Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-01


name Of reconstruction, has been rapidly
drifting to certain destruction Mr. John
son has apparently determined to arrest
this ruinous career, by the use of al the
power in his hands
His first step was to remove IN officer
in the Cabinet, and to fill the place with
one who from his high position, was
known to have great weight and inhu-
enee, and whose antecedents were in
harmony with the restoration measures
which bad miscarried mainly through
the influence ofthe individual removed
Edwin N. Stanton General Grant was
the man. It was done upon the faith Of
the official acts, and every unofficial OUT
giving that General Grant had ever
made Chief among these and bearing
directly upon the points at issue, was the
report of Grant which was sent to Con-
gress Immediately after the message of
1865. IfGaneral Grant as Secretary Of War
in 1867, sees fit to turn his back on his
own record as Lieutenant General in 1865,
it is his privilege The President has
been firm and consistent Let the peo-
pie Judge between them We append
the report Of Grant in order to refresh
the mind Of the general reader, and ena-
bic him to understand, that ia the ap-
pointment Of Grantas Secretary Of War,
the President was well~advised and
that it behooyes General Grant to act
with great discretion if he would retain
the degree Of public confidence which he
has heretofore enjoyed The following
is his report:
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED
STATES, WASHINGTON, d. G., December
IS, l865.-His EKcellency A. johnson,
President Of the United States-SIR; In
reply to your note Of the 10Th instant, re.
questing a report from me, giving such in
formation as / may be possessed Of, coming
within the scope of the inquiries made by
the Senate of the United States in their
resolution Of the 18th instant, I have the
honor TO submit the following;
With your approval, and also that of the
honorable Secretary Of War, left Wash
ington city on the 9th of last month for
the purpose of making a tour Of inspection
through some Of the Southern States, or
States lately in rebellion, and to see what
changes were necessary TO be made in the
disposition of the military forces Of the
country how these forces could be re-
duced and expenses curtailed, etc. and to
learn, as far as possible, the feelings and
intentions of the citizens OF those States
towards the general government The
State of Virginia being 50 accessible to
Washington city, and information from this
quarter being therefore readily obtained, |
fastened through the State without con-
versiug or meeting with any of its citizens.
In Raleigh. y. O., / spent one day: in
Charleston, S. c., two days; Savannah and
Augusta, Georgia, each one day. Both in
travelling and while stopping l saw much
and conversed freely with the citizens of
those States, as we'll as with officers of the
army who have been stationed among
them The following are the conclusions
come to by me;
men Of the South accept the present situa
ton of affairs in good faith. The questions
which have heretofore divided the senti-
ments of the people Of the two sections
slavery and State rights-or the right of
State to secede from the Cnion-they re-
gard as having been settled forever by the
highest tribunal-arms-tha men can re-
sort to. | was pleased TO learn from the
leading men whom l met, that they not
only accepted the decision arrived at as
final, but that now the smoke of battle has
cleared away, and time has been given for
reflection, that this decision has been a for
tunate one for the whole country, they re-
ceiving the like benefits from it with those
who opposed them in the field and in the
cause.
-Four years of war, during which law was
executed only at the point of the bayonet
through the States in rebellion, have left
the people, possibly, in a condition not to
yield that ready obedience to civil au-
thority the American people have generally
been in the habit Of yielding. This would
render the presence Of small garrisons
throughout those States necessary until
such time as labor returns TO its proper
channel, and civil authority is fully estab-
lished. | did not meet any one-either
those holding places under the govern
ment, or citizens of the Southern States
who think it practicable to withdraw the |
military from the South at present. The |
white and the black mutually require the |
protection OF the general government.
There is no such universal acquiescence
in the authority of the general govern
ment throughout the portions of the country |
visited by me, that the mere presence of a |
military force, without regard to numbers,
is sufficient TO maintain order. The good |
Of the country, and economy, require that |
the force kept in the interior, where there |
are many freedmen, elsewhere in the |
Southern States than at forts upon the |
sea -coast no force is necessary should all |
be white troops. The reasons for this are |
obvious, without mentioning any of them |
The presence Of black troops, lately |
slaves, demoraiizes labor, both by their ad- |
vice, and by furnishing in their camps a |
resort for the freedmen for long distances |
around. White troops generally excite no |
opposition, and, therefore, a small number |
OF them can maintain order in a given dis |
tricL COlored troops must be kept in bodies |
sufficient to defend themselves. 1t is |
not the thinking men who would use vio- |
lence towards any class Of troops sent /
among them by the general government,
bat the ignorant in some places might |
and the late slave seems to be imbued with /
the idea that the property Of his late master
should by right belong TO him-at least. |
should have no protection from the cell
ored soldiers. There is danger Of collisions
being brought on by such causes.
My observations lead me to the conclu-
zion that the citizens of the Southern States
are anxious 90 return TO self-government
within the Union as soon as possible; that
whilst reconstrlcting, they want and re-
quire protection from the government; that
they are in earnest in wishing to do
what they think is required by the govern
meni-not humiliating to them as citi-
zens-and that if such a course was pointed :
out they would pursue it in good faith. 1t
is to be regretted that there cannot be a
greater commingling at this time between
the citizens of the two sections, and par
ticularly Of those entrusted with the law
making power.
1;I ,,,t ,s-o a., ,v,,r-s;,-- &c IL, |