Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-24


Witnesses who testify that their lives are
not safe with us, come down from the
witness box and cheerfully hasten home
to join in the discussion. They could not
do SO with any other people. Such for
bearance as we exhibit is possible only in
communities which have spent four years
in learning to eye the bayonet without
fear, and then FIVE more years in learning
to submit to it without resistance. We
base much of our hopes upon aconyiction
that this, the prevalent spirit of our peo-
pie, is known not to Congress only, but
to the mass of the intelligent people of
the Northern States That great advan-
tage in our favor we owe mainly to the
ex-federal officers and soldiers who have
become genuinely citizens of our State.
They have stated our case fairly, and
have reached the intelligent mind of the
North with the only voice to which it was
prepared to listen. Our debt of gratitude
to them is large, and we viii not prove
uugrateful. We recognise that they are
not carpet-baggers.
We are not prepared TO say that we
have no hope of Congress except as it
may be affected by the reactionary, spirit
of the people of the so-callcd loyal States.
While we are compelled in candor to adj
NIT that we look to that effect first we
are also compelled in candour TO say that
we think there is much to hope from a
change in the future policy of the general
Government as indicated by recent diyis-
ions in Congress. In this we have refer
ence TO the triumph in the House Of
Representatives of what is known as the
Bingham amendment to the Georgia bill.
We proceed as succinctly as is consistent
with perspicuity to state in series of
propositions what we regard, or hope
rather, to be included in the general sig
nifiance of that result, which was eff
fected, in the division of the Republican
ranks, by that wing of the party which
has all along based the right of Congress
to reconstruct a State upon the sole
ground of such State being outside of the
Union and in quasi territorial condi-
ton.
In the process of reconstruction we
have at length arrived at the point, SO
long prayed for, where the general Gov
eminent cannot strike one State without
striking all the others. This admission
has been forced from the leaders of the
extremists, who avowed in debate that
Congress would have the same right to
enter and reconstruct the State of Massa-
chusetts as they claim to have in the ease
of Tennessee, for reasons which are salts
tory 10 Congress.
This would be to establish a new gov
eminent, for the reason that it reverses
the relation of the States to the general
as established by the Federal
compact; which provides al Hbitunt for
a reconstruction of the general Govern
ment by the action of the States, but not
for the reconstruction of the States by
the general Government. The two theo-
ries are impossible coexistents. So clear
ly so, that the new government would not
be bound in law for the obligations of
the old.
1t would be the establishment not
merely of a new, but despotic, govern
ment, for the reason that there being no
but the will of Congress, and no
appeal, it would necessarily be impossible
to know upon what model Congress
might reconstruct the States, now becope
provinces.
1t is not a sequence, and has in fact on
connection with, the policy of the Repub-
lican party as developed in the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments.
That it was so understood is manifest in
the fact that the extremists of the party,
under their acknowledged leader, Butler,
Of Massachusetts, were defeated upon the
Bingham amendment by the moderate
wing, assisted by the Democrats.
These are the elements of hope which we
ind on a'review of the situation. No doubt
hat many distinguished leaders of the
dominant party have expected to try such
IN experiment, but not before some years
# general prosperity, under the Fifteenth |
should have disarmed suspi- |
ion 80 as to allow the new theory to steal
q unawares and unobserved. But the mine
as been sprung before all was ready and
he country at large has been shocked by
he revelation greatly more than anticipa-
ed. So much is manifest in the almost
Universal condemnation of the press. 1t is
artain that in the contest over the Bingham
the issue was squarely made
nd that henceforth Butler, Of Massa-
husetts, and the extremists have no
1Dger the prestige of success with the
artV