Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-26
4lniun aud 9ispatfh.
wEDNEsDAY. AUGUsr as, lsss.
I.argest ClrealallOn il CIty and State.
LINCOLN AGAINST GRANT AND
THE RADICALS.

| --'---'- = = = : n n II
LINCOLN AGAINST GRANT AMI
.. THE RADICALS.
In October, 1862, President Lincoln
addressed the following remarkable
document to Major General Grant and 10
Andrew Johnson, Military Governor Of
Tennessee. It exhibits the policy q
Lincoln long in advance Of the North
Carolina proclamation, which was drafts
ed by Lincoln, but issued after his death,
by President Johnson al frsmdsi1r
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
October q, ls62.-Msior General Grant,
Governor johnson, and all having mill
tary, naval, and civil authority under the
United States within the State Of Tennessee +:
The bearer of this, Thomas r. Smith, q
citizen Of Tennessee, goes TO that State
seeking to have such Of the people thereof
az desire 10 avoid the Unsatisfactory pros
poets before them, and % have peace again
upon the old terms under Che Consultation
Of the United States, to manifest such de-
sire by elections Of meInbers to the Con-
gress Of the United States, particularly !;
and perhaps a Legislature, State officers,
and United States Senator Siendly to
their object. / shall be glad for you, and
each OF you, to aid him, and all others act
ing for this object, as much as possible. In
all available ways give the people chance
10 express their wishes al these elections.
Follow law, and forms of law, as far as con-
venient, but at all events get the expression
ofthe largest number Of people possible.
All see how much action will connect with
and effect the proclamation of September
%. or course, the men elected should, be
gentlemen Of character, willing 10 swear
support TO the Constitution az of old, and
known to be above reasonable suspicion Of
duplicity. -.-,. .....
Yours, very respectfully, 81"
A. LINCOLN.
Lett be noted, now, by every candid
reader that Andrew johnson has main
tained, and General Grant has deserted,
this policy When we say it was the
policy Of Lincoln, we mean that as
President he gave expression to it. 1t
was the policy of the whole people it
was the policy of all the Democrats and
Gil the Republicans, and only the clique,
then small, Of Radicals dissented from
It. They showed their weakness by nomi-
mating Fremont, at Cleveland, in 1864,
against Lincoln and that very policy.
The nomination was total failure. IL
was sometime before the Radicals cap-
tured Grant 1t was not until they held
out 10 him the glittering bait of a Presi-
Dental nomination that he stumbled into
their tolls He was for awhile, an obs
sequious follower Of johnson. He kicked
Stanton out of the War Ofice, and took
the place Of an ad interim Before the
Congressional Committed his testimony
was very damaging to the Radicals. He.
answered as follows to the questions they
asked him ......
. Q. Do you recollect the proclamation
that is called the North Carolina procla-
nation !" sa.|
A. Yes, sir; that was the first one pub
lished giving State government -H
By Mr.. Woodbridge-Q l understand
you to cay that Mr.. Lincoln, prior to his
assassination, had inaugurated a policy
intended to restore those governments
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You we're present when the subject
was before the Cabinet
A. | was present, ] think, twice before
the assassination of Mr.. Lincoln, when a
plan was read.
Q. / want to know whether the plan
adopted by Mr.. johnson was substantially
the plan which had been inaugurated by
Mr.. Lincoln as the basis for his future ae-
ton
A. Yes, sir, substantially. do not
know but that il was verbatim the same.
q. ! suppose the very paper of Mr.. Lin
coin was the one acted on
A. | should think 30. | think that the
very paper which heard nead twice while
Mr.. Lincoln was President was the one
which was carried right through.
BY Mr.. Churchill-Q. What paper was
that2
A. The North Carolina proclamation.
q. You stated that the North Carolina
proclamation was a continuation of the
project submitted by Mr.. Lincoln. / wish
TO inquire Of you whether you ever COM
pared them 10 ascertain whether they were ]
the same or not?
A. No, sir; ] never compared them. l
took them 10 be the very same papers.
The papers were substantially the same, if
not the very same.
The Radicals began then to think they
would not catch Grant They opened
upon him with all their batteries, The
Odoro TiltOn informed the world how
Grant had been drunk in the streets on
Sunday; Wendell Phillips told how the
redoubtable hero fell before a whisky
bottle" Greeley spread tho facts on the
wings of the New York Tribune
Whether alarmed by these novel missiles
which the Radicals hurled at him, or
tempted with the prize which, with the
other hand, they held out to him, Grant
yielded, In the Radical impeachment
plot he threw the whole weight of his
military Office to sway the minds Of the
Senatorial judges to a conviction. Thus
he violated every principle of propriety
and honor; he deserted his own convic-
tions, if any he has; he proved himself
a fit tool for the Radicals, Verify, he has
his reward-their nomination
FRANCE. MEXICO AND THE UNITED
STAES.