claim
ants case should rest on and be decided
according to his individual merits.
Representation in Congress was but
one Of the rights of States under the
Constitution. Exclusion from Congress
does not, therefore, prevent thess rebel
States from enjoying and exercising
other Constitutional rights, over which
Congress, in spite Of its denial of their
rights, has no control
TIE PRESIDENT on PARTY POLICY.
In the same line of conversation, the
President few days ago said, to certain
Representatives, that the South had
travelled great way in short time.
They had freed the slaves They had
provided that no future legislation
should nslaye them. They had recog,
nized certain civil rights Of the late
slaves They had adopted the consti.
tutionAl amendment prohibiting sla.
very.
Under ueh circumstances the public
sentiment OF the country would sooner
or later insure their recognition by
Congress- For himself, he would feel
= personal pride in having this accom-.
plished by the same Union party which
had carried the country through the
war Sucha party, with such history,
ought TO finish its work by bringing
back all these States into their true re-
lAtions in a fully restored Union.
Recently certain prominent men oi
Massachusetts, in 8 conversation with
him, had disclosed fear that our party
ascendency might be endangered IL the
South should come in, and should act,
las it alWsyl used 10 act), as q unit.
| Yet how many members were there 70
be let in from the rebel States Only
So. But the House now has over two
hundred On this the President made
q mistake The House has but Isl
1t argued hrge amount Of distrust OF
the North, sId large estimate of The
power Of these IS, to suppose that they
could rule the Government or obtain
the Ascendency in Congress.
FEELING AxD BARIxo OF THE PRESIDENT.
/ Throughout al these interviews, the
Presidents msaneF has been kind and
considerate, 70 lack Of respect has
been shown fG Congressmen; no dis
position 70 attempt any eOersive meas,
ures. On the 0ther hand, he has ex
hibited no sense Of dependence on
Congress, and 10 feeling Of even the
slightest apprehension Is 20 the result
DE. constantly refers 70 "the people
with . manifest conviction that public
sentiment s overwhelmingly on hi.
SIDE; and that in the event of Eny dit
ference between Aimself and Congress
on these points, the party snd the
country viii be sure 10 sustain him
do not belieFethere is any eyidenei
whatever that the President has madt
. single step iOWsd the employment
! OF his patronage as q means Of snforc
ing his views Members OF the Cabi
net expressly denT that anything O
the sort has ever been suggested L
them; and the only cases have beer
able TO discover on Of which the IA
mo-s have grown, have been those il
which ambitious Aad superseryicesbl
sssistSnt secretaries have undertakes