Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-04
THE KNOXVILLE WING
Knoxville, Tenn, March a, 1898.
letter from Peter Cooper to President
johnson.
By BRowNLoT q HAws.


effect One Of tia most meFclesa exposures U A4'0-
u.vs faithie5tuess and inooHairteney that ne nave
ever read Il quotes Mr. Johnson's oWn us1eIances
ou various oooasons 10 show what Congress now
fb5nks Yiubt IL much more moderate than what be
once thought right and points out TO him the con-
ssausns propriety Of federation. II huch extracts
az he presents ihould DO collected, with extracts
nom The Presidenta later speeches such &C that Of
he 27l Of February two years ago, sndithose made
~ uevinging round the circle" in the fall Of the
ssus wear, our posterty would regard the collection
AZ one Of the most remarkable psychological curl
essities Of my age IL would seem incredible that
lie sarno man cord DO the author Of such opposing
sentiments and the mental process by which aach
nae.anorphosis was wrought would DO regarded
J, one Of the unsol5able mysteries Of human ma
surs
1,arn5 Jolasou Pyssidsat Of tss tinted States:
NJ Dean SHIT has been vita heartfelt sor-
NV that have witnessed the CONFLICT OF opinion
hat has unfortunately prevailed between yourself
and the Congress Of the United States, in relation
20 matters believed 10 be vital 20 the welfare Of our
common country.
Such differences Of opinion, whom honestly en-.
lsrthined land sometimes violently contended lor,)
show the reason Why charity Is the greatest of all
virtu8s because the exercise OF charity Is so con-
SANITY required to enable 20 bear with the weak
nesse5 and impe.fections Of each other. -
There IT, believe, no better way 70 reconcile dli-
ferences Of opinion than 10 get full understanding
Of the causes out Of which such Misunderstanding
originate.
admitting Tie fact that all effects, physical moral,
and political are the result Of causes that are equal
10 their production.
A ligiie reflection on the almost alUaighty power
that the circumstances Of BIRTH education climate
and country have exerted to form and Tx erroneous
opinions that often lead mon, like Paul Of old to
believe that they are doing God service when they
are hailng men, women and children 70 prison and
% death Reflections on these facts will show how
very wise It is for those who have never made
mistake 10 send the rst stone ~ thoss who honestly
entertained opinions different from tseir own.
II has always been % me q source Of sorrow and
regret 70 hear Of men in Congress OF IN any other
dspartmont of Governmoni, who destroy their in
huuuce fos s0va - sflslu usyiz v4gr uord Hunssss
which never better The condition OF themselves or
their country.
u your parents, and subjected 10 all the circGiD-
siances and conditions that have fallen 90 your lot
through lie be would then have been the man that
would hsvo declared the many patriotic truths that
have been proclaimed by yourself,
And il you could have been born and subjected
% al the conditions that havs made Ny. Sumner
what he is YOU would then have been eEerting rs
DO has done all the powers Of o mighty mind to
abolish slavery IN all iis forms from the saeo ~ The
earth, one Of the most corrupting evib that ever
brought death and desolaton, as the soOurgeos God
10 teach US dc unto others would thatothers
should do unto usi you would then have been like
Sumner reading what Scion said two thousand SIX
hundred yeare ago. That whatever day mekes man
a slave takes bah bis worth away.
II Il were possible for Us TO ourselves ss Othec
tso u.s. Il would inspi re Us with charity and teach
"a 70 overcome The evils Of which We complain,
With kindness instead Of returning railing for rail-
ing and evil for evil.
have thought Il strange and unaccountsble that
you should severely censure the large majority 10
Congress for adopting so mild form Of measures
a6 q meGns for the guarantee for republican form
Of government IN the States 30 lately In rebellion
measures 60 much more mild than those SO forcibly
fecemmended by yourself when you said, Treason
against tho Government Is TIE highest crime that
ean be committed, and those engaged ia IL should
buffer All ia ponaltos /" and when YOU declared
that treason must be made odious; that traitors
nnst be punished and impoverished
Hou say they must not only be punished but
their social power must be destroyed. II not they
msiutain an ascendenoy, and may again become
numerous enough for tTeasen to become respect
You 20 further, and say ipat after making s5sa.
son odious, every Union man should be remunera.
ted CIT OF the pockets Of those who have infctel
this great suffering upon the country
Again YOU ssy: hold Il aoemn obligation
10 every one Of these States where the rebel armies
have been beaten back or expelled, care not bow
small the number Of Union men, u enough TO mar
the ship Of State hold Il 70 be high duty 70 pro
tect and secure 10 them 3 republican form Of gov
eminent until they again gain strength. They must
Lot DO anchored by Inches"
In calling a convention % restore States you ask
Who shall restore III Shall the man who CAV
hh inausnce and his means TO destroy the Govern
81 mont Is no 10 participate In the great work o
reoFganizing the government who brought thi
misery on the State % III this be SO then You So,
10 truth that all The precious blood Of our brave eel
1ielr aid 01CoTs viii have been lost aud all on
bsttiehelds VIII have been made memorable il
vain
You ASA Why al this CarnAge @ Il was tha
treason might be put down and traitors punished
Therefore you say that traitors should take baC
seat In the work Of restoration
You say 4" the traitor has ceased b. be q citizen
and IN forming the rebellion became public enc
my"
You further say he forfeited bis night 10 vot
with loyal men when be renouneud his citizenship
and sought 20 destroy the Government
You say these rebel leaders must feel tho powe
Of The Government treason must be made odiou.
aud traitors must be punished and impoverished.
You havc said " their great plantations must 3
seized and divided into small farms, and soli 6
honest and industrious men
You then add "The day for protecting the laud
a7d negroes Of these authors If The rebellion
past
You say "you have been deeply paintd by som
things that come under your observation 70
say We get men In command who, under tho in
fuence Of battery, fawning, and caressing, gran
protection 70 rich traitors While tho poor Unio
man stands 0ut III the cold
1ou add Traitors can got lucrative contract
While The loyal man is pushed aside. indulge d
hops that such practice viii no longer Doe tolerate
IN any branch Of the Government
In relation 10 the reconstruction Oi the Cover
heni you have wisely aid q We must hot be
zoe much Of hurry. You add, IL Is better
let them reconstruct tbenseivcs than - force the
IN it
IA conformity with your own wise recommend,
lions the majority ol Congress have devised an
adopted al Amendment 60 the Constitution thi
renders g conveniently practicable for sll the rsb
States 10 reconstruct thomsalvos, and come ara.
int che possession 81 those rights which chew ba5
forfeited by rcbolioRa rebellion that has cost q
lives and limbs Of antold thousands, and thoussn,
- millions Of debt that Ftmsin yet g. be wIuu
rom The toiling labor u our people.
Inc rvoel states Will ouri ably accept and ado
me sinendment that renders reconstruction So II
Sseelp and convenient before the sssenlb bling
- Congress unless they are encouraged
49, - me hope That those who ,ysr, \. M 49,,
.-e- n 80 Naf win couiu 10 thoir rcftaf : - -
. 's ln power, whun thew ,zot,1s 49,. -
f7sSS,'s LOT on re-enslave their no,--- ~, ~ &
sioI e.ieh lhey iAlrly forfeited bv -el..tg ''s''
ana having read Tho various -r,s,rgTtt
and ocnunclRt8ona that you have r,nds ,.., ~ ~
els and theiT rebellion, was led 70 believe ne, =