Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-24

a series of efforts, by indirect iDsinuation
or open inVectiye, TO desach frOm the first
Magistrate Of the Union the well earned
confidence Of his fellow-citizens, they think
IL their duty 10 declare, and they do here
by declare their undated reliance in the
integrity, judgment and patriotism of the
President Of the United States.n
Meetings we're held in every part Of the
Union 10 express the public feeling in the
matters referred 10 in this communication.
The result was that the character Of theil
lustrlOus Washington came out Of the or
deal without a stain upon il, and the PEG
pie, although they did not all espouse his
views, avowed their readiness to support
him in the exercise Of his constitutional
functions.
The difficulties to which we have referred
occurred early in our history, and when
the government was as yet an experiment,
and il is difficult to perceive how ii could
have been maintained and preserved had
the opponents Of Washington's administra-
ton succeeded in their attempts TO destroy
the affections Of the people for his person
and their confidence in his character.
The history OF these controversies may
be read with advantage in the present tur-
bulent times at Washington. The people
should, without distinction of party, imi-
tate in this emergency the example of the
Fathers in maintaining unimpaireG the
rights. prerogatives and dignity of the
Presidential Office. They should demand
that the question in dispute between the
Executive and Congress be submitted TO
the Supreme Court for decision, and that
there be no deposition Of the President for
political reasons, especially as we are with
ia few months of the time when the peo-
pie, Of whom Presidents, Senators and Re-
presentatiyes are but the servants, will at
the ballOt-box pronounce their decision
on thegraye questions at issue, and TO which
all will cheerlully submit. This course
is demanded alike by wisdom and patri-
o,ism, and will save US from dangers which
il is to be feared will follow any other
course We may fatter ourselves that we
are people too enlightened and too good
TO pass into the excuses which have
marked revolution in every age. But we
should remember that in all ages of the
world, and in all countries, excited pas
sion, In its extremes is the same ; the indi-
yidual man, however enlightened and up
right he NAV be as an individual, is merged
in the mass to which he belongs, identifies
himself with the passion or idea Of the
hour, and rushes on to destruction. Would
20 God that men would learn something
from history. But il has been well OBJ
served, that we ever place the lantern in the
stern and not st the PROV. 1t sheds its
light only on the tumultuous pillows Of
the past. We there see the wreck of ma
tions that have committed themselves to
discord and anarchy, tossed and heavlng
on the stormy surge. Let the people OF
the United Statec beware how, under any
circumstance, they allow a political party
TO depose the Chief Magistrate of the
Union, as is now proposed TO be done, lest,
needless Of the rocks ahead, the ship of
state is dashed into fragments, and all
are engulphed in common ruin, the Re-
public lost, and the incapaeity of man for
selfgoyernmenl established beyond contro-
versy.