Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-04

i der which they might proeeed and form
new constitutions, which must be approved
before they could have representation
and because such legislation was danger
Gus to the liberties of the people, and its
enforcement would occasion enormous ex-
penses, which, when added to our already
large Indebtedness, would make our bur-
dens heavy indeed.
The character of this bill may be stated
in few words It deprives the people of
the Southern States of all civil authority.
Ii delivers over all power in those States to
officers Of the army, and clothes them with
! complete, absolute, unrestricted authori-
/ ty to administer the affairs of the
States, according 10 their sovereign will
and pleasure. No laws, no statutes,
define or limit their jurisdiction. The
laws of the States are expressly repndiated
and declared invalid. The laws of the
United States no where punish crimes COM
milted by one citizen on another, or furnish
civil remedies for the enforcement Of con-
tracts, or regulate the transactions between
citizens of the same State. The officer of
the army who commands the department
alone makes the laws, and alone enfofees
Ihem. He defines the rights and ascertaihs
the mode for their protection. In word,
he is the absolute sovereign over his de-
partment; bis DEGREES are their laws, and
his will is their rule of action.
Its warmest advocates admitted that it
was an extreme measure, as much so as
could be framed and enacted by any legis-
lative body unrestricted in their jurisdic-
ton by law. Well might they say 90?
Gould Congress do more2 Can you con-
eeive of higher exercise of power than to
clothe one man, and that man a soldier,
with absolute authority, and control over
millions Of his fellow men.
In my opinion the condition of the conn
try did not Justify such a complete aban-
donment Of the firm foundation upon which
our civil government previously rested.
War no longer existed. 1t had ceased in
fact and in contemplation Of law. The
state of war, whether 'JFagrante or cea8aate,"
had ended, and the State of peace had been
restored by the proclamation of the Presi-
dent, issued in pursuance in law, and exist
ed in fact as we'll as in law.
No person opposed the legal authority of
the government of the Uuited States. In
It's broad domain no armed opposition ex-
listed to its lawful authority, whether civil
or military. Peace, and obedience to law,
final, that although Congress by an act of
legislation oVerthrows their existing State
governments, adopted as they believed in
accordance with theexpressed wishes of the
dominant part, wet you hear of no re-
volt.
By the same act the people were placed
under the absolute control of one man, in
conflict with their opinions and prejudices,
lei
Of their difficulties, the redress of their
wrongs, and the attainment of justice to
drum-head court msstials, or military COM
missions, without having the benefit of
jury, or the law of the land, and yet impli-
cit obedience marks their conduct.
The military commander deposes of his
own voluntary will their chosen officers
from positions of honor and trust, to which
they have been elected, without a hearing
| or a trial, and places in their vacant offices
only such as he may chose, and the sublime
spectacle is presented of people" in
whom, under our system, all power is
vested, annestied and pardoned as they
are, quietly yielding because it is the will
Of their masters.
Let me remind you, my fellow-citizens,
that history teaches us by example this one
standing political truth, that when the law
| making power ascertains that it can devise
no civil remedy adequate to a civil emer-
! gency, and flies for relief to the aid of the
military, that it is but the forerunner of
| the downfall of the republic, the chief rea-
| son of their decadence and of their death.
The story is a simple one. In the en-
forcement of the laws, because they are un-
| Just and oppressive, difficulties occur.
| Factions arise, each one more intent on
| the maintenance of its own supremacy than
in promoting the common good. Instead
of endeavoring to agree, they only try to
| thwart and defeat each other, and finally,
| in desperation and in order that neither
may triumph over the other, they call in
the army and deliver over 10 a General
the power which they have found them
selves unable to WELD.
Such has been the history of events in
| other nations. and the illustrations are
| forcible and apposite-showing that when
| ever the legislative attempts to extend their
| power, by enroaching on the privileges of
| the coordinate departments, or by assum-
! ing authority which does not properly be-
| long TO it, it begins from that moment its
! own destruction. Having no power OF its
own by which 10 execute its laws, it is of
necessity obliged to employ the military.
| 1t cannot rely on the courts or the Execu-
tive, because its statutes are illegal, and
thus having to avoid the legal methods of
enforcing its laws, it avails itselfof power
which soon becomes its most dangerous
enemy.
History, as has been well said by an
| other, furnishes no single instance where
/ an usurping Legislature has not been de-
stroyed by the very force it had created,
and whose aid it had invoked. This was
notably the case with the Parliament of
England, during the times of the Pro-
tector which was forcibly dissolved BY
Cromwell in 1868, by the use of the very
! military which it had created.
Such was the fate of the French Assem-
bly,, when in the opinion of Others it en-
croached too far on their rights. By the
command of the Directory, it was finally
dissolved at the point of the bayonet, in
! 1871, and afterwards became subject to the
rule of the young, daring and ambitious,
! Corsican.
These lessons are instructive, aud | wish
/ had the time to show to you the wonder
ful parallelism between these two great
connections, and to give the reasons why
| am Of the opinion that, this day, the
! United States are as much in state of
revolution "a was England in l64S, and
France in 1871.
But must forbear. The practical issues
Of the day are too pressing for me to waste
time in giving yea saeh striking illustra-
tons Of the distinguishing features of all
evolutions-showing how the first demands
fora change are generally right; then how on
the heels Of hepatriots follows the reformer,
and then how rapidly succeeds the polid-
cal demsgogue, who, having witnessed the
efforts of the patriot crowned with success
and glory, and that the reformer atiains to
power by the advancing of some brilliant
Utopia, concludes TO try the public taste
with the most extreme and exhilirating
medicines. and announces doctrines which
startle the patriot, aud stagger the re
former-yet are applauded by the lunatc
and approved by the Radical.
Pure Radicalism stops at nothing, cares
for nothing human or divine, and, having
once tasted the sweets of power, hesltates
AT the adoption OF no measure necessary to
retain il. Il ragged fearfully in England.
In I649 it beheaded the King, abolished
the Parliament, and, in the name Of God
and liberty. established military despot-
ism which plundered the unfortunate oiti-
zens as long as it endured. Personated in
France in the cruel and calculating lives
Of Robespiere and st. Just, il beheaded the
! V;o, and Queen. abolished all regular