Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-28
SENATOR FowLER's REPLY.


you have kindly alluded TO our eonysrsatiOn on
ne condition of our country. The pleasure you
have expressed on learning my views L an
Tie peaceful, hopeful and kind feeling you
entertain, will be duly appreciated by all VINO
love their country and desire the return OF
cordial, fraternal peace: Your cheerful view OF
the coming administration is a source of grauh-
cation not only on your own account, butfor the
great number you represent.
Some years have passed since had the satis-
faction Of hearing you express your love Tor the
government, and your devotion TO the teachings
Of its founders. These years have been crowded
with the grandest events of modern history. 1t
WAS your fortune to espOuse one side OF the con
test it became my duty to embrace the other.
l do not doubt your sincerity. and clam iof
myself the discharge OF a CONSCIENTIOUS daty.
Nor do l hesitate nov to cOncede 10 you Ihe
same love for the republic that warmed your
heart when you stood side by side with the Illus
triOus Kentuckian in the Senate when be made
his last great struggle for the integrity OF that
country he loved so tOndly and served so lalth-
You have been pleased to allude to our con
versatiOn relative to the South from portion
of which had just returned. On my VISIT TO
Alabama Mississippi and Louisiana, l found
the people in a much more friendly tone OF
mind, and better disposed towards the govern
meut than | could have expected under the
circumstances. Your long acquaintance with
the nrosperity of these States before the war
enables YOU to understand them. perhaps no
people on the globe could boast Of greater ealth
and comfort than the planters oil these states.
Their generous soil and climate yielded them
| an Overlooking abundance. Everywhere you
| beheld the evidences of an INDUSTRIOUS anu
| happy people. 1t is not SO now: Inc wIr ma
| desoIated their once rich and happy homes
| They are now, in most places, living amidst tht
| ruins of former prosperity and ease. shdI
| not attempt to express my sorrow t)r I1e mel
| ancholy change, and my painful regret that th'
| hands of war have been laid so heavily on I'M
| prosperity of our youthful empire, and lett g
| many sad and lnOurnlul monuments Ol mus
erection and passion. H..
tent of imprOpreties, of disregard for law anC
order. feel bound to censuTe the IndlscretiOh
| and crimes of those always the vl0latoTs oil law
| and not less malevOlent now than IN those year
| before civil war had given instruction on
| broader scale to them in violence and lndineT
| ence 10 human right. The imprudent counsel
| and encouragement OF IlOlencS seen ~ TSi "a
Journals deserves the disapprObauOh oI All ]o'
1t would be gross injustice to attribute tn
| ipdiscretions and crimes Of the comparative
| few lawess to the body of the people, Wn
| neither participate in nor approve oil thei
The mass Of the people are anxious to reeD1ai
as far as they can, the rayages oi wal wal banis
rule of the Federal government Iney were NJ
before the war strangers to its blessings ana az
| vantages, and are not the less senSlDle OF L
| value. now that they have suffered so muc
from their sad departure frOmits friendly an
Every fair minded man must be aware
their extreme senslbulty az present: ~
| ell, property, life and what they Tegarded
| independence, they more readily dlstIust u
magnanimous course of the goyernment Iha
| in The past, Time and q wise policy Will sec
| reassure them and call forth aIeneWed mamie
tatiOn of that industry and enterprise that n
, | heretofore caused their eXuberant SOIL aud gel
ial climate to pour tnelr treasure lnt1 I'm
, losses will be repaired. Educated LABOR AZ
D mechanical skill will seek country aDoundll
in resources to sustain great poPulauIon, ~ u
| Welding a more bOuntiful return OF gold az u
l | touch Of labor than the mountains OF CaiilO
e | MIA. Their rich lands invite the ihdustn99
4 | farmer to their culture and uDequaied prom
Sueh emigrants are welcomed TO their must.
