Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-10
THE UNCERTAIN NOTES OF A
CRACKED ORGAN,

The Press and Times arraigns
President Johnson after this
fashion:
1.-THE first the boldest, the most re-
markable, and we may add, the least au-
| thOrized case of taxation without repre-
sentation, which occurred in Tennessee,
took place in the first year of the military
| governorship of Andrew Johnson. WISH
ing to raise a considerable SUN of money
for the relief of destitute persons and for
other purposes, Gov. johnson procured a
list containing the names of large num-
Der of the citizens of Nashville and
Davidson county, who had given aid to
or sympathized with the rebellion, and
assessed them in sums varying from
| 500 to $500 each. The ex-
President arraigns the Republican party
ofTennessee at the bar of public opinion
for what2 For despotism For imposing
taxation wi. bout representation Astrange
Indictment to come from that source-an
extraordinary accusation to be preferred
by the very man who was the leader and
prime mover in the work of despotic tax
alton and arbitrary assessments. He
pleads continually for the constitution,
but where, in all the articles and sec
tons of that much amended instrument,
did he find authority for ordering A to
pay him 500, and c to pay $500, and w
to pay $500, fer any specified purpose,
good or bad We suspect that many Of
the persons thus taxed by Gov JohnsOn's
semismilitary order would like exceed
ingly to recover the assessments which
they paid under vehement but fruitless
protest, if they knew how to do so sue
cesslully. Mr. johnson may say that his
assessment was a military necessity,
justified by the existence of war at the
time it was levied; but he takes pains on
every occasion to disparage and depre.
ciate every thing pertaining to the mili-
tary service, and devOutly thanks God
that his hands are not stained by the
blood of his cOuntrymen, etc, etc
The editor of the Press and
Times was editor of the Nashville
Union at the time the assessment
he refers to was made, and of course,
the reader will say, he denounced
this "least authorised case of taxa
ton without representation" in ell
Oquent terms. OF course he SYM
pathised with the men who had
thus by q "semi- military order"
been made to pay out their green
backs against their vehement but
fruitless protests Not a bit of it.
On the contrary, he applauded the
assessment, and declared that it
was unreasonable to complain of it.
In the Union of Dec. II, 1862, he
says:
"The following seemingly stringent or.
der from the executive Office will not be
considered unjust by those who are ac-
quainted with the suffering and destitu-
ton of those poor families in this county
who are the victims of this inhumanreL
bclliOn. And in as much as as the pers
sons whose names appear in the follow
lng list contributed large sums of money
IN Il wicked conspiracy against our gov
eminent, and exerted all their influence
to dccOy poor men into the Rebel army.
We believe that all Just pei sons will an,
plaud the course of Gov johnson in |
compelling those who have offended
greatly, to contribute to clothe and feed |
starving and naked families among us."
And again in the Union of lie. |
cember 81, he said
While the courts of the Rebel gov.
eminent, like filthy harpies, are Selling
upon and confscating the property of the |
loyal citizens of East Tennessee, for the |
benefit Of the members of the Rebel |
dynasty at Richmond, Gov JohnsCH and |
Gen. Batter, like 'ministering spirits |
heaven, are relieving The sufferings Of the |
poor by imposing assessments upon |
Wealty Rebels. We are told that some