Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-08
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Z .ua ORGANIZATION IS 4.
came In for review. Referring to the
Baltimore Convention, be thought the con-
vention system played out, when out Of
100000 Democrats they were unable to
fnd candidate for the Presidency, and
could not find a man, it seemed, able to
write preamble or compose resolution,
since the CINCINNATI platform was adopted,
without the ebtting of an or the crossing
of a &. he thought the Democratic party
was driven into the eaudine forks, and he
regarded Greeley as the least Of two evils;
he would use him as he would crooked
stick TO beat a mad-dog with.
THE ADMINISTRATION
of Grant, the debt, the frauds, etc, were
each discussed by the speaker.
CONVENTIONS AGAIN.
Mr.. johnson denied that he had ever
been nominated as Republican or Radi.
cal by any convention of that party. he
said as l separated with you here at the
commencement of the war, so / did with
them at the close of the war, when they
acted unconstitutionally as you did in the
beginning-'twas then opposed them. "I
never drew Radical breath in my life" be
said:
"The National Convention held at Balti-
more when Mr.. Lincoln was nominated, was
composed OF all Union men, and / was
nominated as a Union Democrat-was
urged to accept the nomination which |
did not want. In my letters Of acceptance
/ called upon the a
UNION DEMOCRATS,
urging them to stand up to the Union and
the constitution, ETC." -1
MRS. sURRATf's TRIAL. -
In regard to the execution of Mrs. Sur
ratt Mr.. johnson gave this version: Mrs.
Surratt lived in Washington, which was
then military camp, and with the writ of
habeas corpus suspended. Who was Mrs.
Surratt? She was woman living in
Washington at whose house lived the men
that conspired the plan of assassinating
Mr.. Lincoln and which plan led to his
death. The Commanding General at
Washington ordered military court. She
was tried before this military court and
found guilty. Here was court, fair trial
in tribunal, and she was found guilty.
Then, it was wrong TO blame him
for according to this you would place the
blood of every man convicted and executed
for crime upon the hands of the Governor
DCN1uoC AO AOa0oO0 " PAA1Ons y
der the circumstances deemed it my duty
to withhold the pardOn-one of the few
that ever withheld. 1t was necessary in
legal view for any person to admit his or
her guilt before a pardon could be granted,
and some, he thought, who now claim that
Mrs. Surratt ought to have been pardoned,
ought not themselves, perhaps, to have
been pardoned. In view of his whole duty
some he pardoned and some he didn't par
don.
He favored the election Of President
for one term, and to give the cleo
tion into the hands of the people,
because it would remove the temptations
of bribery and do away with conventions.
The speaker related the manner in which
the election of President could be placed
in the hands of the people.
Mr.. Johnson's speech was similar to the
one delivered receutly at GaIlstin, being
more comprehensive in some portions and
referring the misery, ruin and desola-
ton of our country to the rashness and
folly of Southern leaders and conventions.
He opened the address about one o'clock,
and spoke near three hours.