: There ia some asperity of feeling on P0luc
e | questions as must be expected by an. Ihe S'
h | dence of desolating war, the humlliatilhg I'
, of political influences are presenteu u ensn,
). too many monuments OF sorrow ana perea'
| ments to call forth cheerful aequlescenee IN
> that transpires around them. II Is certain
< evident that they do not relish the presence
h 1 emigrauts whose sole purposes 10 OBTAIN pOl
= col bosition by preciDitatlng their late eman
mated and enfrancEised slaves into pontlcal .
tagonism. 1t is particularly manifest that !
. neople are the more restless When they see
= HHndue haste or an excessive ambition on
)T | part of recent emlgrants LOT place ioI WI
h | they have neither had the time nor opporIun
o to demonstrate their fitness. Inese unWe I,.
Applicants do not on all occasions present
highest virtues, wisdom moderation ana 81
at will for their approval or disappIIoyal. 1850.
az 1t cannot but be a source OF deep regre,
lg every philanthropist and patriot 10 see eHor
of | sntaeonise the two races one against the o.
nv argument drawn from their former Telatic
u or for the purpose of obtaining political p
IL ton.
It sbould be the effort of every man to p
, ant any sueh a result Nothing can becO
nc more disastrous to the happiness and NUT
lst cooperation of the races. The tendency 10 ,
a. | duce this condition IS too cften invited
. | sanctioned By q disposition on the part Oh SC
~ 10 {9nore the newly acquired rights OF the
OF ored citizen, and q hasty resort to violence.
es good Judgment of the participators and the
no mands Of society VIII soon auJus. t n a
cir tire country if they are left TO ADJUST their
relations. .-,,,;l
aae We once enioyed until the passions engend'
Nv The war are cast aside. When statesme
Ter enlarged views will lsOk to the moral and
teriai interests of the people aud seek TO al
their attention from dead issues and sympat
sea Cnrmed through attachment and sRcrlhces 1
ion | common cause, the better days OF the TePu
re. | will return. DenuuciatiOn ,detracton ana
scrption must soon give PlacS 70 Paslin3
her liz nature transient. 1t IS Impossible 10
netuate hatred and luminosity.
% would do injustice to my ieeilhgs II ;S Sn
md | omit an alIusion to the able, wise and Jusi
; of Tnjnistrstion Of Gen. Gillen, IN Mlsslssl
Vi The wisdom of his policy is shown by the pc
order and general prosperity OF the state.
I admitted by I'll tHSh VI =
ee'' 80 evecuted his delicate and responsible
as with marked capacity and rare executive q
,est | ~ This success is due In great degree I
-. Ssvotion to the forms and spirit Of the laws
was setting in the State when not abrogateu py
gut changed order OF things, -, IL, u
. of | Ven have also presented the subject o.
il e.apchise law in the State of Tennessee, anC
= pressed your pleasure oh AoainiNs ny Wv
'Oi the question rr.u,,..o. hos &
of The Republican party OF tennessee IA i ,
-. 5;stinctiye feature the principle OF the
rights of the citizen to suffrage. IL IS It's G
lere nsi feature, 1t was believed by those Wh
-Snized the party that every citizen mu:
SSnade Interested in the prosperity OF the
orn- that IL is his right to exercise his voice IN
g., | Mining the political forces that snail &c
ltoi hin IT is doctrine rGvered by ail Amer
the ! tbat the independent, manly exercise OF
He r;gbt uninfuenced by party ties or persona
ii, | Tho Guaranty of our happiness ana hDor
ieCA The limitation of this right by the Leg
we're ,rre was made under peculiar cireumsta
The Stare Government was organized VIII
TaT was vet fragrant. The State was the
OF iJad into hostile and belligerent parties
and possession of the government oeeain L,g1 n
ming OF sei-de ad II cnnId not he expected tins
,her- oetv WnnId permit their enemies to enter
will - the citadel of their strength and safety
tGraef them in the measures they mlgh
g. tbeir security. The convention that a.
ia of al the Constitution did not desire TO omI
rites the irah nc t5e;r own sense of seidefsnse
L st. 80 contingency that might demand
20 a conrse harah to themselves 81 Is Woul