Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-26

tSOthoSu ddiOofS uHWOIbDy VI COuuuSuC6Ir
am not prepared to believe it.
l know something of the people, North
and South; I have lived in both sections
OF the country; and it has been my good
pleasure and my duty to repel these in
suits when leveled against the Northern
people while l lived South, and again,
against the Southern people while l lived
North. | tell you that the men most |
responsible for all the blood that has |
been shed in this war are men North who |
spent their lives endeavoring to prejudice |
that section of country against their South |
ern brethren, and the politicians South |
who spent their lives endeayoring to |
prejudice their section of country against |
their Northern brethren Those men are
IN this Hall who are as guilty traitors as
ever drew sword in the war of the Re
belhon.
1t has been my good or i'll fortune to
know the truths that l utter, and venture
the assertion this day that this people of
Virginia, this party controlling that State,
be 1t what it may-I do not certainly know
what 1t is, whether it is Democratic or Re
publican-will treat the opposite party
with a. much respect and as much justice
as is possible under the circumstances for
any people to do under similar circum-
stances. l know that is so with the people
of my own State who are daily and hourly
traduced here without any justifable cause,
without any facts to sustain the
charges. Nor do l believe the assertions
which have been made with reference to
the people of Georgia, that they were
treacherous as whole people.
Who understood here or elsewhere that
the reconstruction bill which was passed
on the I'd of March, 1867, gave to the col
ored people the right to hold Office in the
Southern States? Who understood that
the fourteenth amendment gave to them
that right? Who understood that any act
of Congress gave to them that right? If
any law Of Congress has given that right, it
was very easily misinterpreted by those
who had not magnifying glasses which
enable them to see that Interpretation. If
they had that right, it was from the Consti-
tuition snd laws of the State of Georgia,
and l have no doubt myself that the Con-
stitution and laws of Georgia Edid give it
to them, and it was SO decided afterward
by the Supreme Court of that State; and
| have not particle of doubt that had the
Governor of Georgia called together that
Legislature after that decision, the colored
members would have been placed in their
positions again in obedience to the decis-
ion of their own court
say here that no Senator on this floor
that no member of the House of Repre-
sentatives, that no patriot in this land, can
rise In his seat and justly charge this
people as treacherous. 1t is unworthy of
him; it is unworthy of the American ma
ton, and should regard him who made
such charge as anything else than friend
of republican institutions or a friend of his
Government.
know and have felt the charges made
by the men who were most violent in the
Southern States, who aspersed every form
| of character, both of men and women, in
the Northern States for the mere purpose
| of gaining the appreciation of the idle
| throng that surrounded them, 1t is an
easy thing to do this The people of the
United States are just as fond of prize
fights as the English, or as the Spaniards
are of bull fights; and if they can only
hear an individual who is willing to asperse
| his neighbors character, be he man or
woman, the asperSions will be received
with tie applause of the mob. They will
| receive their shouts of appreciation to-day
| and the very same men viii conduct them
| to the gallows tomorrow l would not
| give fig for their appreciation or disappro-
baton. l am as fond as any one of the
| appreciation of good men; but the applause
| of the mob, whether in the North or in the
South, has but little value in my estima-
ton.
Now, sir, as 1 say again, these condi-
| tons may be imposed on Virginia, and
what are they? 1 have never knowingly
in my life violated any law which l re-
! garded as law, or even the semblance or
| shadow of law. l should not be justified in
| doing it, nor should l advise any of my
| fellow citizens to do it; but these cond;-
tons have not even the form or the sane
ton or the responsibility or the appearance
| OF law; they never can be enforced: they are
worthless in every respect If the Consti-
| tuition IS not adequate for the protection of
| the general interests of the country let us
| put it down and make another. If the To-
| cal Legislatures of the different States, if
those who compose them, elected by the
| people interested in their acts do not I'M
| derstand their own interests and have not
honesty enough to protect them, then let
| US dispose, once for all, of this boosted
form of civil government under which we
| profess to act.
But if this Government be true, if it
be that thing which we have loved. let
Virginia come back to her place. Let
these gentlemen who have SO many fears.
who have fought her SO long and so hard,
| whose prejudices are aroused and strength
ened by SO many long years of conflict,
consult the better angels of their nature
| and drop tear over the misconduct of
their erring brethren and admit them back
to their places with all their rights and all
their privileges. VIII not the ancient
| glories of that old Commonwealth redeem
her from the stain of rebellion? If not, /
| confess have no hopes in the fimsy and
miserable pretense of a Legislative condi-
| ton appended to her Constitution!
should ike as much as any individual
in the world to see the glorious principles
that the the great Yirginians, to whom. we
owe more than to any other people upon
| this continent, carried out. If the pre-
cepts of Mr.. Jefferson, the political sun of
| the world, if his sacred precepts. will not
redeem Virginia and will not commend
| themselves to her good judgment. be as
| sured that they are wrong.
Sir, you cannot achieve everything by a
| Legislative enactment. l have yery little
confidence in them. Four-fiths of them
have been injurious, andthe other One-fifth
has only been beneficial because it has re-
pealed the injurious ones that were made
by former bodies. You must leave some
thing for the virtue and intelligence and
freedom Of the people to accomplish. You
must leave little work for the Almighty
also to do among the people, and not take
it all upon yourselves. The principles of
| freedom first taught by the great minds
will soon be accepted by all. Justice and
and its impartial administration will every
where prevail. Confidence Will give
strength and vigor to them. They will
recover their love fer the Union, and when
admitted to their just participation init
they will value the institutions founded bv
their fathers and protected by their best
blood more than once before their sad and
mournful alienation.