Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-06

| Pnl " 90 n6o a. OSN
gress, for the purpose Of preserving the
Union and restoring the States to their
proper relations. The rebellionpro-
progressed, and what was theffect? There
was an institution in the South to which
there was great prrudice. 1t was esti-
n ated, when consideed in its hIracter
and shape as property, to be worth thee
thousand million OF dollars. was no
advocate of slavery. The negro walked
of, and just as this property disappeared
in one section, it appeared in the shape of
government stocks and bonds at the
other end Of the line, instead Of existing
| in an institution which was productive to
the nation and the world. can
tell you where it is. Go look into the
vaults and see the great stacks of gov
ernment bonds. How many fields does it
plow How many ships does it build ?
| How much wealth does it add to the
nation? Can anybody tell me? "a voice,
'None") 1t there remains corroding
and eating out the government vitals.
The query comes up: Are the American
people going to tolerate these things?
| Instead of such vast amount Of credit
and capital being locked up in the strong
boxes it should be forced out of the
| hands of the bondholders and forced to
seek investments in such enterprises as
would add to the wealth Of the country,
in the development of its resources and
in works of public improvement. After
further remarks on this and kindred
subjects, he said: We once had Wash
ington in this country, and thank God
for it. applause | have heard it said
we have second Washington. A voice:
1--WE have him yet | should like to
see him Applause and laughter. l
should like to see what kind of an ami
NAL he is. | suspect the second Wash
ington is as much like the first Washiag-
ton as-let me illustrate: You remember
the old story of the prank, or satire,
that Diogsnes practiced on Plato VINO
was very learned, and who instructed
the young men in the academy, and de-
fined man to be an animal with two legs
and without feathers Diogenes, who
was cynie ard full of satire, concluded
he would ridicule the iaea out of exis-
tence, and therefore he would catch
goose and strip it of its plumage and
hang it by the head, and as the students
were turned out he pointed at the goose
with the feathers stripped off, saying,
This is Platos man" Applause and
general laughter, with cries of "GoOd,"
you're right on the goose. think
the comparison near about COM
plete. Carrying out the idea, Wash.
iDgton was inaugurated on the 18th of
April. He referred in his speech to
Congress to his great want of experi-
ence and his dif6dence in assuming q
responsibility so great; and also spoke of
the importance of private morals as the
foundation of public virtue. (Applause.)
He furthermore remarked that in sus-
tanning the executive department no
more money should be appropriated than
was barely sufficient to defray the ex-
penses. He approached the presidency
almost with awe and trembling He did
not say: 81 feel the responsibility, but
| accept the Office without fear" That's
your second Washington. (Laughter)
But have not seen your second Wash-
ington yet. Imagine Washington sitting
at the council board, looking at the Sec
retary of the Treasury, and saying "Ive
got your draft for S65,000; and seeking
for a book from which to derive little
information saying to the Secretary of
the Navy: 1--WE got your library at cost
of $4,000" Then look around at the
furniture, house and lots. How would
Washington have sat in cabinet meeting
surrounded by such men as these. Laugh-
ter and cries Of Good. } You see how the
government is moving along, the cry
comes up, my cOuntrymen, whether We
shall not meet the issue when we shall
rally round the ballot box to the support
| of the constitution as the palladium Of
our religious and civil liberty, and cling
| to it as the shipwrecked mariner clings
to the last plank when night is closing
around him. Give me the constitution of
my country You may take your petty
| tyrants, but give me the constitution of
nv country repeat here what said
on the 22d of February, with reference
to the freedmen's bureau: "Gou may
erect your altar and lay your constitu-
ton upon it, and if necessary, as an eyi-
dence of my devotion 70 my country, lay
me also upon it, and the blood that now
warns and animates my existence shall
be poured out as a last libatiOn. The
speaker then gave a brief account Of the
condition of things in Tennessee under
Radical rule, and said the first thing he
had to do when he went home, in order to
obtain possession of his property there,
was to 20 before an officer aud give evi-
dence by proper vouchers that he was a
loyal man. (Laughter) He also spoke of
the tyranny existing in Tennessee. The
men called militia go into a courthouse
send out the judges and jury into the
woods or the street, and placing therein
court martial. try man one day and
hang him the next. "Let US have Peace
Mr. johnson said, in conclusion of his
remarks: You are now approaching the
point when your government is vibrating
between a military dictator here, and a
military dictator there. If we go on at
this rate, every little military man who
can claim battle will seek to be made
| dictator and rule the nation. But the
character of an American citizen is
above all other characters. In my mind,
we have high and noble duties to per-
form. Let US not falter This mighty
nation is determined to preserve its unity.
Bodies of lnen and munitions of wal
started in a certain direction.
Those columns never turned un-
til they conquered And, because
some little fellow walked with a supply
train, he is second Washington
daughter 1t might as well be said
that az some of these intelligent report.
ers followed the army for the purpose o
narrating events, they conducted The
army operations "a voice, Glow abou
the hazlenut?) have consumed more
of your time than intended, and | wist
to say, in conclusion, | have no faVOrs tt
! ask, and you none to bestow. You know
that when in Office here L did all in m!
, power to promote your local interests.
have heretofore said, and now repeat
} that you ought to have representation il
, Congress-One knowing your wants--th
t same as freemen everywhere. In com
ing among you on business, having sol
: at school and some private matters t
transact, to receive such cordial wei
} come by the people of the district is
, source of heartfelt qualification to me
(Applause) trust the day is not dis
G tant when we shall meet under NOR
auspicious circumstance than we now d.
! again thank you for this cordial We
: come.
= The band played the "Stsr-spangle
y Banner" and the ex-President was vC
> ciferously cheered as he retired. Man
| of tboSa xpbo bad Estnnad to hia rama r Z