Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-07

Of the Important Offices to be flied at th
/ ensuing election.
Reluctantly, consented to be one of tb
/ agencies of promoting that organization.
was pllced, with others, on your Demo
cratic Central Committee, by your Stat
Convention that nominated John G. Brow
for Governor. Foreseeing that an addition
al member of Congress was likely to be give
TO Tennessee under a bill then pending i
that body, that convention instructe
your Central Committee to select candl
date to 60 before the people for that pc
sidon, in the event the bill should pass. Il
order to avoid any ground of complaint
and have greater harmony, we declined ex
ercising the authority delegated to US, an
called a State Convention, giving the part
in every county ample time to consider tn
subject and give expression to their choice
They did so. Delegates were appointed II
| four-ifths of tn counties. The convention
duly assembled was duly organized, ant
under the two-thirds rule, nominated Gen
B. +. Cheatham, one of your most worthy
fellow citizens-not professional politicl
an, but an intelligent farmer, as the candi
date of the Democratic party.
| Fellow citizens, there was another man
for near forty years professionally engaged
in politics, spoken ofin connection with thai
convention and recommended by number
of the counties in their primary meetings
Seeing that he was in the minority, he de-
clined abiding the action of the Convention,
but has since, before public assemblies, soil
cited popular nomination from his friends,
and has thus become disorganizer in the
party, and is seeking so to distract our
ranks as to give success to the Radical ele-
ment throughout the State. | mean An
drew johnson. Fellow-citizens, among
those disposed to listen to the sophistry and
be led by the ingenious Vaccinations of
Mr.. johnson, find many friends whose
integrity l cannot doubt, whose motives
/ cannot question-men as deeply interest,"
ed in everything that pertains TO the honor
and welfare of our people as l or any one
can be- 1t is with this class, therefore, that
desire TO confer calmly and dispassion-
ately, as friend with friend, having COM
mon interest, both seeking a common
good.
AN ESTIMATE OF ANDREW JOHNSON.
have long been intimately acquainted
with Andrew johnson. have given some
of the best years of my life in advocating
his claims to places of highest trust. No
man has stood by him more faithfully than l
have, In time past; not from personal con-
but because regarded him as
an able champion of the old-fashioned
Jeffersonian tes-rights creed to which
he and / then claimed to belong. l know
him well. l can speak Of hun without
prejudice. / would do him no injustice. l
have othing against him, farther than
is common to every citizen. He has
shown me due courtesy at all times.
have done him some favors. In return he
has favored me. Our accounts are even.
| propose to criticise him only as every
citizen has the right to criticise a public
servant in trying to arrive at just estimate
Of bis merits.
1t is said for Andrew johnson
hat hes is man of a high order of
talent. 1 concede it. His great success,
both as a Democrat and as a Federalist,
would indicate it. But my country
men, do talent and success Of themselves
afford sufficient evidence that an aspiring
nan will be useful to the coun try? Cata-
inc, you should remember, had high or
Ter of talent, and yet he conspired against
he liberties of Rome. Machiavelli, whose
lame has been made Infamous through
as the author of the 'Black
Prince" showed himself most able in the
Irts of statecraft. Danton, Robespierre and
Iurat, were gifted with talent; and yet, in
he name of liberty, they were guilty of
ruelties the most barbarous. Even the
,rest English statesman Lord Bacon,
hough admitted to have been the wisest,
S also recorded in history as the basest of |
mankind. Coming to our own country, l |
night instance the character of aaron Burr. |
make no odior.S comparisons. l merely |
efer to these parties to show you that
high order of talent, of itself, instead of be- |
ng a recomm endation, is a most dangerous |
instrument unless tempered aud con-
rolled by integrity and virtue.
Gncased in selfshness and spurred on by an |
ver. weening ambition, it generally entails |
Ipon society more evils than blessings. |
md yet We are so prone to admire great |
uccess that its dazzling spleudor often con-
eals the depraVity by which it achieves its
urpose; and the destinations of daring
mbition not unfrequently wins the homage
f those whose dearest rights it has vi la
cd. We must look, therefore, fellow
itizens, to the past history of Andrew
ohnson to determine what estimate to
ut upon his high talent.
Some twenty years since he passed the
meridian of life. Thus tempered and
ooled with age, aud greatly honored, let
s ask the question, has he exhibited the
aternal disposition Of true statesman, or
re malice and passion of one who would
refer the role of a petty tyrant? Has he
Inhibited most love for his country, or love
1r himself? Has he exhibited any of that
obility of character which enables one to
ut aside his own advancement if
ecessary to the advancement Of others?
las he integrity and consistency of char
cter as public man; or has he abandoned
reeds and friends, whenever by so doing
G could best advance himself? Now, fel-
,w-citizens, if these important questions,
Ihich solve the character of man, can be
nswered favorably for Mr.. Johnson, his
llent is useful. If not, his talent in pub
C life is mischievOus. You have all had
Ome opportunity Of judging. For myself,
must say that l think he loves self far
lore than country; that his ambition is in
rdinate and of the grosser character, and
nat he has exhibited in his public life mo re
fthe elements of a dissatisfied petty ty-
ant than the benignant character of wise
nd virtuous statesman. | admit that l
yas slow and reluctant in coming to this
OnclusiOn, If could, consistently with
nth, l would infinitely prefer speakin g
therwise of him. | am warm in my friend
hips, slow in changing my opinions, and
ndeavor to be charitable in my judgment.
Iy opinion is worth but little, however,
Mess warranted by facts. l propose,
lerefore, briefly, to enumerate some of the
lany reasons influencing my judgment.
Mr.. johnson boasts of his Bourbon De-
lOcracy" and his love for the constitution.
lie recognizes that it is now but the
ghost of constitution" and appeals to
on and /, of the sold guard" 10 rally
round him and aid in gathering up the
agments that are still floating upon the
Irface. This is good talk, but if | am cor
sct in my judgment, coming from him, it is
q insult to true Democrats of the ancient
ousehold. l charge him to-day with
eason to the Democratic party, and as one
the chief conspirators against the life OF
ne constitution. Treason, in having
Oandoned his party of States-Rights
/ the inception of the war,
nd in allying himself with
he Consolidationists, under the lead of
-braham Lincoln. Conspiracy against the
fe of the constitution, in having stabbed
with traiterous hand in that very Sem
-e where he had sworn to support it, justi-