Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-24

The Banners Philippe Against John
aan-What Is the Reason For IL?

opened upon Mr.. Andrew Johnson. III
truth is, though, as was recently state
in the Franklin Review, that there
much more Of antagonism and bitterness
felt towards him by some Of the journal
Of the State than by his fellowncitizen'
If the people could speak, they woul
call with an overwhelming voice on thi
their eminent and worthy fellow~eitiEe
to represent them in the Senate Of tn
nation, and that, too, without intendin
the least disparagement or unkindness t
host of other leading spirits in tn
State whom they would delight to honor
l never voted for Andrew johnson in m,
life. imbibed from my earliest child
hood a love and veneration for the ole
Wing party, and while it lived l gave
my cordial support. 1t is easy to under
derstand that | cherished many bite
prejudices against him, for he was tn
most powerful and successful Opponen
the Wing party ever had to encounter ii
Tennessee.
To these prejudices were superaddeC
those engendered by his administra
ton while Military Governor o
Tennessee; for l really felt tina
in many instances he wa
harsh, and cruelty severe. But l have
long since learned that it was unjust t
Judge of the conduct of others, and maxi
unkind accusations against them, unless
we were familiar with all the circumstan
ces under which they acted. Again, the
war was then raving with a fury thai
shook this western hemisphere to its
very foundation, upon the issue of which
depended the life of government which
to Mr.. johnson, was dearer than his OWL
existence. He loved the government
of the United States, because he loved
the people whom it protected; regarding
its salvation as the greatest blessing they
could realize.
May we not tolerate, then, his enthusi-
astic conduct-violent if you please-ir
maintaining the supremacy ofthe govern
ment he loved?
But the greatest virtues of this great
est of living statesmen, were not broughl
into lively splendor until the war ended
Eminently civilian, then it was that we
could see and understand the shining
virtues of this great man, and those
statesmanlike qualities that have render
ed his name imperishable while Republi-
can institutions shall have a written his
tory. What is the great political sin oil
Mr.. johnson that he should be so cruelS
ly assaiIed by the Banner, and that, too
to forestall his election to an Office he
has not sought?
The pretence is that he is turbulent
man; stirrersup of strife; An agitatOr;
and that his re-entrance into the Senate
of the United States will be the signal
for the commission Of never so much in
jury to our people; We are reminded oil
congressional expressions, military inter
ference and despotism.
Now if opposition to all these infics
tions by an INSCRIPTIONS party simply
serves to develop them, then Mr.. John.
son might perhaps be obnoxious to the
charge, for the country knows how per-
sistently and how we'll he has resisted
every encroachment upon the rights Of
the people. But it is new specimen Of
political science that has been enunciated
in this our day, that to rid ourselves Of
despotism most effectually, is to lie su-
pinely upon our backs, and meekly yield
20 our oppressors, until they bind, no
until they liberate us-hand and foot
Now this is the argument, and the chic
reason urged against Mr.. johnson.
Has the Banner gone mad? Surely il
cannot be sincere, for its reasoning is a
war with its course for the past foul
years; who, pray, in this country has
equaled the Banner in furious intellectu
al gladiation with the Radical party
But it says it wants no political gladia'
tor in the Senate Of the United States
All! ifthe Banner be mad, is there moi
method in its madness? Who knows
that the interest of the Banner is not the
foundation of all this opposition to Mr.
johnson, as well as the apparent distrust
it manifests of late of the people in the
contemplated convention? Now with
reference to Mr.. Johnson's character as
q statesman, what is it, in brief?
The truth of history will reveal him
the unwearied, indefatigable and sincere
friend Of the people. The name Of "the
Great Commoner'' has already by COM
mon consent been applied to him. lie
loves the people, hence his great popu.
larity with the masses-ard he has been
an agitator, he has been an able one, and
always on the side of justice, and for the
weak against the strong. But he is not
an agitator in the true sense of that
word; he is a great political reformer
He enunciates great principles in polltl>
cal science; and gives rules for the solu'
ton of difficult political prob
lens. He is no timeSserver
or follower; nature stamped him with
superior endowments, and application has
developed them. He was made to lead
and the people have ever found him wis
and faithful.
To day he understands more tho
roughly our whole system Of govern
ment, its defects, if it have any, (and NJ
human form of government is perfect
and the inroads that have, Of late, beel
made upon it, than any living statesman
OF late years we have been accustomed
to denounce Radical misrule and oppres
sion, and the Banner, perhaps, les
mildly than most of US: we haV
charged upon this party, as party, tn
whole catalogue Of political iniquities
and my opinion is that, as party, it ha
not been slandered.
The rights of the States have beel
| almost entirely absorbed by a corrup
Congress; the constitution of our coun
try, which we have been taught to re
gard with veneration, and which tn
immortal Washington pronounced to b
the palladium of all our hopes of liberty
has been violently and wantonly az
sailed; the Judiciary, the greatest pro
in sustaining our form of government, a
it was constituted to be, freest from col
rupting influences, has been intimidate
and circumscribed in its jurisdiction, 5
far as the legislative department of tn
Government could go; indeed, the expo
nent of this despOtic, revolutionary Of
ga1ization, this Radical Rump Congress
has not hesitated to attempt the consum
nation of any scheme its interest de
manded, whether right or wrong
Who, sirs, has made war upon tn
arch-conspiracy against republican inst
buttons, and especially against the righ
and liberties Of the whole South-wh
besides the Republican Banner and a
immense host of patriots all over tn
land-who, l say, above all else, whe
personal interess and personal safet
were imperiled, stood like a wall of ada
mant between the oppressed people
the South and their oppressors, again
whom the mad waves of fanaticism be-
with relentless fury, and against who
they beat and surged in vain2 Who WI
it? 1t was this agitator. 1t was the ma
who then, as now, endeared himself
every patriot in the land, and especial
: every son of the down-trodden Sout
. by his mastery yindicatiOn of constitl