Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-08
A RADICAL VIEW OFTHE MILITARY
RECONSTRUCTION LAW.

MI. Writes n. 1lOesg NuO y AcHAV-
scented to he one Of the most Radical con
tributors to that most Radical Of papers,
the AHfi-lSlqre,y Standard, of New York,
publishes in the last number Of that jour-
nal most vehement denunciation of the
law and Of the principle which peryades it
The measure, he says, places " the lives,
property, and interests of one-third Of
the inhabitants Of the American repub-
lie in the power Of General Grant; and
the writer Immediately adds the following
"The great, boasting Republican party,
after six years Of vacillation and misrule,
has at last declared, so far as language or
legislation can declare, that the American
people are incapable Of self-govemment,
and that General Grant alone can save the
nation. For, say what we may, if no civil
government can be devised for the States
recently in rebellion, the same will be
claimed to hold good throughout the North
in less than three years"
Mr. Moss entertains no very exalted
opinion Of Gen. Grant, for he declares !:
4" There is no example in history Of a
military despOt yielding up power quietly
after once getting it into his hands, and
there is certainly nothing in the history
Of Ulysses s. Grant calculated to make
freedOmloving men believe he will prove
better in that respect than other despots
who have ruined republics before him.
This is not very complimentary Of the
man whom Congress made Independent
Of the President But this may be claimed
as only an opinion Of Mr. Moss. He,
however, gives bit Of history as furnish
ing very strong grounds for opposition to
such a measure as the Radicals in Con
gress have passed over the veto of the
President He says Members Of Con-
gress claim that the measure is only
temporary, and soon to be followed by
other measures of civil character and
he adds:
"But suppose the measure is only tempo
rary-m military rule is no ft school 10 train
up people for selfgoyernment. It's good
measure to mould and fashion the subjec-
ton OF the people to "the length of the
foot that is TO tread on their necks." The
experience Of the past six years in Missouri
shows that military rule, modified BY
permanent civil government, greatly de
moralized the spirit Of self-reliance and
independent personal effort necessary TO
preserve free institutions. So accustomed
had the people become TO run TO an epau-
letted official for redress Of wrongs, instead
Of protecting themselves and depending
upon their own courage for preserving the
peace, that for more than year after the
surrender six armed vagabonds would
brighten one hundred men out of their
wits. | have myself known instances
Of persons travelling fifty miles 10 get the
Governor 10 send troops to protect three or
four hundred voters against the depreda-
tons of some dozen or fourteen thieying
Wretehes that ought 10 have been arrested
or exterminated in half an hour after their
appearance in the neighbOrhood. II took
months 10 make the people understand
that, in a republican government, the
masses Of the, people must sustain with |
their own righ arms the civil authorities |
in protecting life and property against vio- !
lence from thieves and murderers. With |
such results in Missouri, what must We ex-
pect in more perfect rule in the South."
There is a vast deal of truth in what |
Mr. Moss has said upon this point, and |
well may he and every honest Radical
ieprecate the inauguration of military
'ule in the South C. We all know" he
Jays, that liberty Of the press win be |
'nly liberty to whitewash the enormities
If military rule under.the provisions Of
uch a government No military officer
'ver yet tolerated opposition to his will |
While in his power to prevent it. If the
Measure passed by the House of Repre-
entatives yesterday is passed into law, no
nan win be safe inn uttering his conyie
ions in those States" Confederation of |
he truth of this statement is found in the
lction of General Grant, several months
ince, in ordering the suppression Of all
newspapers at the South that uttered a
vord against the policy pursued towards
he Southern States it will be well for
be honest masses Of the North if this
MEASURE does not establish the correct
less ofthe Arabian proverb, that curses,
Ike chickens, come home 10 roost