Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-12

l cause than by its grand results. ri
1t was the awakening of humanity to
? sense of its capacity and rights. 1t wa
e proclamation to all the world that maj
J is capable of self-government that Gov
, ernments derive their rights from the vol
} untary consent of the governed, that al
: limitations on human liberty are self-im
2 posed. On this principle they formed
| their Government, on the sanctity of hu
man rights, not on the divine right o!
, kings. 'a-'f<
This reformation was the outgrowth Of
the colonial mind under the influences
that the New World and IFS conditions
imposed. The expressions of the parent
country were mere preteXt for the Rev
olution, not its cause This was the work
of natural laws, in their creative mission,
giving to history and the world new
man, with new wants and aims, demand.
ing institutions in harmony with his OWL
physical, moral, and intellectual life. Il
was living, practical reality before it be-
came written constitution.
will not stop to inquire what blessings
our rebellious ancestors have conferred
upon the world and how unreasonable
was their persecution of their loyal neigh
bors after the liberties of both had been
achieved. History has already, as in all
other successful revolutions, crowned its
authors with immortal honors. Nor is
failure always attended with dishonor,
much less regarded as debasing crime.
The patriotic Polanders in their sanguin-
airy fall have rendered their race greater
service than did their triumphs. What
American does not lament the oft-re-
pested failures of the Irish patriot and
welc Jme the exile with open arms to the
full enjoyment of our iberties9 Who
has ever forbade the crushed and wander
Ing Hungarian the participation in all our
privilegeg2 When has America forbid
the rebel in any land an honored citizen>
ship?
1t is America, of all countries, conf
dent in the all conquering power of our
| generous system, that has made our land
the asylum for the defeated and exiled
revolutiOnists of all lands. It will not
now do to turn upon our own people,
our own misguided countrymen, and in
flict everlasting punishment and harsh
| condemnation.
Nor are the actors in the late rebellion
regarded by the victors as criminal
or wanting in honor. AS evidence of
this, they are taken into partnership in
business, and treated with marked respect
and trusted as honorable mel in the most
sacred and enduring relations of life.
| They are everywhere considered worthy
to manage great and delicate trusts, and
some of the most unworthy have been ad-
mitted to the full measure of the rights of
citizens. When the most responsible
trusts are confided to them they certainly
might be admitted to the exercise of rights
enjoyed by the meanest and most degraded.
He is but a political knaye who trusts
these men with high commercial and finan-
cial duties and processes to deny to them
political privileges. They are safe part
ners in business; they make faithful rail-
road presidents and treasurers; they can
manage banks and commercial houses
safely and honorably; they can discharge
all the relations of friends, husbands,
fathers and brothers most admirably.
They are members of the same church
and of the same lodges, and, in fine, are
most estimable men in all the avocations
of life except the exercises of political
rights How is this2 Until the right to
hold Office is considered these men are as
immaculate in their patriotism as the he
roes of Thermopyl9. 1t is only when
political position is considered that hands
are raised in holy horror by all those who
behold in them successful rivals. 1t is
then that the South bristles with death,
and the night is made hideOus by organ
lied murder. Although these political
harlots seek the society aud the friendship
of the men degraded from their position
as citizens beneath the most brutal of the
African race, although they know that
the men that labor under the disabilities
of this constitutional curse are in no re-
spect the Gbettors of crime, to some ex-
tent the hollow wailing of these hollow
hypocrites is being understood, and is fast |
losing its power.
IT Is DANGEROUS TO RESTORE THOSE TO |
POWER WHO INAUGURATED THE REBEL !
LION.
However indicate it may be for these |
men to seek power under the Government |
they undertook TO destroy, there can now |
be no danger from their holding it. The |
period since the Inauguration of the re-
bellion has placed it beyond the power of |
many even to enter the field of political |
activity. The average period of active
political life does not average ten years. |
Some men Of remarkable powers may
transcend this, but comparatively few.
If some of them should be returned to
the councils of the nation it would in no |
respect change the political forces of the
country, and would only show the moral
and political liberality and power of the
nation. 1t would in no respect alter the
political ideas OF the South whether the
will of the people is cast by one man or
another, whether by the fair blue-eyed
descendant of the Saxon or the dusky
child of Africa 1t is a question of great
moment to the welfare of the Republic
to secure the good will of the permanent
and dominating element there and to give
it its rightful force in the nation. No
dodge of political jugglery can be profit
able to the State or party stability. Men
are the mere actors of the hour; they are
here to-day and tomorrow forgotten.
They sink into oblivion with the silence
that a pebble descends to the bottom of
the ocean. Their season of departure is
as certain as that of the falling of the
leaves from the forest. We are inter-
ested only in the preservation of the
laws of rpnrOductiOn.