Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-20

century. The old tests of fitness for Office
are all that is necessary. Is the candi-
date honest? Is he capable ?" We shall
certainly not commit the folly of adding
this: "Was he born in TennesseeY'
SO far as the approaching contest is con-
eerned look for it to be one of the most
bitter and exciting that has occurred in
!, this country within the recollection of the
present generation. The indications are
very plain that General Grant will be the
nominee of the great Republican party.
His name is at once the synonym of vic
tory and the guarantee of law, order and
right. II is equally apparent that Andrew
johnson, unless rendered incapable by inn
parchment, will be the nominee of the
Democratic party-a party composed OF
the odds and ends of all the defunct par
ties in the country, and bad men--the
worst men of the North and South. His
whole Presidential record, since February
", 1866, is prophecy of his capabilities
for evil should he be reelected. Should
these men be the standard-bearers of their
respective parties, it is not difficult to de-
termine what will be alike the duty and
the pleasure of true men, whether in Ten
uebSeS OF eiSoHnere.
If the Republican ticket prevails, az /
firmly believe il will, all will be well, and
the country will be safe. The great OBJ
jects for which our loyal fellow-country-
men fought and suffered, and for which
half million of them offered their lives
national integrity, national liberty, in its
fullest and best sense, and national pros
perity and peace; including also, the well
fare Of the several States, will be secured
only by the success of the Republican
party in the coming election.
On the other hand, should johnson, or
any other Democrat of his school, be elect
ed, owing his election to the traitors North
and South, there can be no doubt he will
serve them and their cause to the extent of
his abilities, producing a worse state of
affairs than existed during the rebellion.
In such an event, Union men in Tennessee
will have to look elsewhere for homes. AL
ready, the so-called Conservatives are dis
playing their insolence and their dispesi.
ton TO tyrannize and Cypress, in every di-
vision of the State. They only need to
succeed with johnson as a leader, to in
duce general outbreak the reign of in
justice, oppression and prescription so dark
and cruel that it will be impossible that
free, loyal, liberty loving people can longer
remain here.
Andrew johnson has ut length 30 open
ly and wantonly broken the laws and de-
fed the law-making power that, after great
forbearance on the part of Congress, he
stands impeached before the highest judi
clal body in the nation for high crimes and
M IgHa i
less soon follow, as well as his degradation
from office, and his disqualification from
ever again filling any office of profit or
trust in the United States. In the emf
nent business of a sentence so extreme, all
intelligent, right-thinking citizens will
concur. The award is light compared with
the magnitude and character of bis of
lenses.
Mr.. JOhuson's general course has been
singularly marked by official obliquity,
recklessness, corruption and usurpation,
producing bitter, disastrous results through
the whole country. Loyalty has been
placed under ban; treason, feted and
honored by him, has become bold and de-
faint; lawlessness, discomfort and dis
turbance have been induced by his official
malfeasance, until they have ripened into
murderous riots and multiplied private in
stances of Rebel vengeance, consigning
hundreds, if not thousands, of unhappy
yictims-loyal citizens, white and colored
to sudden and violent death.
The lenient, wise and wholesome policy
of Congress towards the conquered Rebels
would long since have given the country
peace and made it smile with plenty, but
for the fell and malignant interference of
the man at present our Chief Magistrate.
Now, if the Democratic party succeed, can
we hope for different policy, even though
Mr.. johnson be displaced.