Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-30


WHAT A RETR0sPECr TEAcHR1&A
At the close Of the war, now nearly
two and half years since, it was the
fond expectation Of large majority Of
the people Of both sections, that real
peace, with restoration Of the prosperity
Of the war-blasted region, would set in
and that long ere this, reciprocal relations
more intimate and mutually profitable
than had existed for many years aEts-
cedent, would have been established
Within so short period, 1t was not
deemed possible that all the social asperi-
tiss would be sOftened, or all traces of
bitter feeling on either side would be
obliterated; but it was reasonable an
ticipation that the complete surrender TO
which the Southern people were reduced,
and the promptness with which they re
cognized and the sincerity with which
they accepted the fact, would have ex-
cited spirit Of magnanimity among
the Northern people to Immediately open
wide every channel Of business inter-
course and readiust, under the cOnstitu-
tiob, the displacements of the political
fabric. But for the obstacles willfuIly
interPosed by pestilent Northern poh
tcians and base crew Of Southern CO.
adiutors, of which latter class Tennessee
was cursed with the basest, this consun-
nation would have occurred
There is little doubt that Mr. Lincoln
foresaw the rise of the Radical party 50
early as February, 65, and sought to an
ticipate the trouble the nation now labors
under by the Hampton Roads conference
with the Confederate authorities Mr.
johnson succeeded 10 the Presidency
with similar views, and from April to
December of 1865, sought to restore the
Union. He did not convene Congress,
because having shared the councils Of
Mr. Lincoln, be feared interference in the
work He rejected the Standardization
treaty, the only really true and sound
basis of adjustment, and doubtless felt
by him to be such, in Difference to North
ern sentiment He used the pardoning
power with discretion for the same reason.
He exacted harsh conditions from the
Southern States, such as were only JUS
tifable under the same view He had,
indeed, restored the Union practically in
December, 1865; and if his work had
been permitted to stand, by this time the
people in good temper and with good
sense would have corrected its imperfec
tons Instead of the discOrd now pre-
vailing, which scarcely less than actual
war paralyzes industry, there would be
substantial peace and prosperity. And
who IS responsible that we are still in
the midst Of political commotion and in
dustrial prostration
The leaders in the thirty ninth Congress
were men who believed like Brownlow
that the war ended two years too soon,
and they set deliberately to work and
formed the Radical party. IL Mr.. Linz
coin had lived, who as we have said, had
early discerned the diabolical sentiment
around which band of able and cum
ming knaves would attempt to collect such
an organization, it would have failed
But the present occupant of the PresiN
deney, though a man Of stronger intel
lect and will, was unfortunately situated
to check these schemes He came to the
Executive chair under circumstances
which re>aroused all the bad passions of
the war, but for which the Southern peO-
pie were not responsible. lie was a
Southern man by birth, and a Democrat
before the war. The villainCus men who
had set their hearts on prolonging strife
seized on these facts with ayidity. They
have destroyed the prospect of restora-
ton; they have prolonged the war; they
have substituted military satrapies for
the civil governments which presented
themselves at Washington in 1865; they
have placed Brownlow, who is but poor,
miserable tool Of this party, over Ten
nessee; they are maintaining the ex-
penses Of the government at five or six
times what they should be- they are re-
tarding the reinstatement of business
prosperity in the South they are, in cOn-
sequence, crushing the people with taxes
while they are impairing their ability to
pay in a word, they have well nigh com.
pletely destroyed the government as a
Federal Union of States with free Repub-
lican constitutions
When intelligent men come to vote on
Thursday, let them take this brief retro
spect, and they will readily discover the
source of the woes unnumbered under
which we groan. If it does not convince
every man who loves his country and his
State, and desires the restoration Of fra
ternal union and concord, and the re-
sumption Of the wholesome ways of pros
perity, that it is his duty not only to vote,
but to work earnestly to defeat Brown
low and the cabal he has about him, it
viii be another evidence that popul ar
liberty is easily lost, and that knavery is
more than a match for intelligence and
uprightness in the art Of governing peo-
Piles.
THE SPLIT IN MAURH.
The Columbia Herald and Gazstts Of
the Doth inst stated that it had heard on
good authority that J. J Noah had de
clared himself an independent candidate