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


My Fellow CITIZENS: Once more ! APP
pear before you, 70 announce 70 700, and
through YOU 10 the country, my views in
regard to the great questions which occupy
the public mind, and to give youan account
Of the manner in which / performed the
duties which devolved upon me, as your
Representatives. the thirty-ninth Congress.
Ny political course has been passed in
stirring times, and when IL required moral
and political courage TO do right How
the task has been performed the country
must determine, always remembering that
when the popular mind is temporarily eK-
cited, and the voices around us are. extray-
agant and almost delirious, il requires
both "moral and political courage" to stand
firmly by the old land marks and not yield
to the passions and prejudices Of the hour.
found an administration In power which
had succeeded and was but a continuation
Of the administration Of Abraham Lincoln.
Il administered the government through
the same Cabinet and upon the same cardi-
nal Notwithstanding the preservation
Df the Union, and iis foil and complete res
toration, its leading purpose.
The Rebels had surrendered at the time
Of the accession Of Andrew johnson to
executive responsibilities, but the practical
work of the restoration Of the Union re-
mained to be completed. He assumed the
work Just as President Lincoln left it, and
eDdeavored to carry il forward in the same
direction and controlled BY the same politi-
cal ideas.
Whilst thus engaged, and after the pol
icy which be pursued had been approved
A. Il. ! a.
and fall of 1865, il suited the ambitious
purposes Of some Of the prominent mem
bers Of the Republican party in Congress
TO abandon the national Union policy Of
the administration, and 10 mark ont new
one, which the President could not approve
because, in his opinion, il was in conflict
with the constitution.
Upon this abandonment, by the leading
members Of the Republican party, of the
policy Of the administration, an issue was
raised, and upon which the two coordinate
departments Of the government-the Elk
ecutive and the Legislative, divided.
The result has been the triumph, so far,
Of the Congress and in the heat Of par
tzan triumph, the advocates Of the aRc-
cessful policy go back upon the record Of
the Republican party, as promulgated la
their platform of principles adopted at
Baltimore in 1864, and upon the admins
tratiOn Of Abraham Lincoln as authorita-
lively declared in his amnesty proclama-
ton Of December 8, 1863, and brand "the
policy" thus announced for the restora-
tion Of the Union with the name of dis
LOYALTY, in order 70 make or raise a point
Of difference with President johnson.
Will you pardon me, my fellow-citizens,
if for few moments | occupy your time ia
establishing, by the clearest and most sat
isfactory evidence, that the policy Of resto-
ration adopted and declared by President
johnson in his amnesty proclamation the
10Th day Of May, 1865, was in strict accord
ance with the great underlying and funda-
mental ideas which were embodied in the
amnesty proclamation of Abraham Lincoln?
Mr. Lincoln, in his proclamation, pre-
scribed an oath of allegiance to be taken
by those who were entitled to take it, under
his proclamation; President Johnson's
amnesty proclamation requires like oath.
Mr.. Lincoln restricted the privileges TO
certain classes therein enumerated; Presi-
dent Johnson's did the same thing.
Mr. lincoln, in his plan Of restoration,
declared that all persons should have the
right to vote for delegates TO the conven-
tions, which might be called in the States
20 form State constitutions, who had taken
the oath thus rescribed-accepnng as a
test sufficiently rigid, whoever "would
make a sworn recantation Of his former
unsoundness" President johnson, in his
proclamation, required the same test.
Mr.. Lincoln limited the right TO vote TO
those "who were lawful voters, according
20 the laws of the State in which they
resided, before the passage of the ordinance
Of secession" President johnson recog-
nized the policy Of the rule, and adopted
il as wise and just
Mr.. Lincoln provided for the appoint
ment Of provisional Governors, giving TO
them the power of calling State conven-
tions, with the view of forming State con-
stitutions for the purpose Of being received
back into full, practical relations with the
government; and pledged that such gov
eminent of the State should be recognized
and guaranteed by the United States, and
that under IL the State shall, on ,the con-
Stitutional conditions, be protected
against invasion and domestic violence"
President johnson did the same-no
mere Now, this plan was a favorite one with
Abraham Lincoln. He never hesitated to
avow it. 1t was presented by him to Con-
gress. 1t was, again and again, during the
summer and fall Of 1864, approved ofby him,
and he was nominated for reelection at
Baltimore because such was his policy, and
triumphsntly elected.
Mark the contrast. The author of the
policy, who only two days before his as
sassinatian, pronounced that it had met the
unanimous consent Of his cabinet, and he
adhered 10 its canonized as 4 saint, and
hissuccessor 10 adopting and eDdeavoring 10
carry out the same line of policy il de-
nounced as an usurper, an apostate, aud a
traitor. Why and wherefore
Let me call Your attention to one of the
resolutions adopted by the Republican con-
vention, which assembled AT Nashville on
the 22d day Of February, 1867, in which
they declare;
THAT we cover our faces with shame
when we contemplate the disgrace brought
upun our beloved State, by the detection
and degeneracy Of her unprincipled adopt
IA SOD, who by the bullet of an assassin, has
assembled to the chief magistracy Of the ma
ton. snd we shall cordially endorse any
action of Congress which shall legiumately
deprive him Of continued power TO disturb
the peace Of the country
Now. we deny that the President has
brought any disgrace on our beloved State.
We DENY that he has committed any Of
fetal act which sustains the charge that
he has shown any detection towards, or
abandoned any of the great principles mp
on which he was electd. We deny that he has
degenerated in any manner, from the high
and elevated position which be occupied as a
statesman and patriot before the country
whea be assumed the ardous and response
bic duties of the Presidency. We deny
IN word. that be has committed any per
sonal OF political act iustifying the llilbe-
ral and unjust charge that he is or ever has
heED unprincipled in any Of his private OF
political dealings.
Have we not shown 90 YOU that The Pres
ideut occupies to-day the very same politl-
cal position in regard TO the condition OF
she States In rebellion which his predeces-
-or did2 And upon all the great issues,
has he changed, If 80 IN what Ii Is I'M
questionahly, true, that a divergence has
occurred between the Republican party in
Congress and the President, but the politi-
cal question j., who has changed
The Republican party have by their leg.
islation adopted - part of their political
creed and definitely aud permanently en-
grated upon their platform the modern
doctrine.
THAT a State which rises in rebellion
against the government Of the United
Sisies. loes its political organization as one