Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-01
sDECISIVE AND TRUSTWORTHY
MAAORITIES."

~AAA AA-1e
The National Republican Committee
have recently issued an address to the
people ofthe United States generally, and
to the Southern people particularly. 1t
is in the nature ola party manifesto, pre-
ferring the Radical claim to public conf
dence, and intended to indicate the lead
ing features oEits policy In the extract
given below, it is not difficult to detect
several cloven feet For instance, the
Reconstruction act Of the last Congress
was passed as the deliberate proposition
Of the government, presented by the
dominant party assuming to speak for it;
which, when accepted and ratified by cor
responding action in the ten States to
which it was applied, would secure their
readmission to equal rights and privileges
in the Federal Union. But see how dis
ingenuously and insidiously they are
already attaching conditions; and with
what pertinacity the Radicals are seeking
to subsidize the whole matter to partizan
purposes The law, according to this
address, must not only be complied with
to the letter. but common school system
fashioned after the Radical orders must
be established; subdivision of lands is
also required, and the newly freed popu-
lation must by some sort of State legislas
ton be made landholders. And even
after all this is done, Congress is declared
to reserve the right to see that the people
are Ioyal-that is, Radical in politics.
by decisive majorities, before the South
ern people. are to be admitted to parties
patton in the next Presidential election.
Read the following, and see the cumula-
tive and overwhelming evidence that
Radicalism is preventing restoration of
the Union for the accomplishment of sell
fish and unworthy ends:
We then earnestly invite and implore
the people of the South Of all classes
first, TO accept the plan of universal suf-
frage as the basis of political, educational
and industrial prosperity and power The
black man will soon prove that he is more
to the State as citizen than he was as a
slave. The laborer, whether black or
white, with education and culture, will
elevate and enrich the community which
in his ignorance he dishonored and bur-
dened. Secondly, upon the basis of uni
versal suffagey8Ee urge the people of the
South to direct their efforts to the establish
ment and maintenance of system Of
public schools for the education of the
children of all classes. Finally, public
policy should stimulate the laboring peo-
pie to become landholders. The owners of
large estates should divide and subdivide
their lands, and sell them at reasonable
rates to those who need them and can inn
prove them. In the South there is land
enough for all, and all who desire should
be permitted to obtain homes. This is a
common human right, which cannot be de-
MED with safety to society. In these mea-
sures of Justice we expect and shall well
come the aid of many who formerly were
shareholders, and participated in the re-
bellion. By the acts herewith presented
it will be seen that Congress reserves to
itself the full and unrestricted right of
judgment whenever State presents itself
for admission into the Union. That right
will be exercised fairly and generously.
But yet, in the interestOf peace and loyalty,
certain conditions and precedents are laid
down in laws. These must be met. But
beyond these conditions Congress must be
satisfied also that the people of the pro-
p0=ad States reanapfive are and are Ill ely
70 be, loyal to the Union, by decisive and
Trustworthy majorities that the institu-
tions are framed upon the basis Of equality,
and that they will from year TO year, and
from age TO age, contribute to the peace,
progress and prosperity of the States and
of the country.