Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-11
ANDREW JOHNSON-THE MILITIA.
RY AND THE PEOPLE-sLET US
BE LOGICAL"

| RY AND THE PEOPLE-stLET US
BE LOGICAL"
Ever since the unfortunate Booth made
1 President of Andrew johnson by the as
/ sAssination of Mr.. Lincoln, the country has
been periodically enlightened by the out
| givings of that "great statesman" Since
/ his retiracy to the shades of Greeneville,
they come to us by the aid of interviewers,
| who seem professionally employed to give
| public expression to ''what the great states
man thinks" The last delivery comes to
us through the medium of the Memphis
| Appeal, and is re-echoed through the
| UNION AND AMERICAN, of this city.
Among many things recorded as displeas-
1 ing to the great sage, we are told, is the
apparent absurdity of the people" Gin de-
nouncing the military and at the same time
selecting military men for civil officers" and
when told by his most gracious interviewer
| that s'the people meSnt well, and thought
| they were doing a good thing" "Let u.s."
said Mr.. johnson, abe logical. The people
| of the United States take pride in being
thinking men; why not act as such all the
| timer" We echo the sentiment, "Let US
be logical" and let us be shrinking men,"
and let us see what amount Of shallow So
| phistry there is in the sage's logic.
| In what sense have the people de-
nounced the military? Have they denounced
the honorable profession of arms? Have
they denounced the legitimate uses of the
army? Have they questioned the well
earned fame of their patriotic Chieftains /?
Have they denied that upon the battle
| field, in defense of liberty and property,
men may not now, as in the days of Wash
ington and Jackson, exhibit the highest
traits of character, mental and moral, and
| thereby show themselves qualified for, and
entitled to, places of honor and trust in
times of peace? No. They mean no such
| thing. But the abuses of the military, their
wrong and oppression, and the elevation of
men to difficult positions in civil life, merely
| from exhibition of brute courage and acci-
] dental success, is what the intelligent por-
ton of our people repudiate. They honor
the patriot soldier to-day, as they did in
| the days of the first revolution. They hon
or Lee as they honored Washington; and
they honor the way-worn and battle
SCARED soldiers who followed him in their
endeaVors to uphold American society, as
they honor their sires of '76, who revolted
against the mother country, in order to es-
tablish American independence. Thank
heaven, with all of our degeneracy, we have
not yet lost the breed of noble men, and we
will trust and honor them as we did in the
days Of Washington, of Jackson, Of Trous-
dale and Campbell.
Again, we say with Mr.. johnson, Oct us
be logical" let us ''think" and "sct." He
is now, above all things, most anxious for
civil Office. His secret agencies are actively
at work throughout the State. Now let US
apply his rule. A few years ago-within
the memory of tender babes-he was a
military man. He seemed to esteem it the
prou6est feather in bis cap, that having been
honored as our cicI Governor, he had re-
turned at the head of an army from distant
States, to be our military Governor. He
used the Office like military mamie con-
coded none Of its powers. Some of the
military men-even Gen. Payne, l believe
became satiated, and resigned. Our Inilt-
tary Governor never tired of the brutal ex-
! erciSe of arbitrary power-untH it fell into
other$hands than bis own. The President
| Of the United States is not only cur chief
civil officer, but also the commander in-chief
of our army and navy. No President we
! have ever had-not even Gen. Grant-clung
more tenaciously to his command of that
arm of the service than President johnson.
He vas even unwilling to concede to Gen.
| Sherman, In the field, the soldierly privilege
of determining the terms OF the Confederate
surrender. He, in the most military man
ner, trsmpled those terms under his feet
and with a flashing eye, that betokened his
| martial spirit, gave utterance to that his
| toric sentiment-"Treason shall be made
odious, and traitors punished~ When
| Gen. Lee, as an example to his unfortunate
| countrymen, forwarded through Gen. Grant
a special application to this Lordly' Chief
tain, for clemency and pardon, HE indign-
antly refused 1t. Was not this "military ?"
"Let us be logical, )" MIR. johnson. 81 thank
thee, Jew, for teaching me that word" 1t
is this sort of military spirit, military as
sumption, military abuse, and military
tyranny, that the people denounce, execrate
and despise. Accepting this explanation
will reconcile to him the seeming inconsist-
ency of the people sin denouncing the
military, and at the same time selecting
military men for civil officers" Mr.. john
son will find that the voice OF history, and
the judgment of mankind are severely
illogical" and thai as long as the flowers
bloom and the birds sing above the graves
of their heroic dead, and patriotic mothers
can transmit by tradition or otherwise, to
lisping children the virtues of their noble
sires, so long will true military fame be
treasured in the hearts of our people; and
cruel acts of tyranny be hated and detested
whether done by military satrap or I'M
warranted assumptions Of law over broken
and violated Constitution. CIVIs.