Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-23
Aninn aud dispatch.
SATURDAY. MARCH %. 1897.
Largest Circulation in city and State.
A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CORRECT
ED--LETTER FROM EX-GOVERNOR
I'M n nAMuIlEHH


Editor Of the Press and Times, Nashville,
Tenn. In your paper Of the 18th inst,
under the head Of "a view Of the situa-
tion," you state that:
"Hon. w. b. Campbell, late Represen-
iative in Congress from this district, has
reached home. We learn that in conYer-
sation with several friends in this city he
declared that he would not be a candidate
for reelection, that it was folly for the
Conservatives to attempt 10 run a candidate
in this district or in the State. that the
Democratic party was dead, and beyond all
prospect Of resurrection, and all friends Of
the State should cut loose from i immedi-
ately. He also said, We are told, that the
President had lost all influence aad the re-
spect and confidence Of all parties, and
everybody, and that he ought, ont Of self
respect, to resign and retire into private
life. He Is decidedly Of the opinion that
If the people wish TO effect anything good,
or get any favOs, they should elect Radi-
Gals for all Offices. If Governor Campbell
entertains these views, and we are inclined
to believe that he does, he entertains much
more sensible views than the little squad of
bigoted Conservatives who have called
State Convention in April. We know that
Gov. Campbell entertains profound con-
tempt for Andrew johnson as a man and
politician, and the contempt is not Of re-
cent origin"
With the exception of the statement that
! would not be a candidate for reelection,
there is not one word Of truth in your state
ment fiom the beginning to the end, and the
person making the revelation to you upon
which you have based this article, has fabri-
Gated the whole story. l did not state to
any one, either friend or foe, while in
Nashville last, or at any other time or place,
that it was folly for the Conservatives to
attempt 10 run a candidate in this district
or in the State; nor did | state TO any enc
that the Democratic party was dead and
beyond all prospect Of resurrection, and all
friends of the State should cut lose from il
Immediately" On the contrary, / believe
and SO stated, that the Conservatives of our
State should run candidates for every Office I;
and that with fair election, without the
interposition Of the military, we can elect
the entire State and Congressional tickets.
Nor do I believe that the Democratic
party is dead; on the contrary, it is now a
most powerful living party, and bids fair,
before long, to be vitalized into a majority
Of this natiOn-now numbering amongst its
leaders host Of the most talented, pure
and patriotic statesmen in the land, and a
rank and file equally pure and patriotic,
who have stood firmly by the constitution
cAd Union, and opposed all those Radical
measures which violated the constitution,
and which have destroyed our once free
Republican government.
never stated TO any one "that the
President had lost all his influence and the
respect and confidence Of all parties, and
everybody, and that he ought, out of self
respect, to resign and retire 10 private life;'
but on the contrary, / believe that the
President, has to-day, the respect and con
fdence of every right-minded, constitution
loving, law-abiding and patriotic citizen Of
the nation, and that his tradncers and
'viliifersa are unprincipled politicians, whose
sole object is 10 maintain themselves in
power, to plunder the public treasury, to
enrich themselves out of the spoils of Of
flee, and to destroy and despoil the States
and people lately in rebellion. | have no
idea that the President will crafty his vim
dictiveand inscriptions enemies, and NOR
tify his honest Conservative friends by a
resignation.
| am decidedly of the opinion that the
Radicals have already destroyed our free
form Of government, and have erected up
on its ruins despptism constituted of a
majority Of Congress, which has virtually
set aside the two coordinate departments
Of the government-the Executive and
Judiciary and are now engaged in organ
izing and drawing around them military
organization which is 20 maintain their
sway, and secure the continuance Of their
party supremacy in Congress A bill pro-
viding for the organization and equipment
Of two regiments in each Congressional dis
trict throughout the United States, came
near passing at the last session Of Congress,
and will doubtless become a law during the
fortieth Congress. By this bill the militia
of the States are TO be differed and equip
ped and paid by the Federal Government,
and to be under the control of the Radical
Congress, who will use this militia force TO
intimidate the people and control the cleo
tions in every State Jhe people tcish 10
effect anything bad, or get any tduOrs from The
Radical Congress, they should doubtless elect
Radicals 30 Office. But / believe that no
greater evil can beiall this nation than the
continuance Of political power, either in
the States or in the general government, in
the hands of the Radicals
You state that y0H beliere 1 entertain the
views expressed in the article above quoted.
You are not candid in this statement, for
You really believe no such thing nor is
there 4 Radical or Conservative in the
State, who knows me, who can be made to
believe any such statement My public
and private expressions-my votes in the
last Congress, and my whole conduct ne
gative the statement-henceS how can yOu
believe il?
But you state that eve know Governor
Campbell en.ertains profound contempt
for Andrew johnson as a man and a politi-
clan, and the contempt is not Of recent orr
gin" This assertion, coming from gen.
tleman conducting one of the leading Jour
nails in the State, astonishes me- Ii is posi-
lively most untrue. You have no such
knowledge. l never had any such feelings
for Andrew johnson az a profound con
tempt, even when arrayed on opposite sides
in politics. He was always regarded in this
State as champion worthy to encounter
the most accomplished aud distinguished
orators and statesmen Of hisi pponents. His
well known honesty and firr ness-his free
dom from the charge of pssulation while
occupying public trust, or of using his
political position 10 advance the private
interest Of himself or his friends, always
commanded my respect and admiration.
When Northern abolitionists in Congress
Quailed and turned pale before brazen-
faced secession in 1850 and 1861, who was
so bold and dauntless in the cause Of the
Union as Andrew Johnson2 Who eX-
hibited more undying courage during the
whole war, in sustaining the Union, than
he? And now, because he will not
follow the windings and turnings Of this
Radical party, and trample under foot the
constitution and the liberties Of his ooun-
try, he deserves contempt, and imleaeh-
ment and removal from office. His benign
and conciliat0ry reconstruction policy es-
pecially, as well as the whole policy of his
administration, has had my very decided
approval and support. No President ever
occupied the office, under such troublous
and embarrassing circumstances, and none
have been so ferociously assailed and Sian
dered, in the Halls Of Congress and by the
press Committees have been, and are now
engaged IN probing his conduct and trying
to ind something to sustain the threatened
impeachment Iieel confident that nothing
will be found injurious to his character as
q statesman and gentleman; vet the Radi-
cal party NAV carry out their impeachmpnt