Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-19
THE CINCINNATI COmmER

The Cincinnati Commercial which prob
ably gets its view of the canvass for Con-
gresham at large in Tennessee from its
correspondent, H. v. R., who is also the
travelling companion aud correspondent Of
Mr.. johnson for the Banner, enters the
canvass and endeavors to aid Mr.. johnson,
in his attempt to beat the regular nominee
of the Democratic party. This, though late
is nos unexpected, for the Commercial
like the Banner and the ArGIdnche, has
seemed to consider for the past twelve
months its special mission to disrupt and
disorganize the Democratic party. They
have worked more constantly and persis-
tently to that end than they have to defeat
Radicalism.
The doctrine of Secession is nowhere
preached in the State of Tennessee. As
political doctrine it never had a footing in
this State. The war which the Democracy
make upon Mr.. johnson is because he re-
fuses to submit to the usages Of the party
here, in Ohio and in every Northern and
Southern State; because he has thereby
thrown himself into the arms ofand has as
his special champions those who have
openly aud avowedly devoted themselves
to the breaking up OF the Democratic
party; because he has approved the Greeley
doctrine of peace and reconciliation by
bitter and vindictive war upon those South
ern men who were prominent in the
Southern cause during the late war,
not for what they have
done since the war, but
for what they did from 1860 to 1865. The
Cincinnati Commercial, nor the Banner,
nor Mr.. johnson need never expect to
make the people of the South by their votes
admit that in the late struggle it was s'a
heinous crime" of which "conspirators were
guilty." As to the merits of Unionism and
disunionism, we wish to have nothing to
say. We believe in the Cheatham policy
of ''Forget and Forgive" and the Greeley
doctrine of ''Peace and, Reconciliation"
We wish to ''clasp hands across the bloody
chasm, /" forgetting that we have been enc
mics in the joyful consciousness that we
are and must henceforth remain brethren"
But we cannot do SO when the Commercial
comes to us in State canvass to tell us of
s'the Nervousness of the crime of which the
conspirators were guilty." when the
Banner calls upon us for ga confession
of the crime" and when Mr.. johnson be-
gins his canvass by proclaiming that it was
"a politicians war and a poor man s fight"
when he endeavors to incite in Southern
minds animosity between privates and Off
GERS by remarks about "Generals on horse
back" and in ''gusrded marques" and by
insisting that Confederate could "with
poor grace" ask for an Office in the United
States government after having for four
years fought against the Union. We do
not understand Mr.. Greeley's doctrine of
peace and reconciliation to insist upon any
of these demands of the Commercial, the
Banner or Mfr. johnson as preliminaries.
If the Commercial desires to know the
sentiments Of Gen. Chatham it will find
them in bis speech accepting the nomina-
ton and in Dis letter of Feb. Is, 1866, to q
I'D Of February meeting. We give its
conclusion:
Without arrogance or egotism, l may say
that in other days have borne some hum
BILE part in adding to the glories that clus-
ter around the old standard SO proudly de-
nominated "the flag of the Free" Without
personal shame or regret, l add that more
recently have wsrred under another ban
ner, and against the one whose ample folds
now float from the dome of our Capitol.
In both positions but obeyed the behest Of
the noble old mother upon whose bosom
had my birth, within whose limits l have
passed my life, and beneath whose soil L
propose, God willing, that my ashes shall
find repose when life's "tattoo" shall have
sounded. l did but my duty; strove to
do it well.
am Tennesseean still; and having,
with Tennessee, accepted the results of the
late contest in honest, good faith, and with
full purpose to abide by them, l have only
to add that the State has within her Dor
ders no other son who will, within the CON-
pass of his ability, do more to advance the
interests, honor and glory oft Union of
which she is an integral member than
Yours Respectfully, B. F. CHEATHAM.