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

7 country and govern partlof it. Talk NJ
Of compromise now. What, sir, compr,
mise with traitors with arms in their hand
Talk about sour Southern brethren whe
they present their swords at your throa
and their bayonets at your bosoms! Is tn
time to talk about compromise? Let N
say, and l regret that have to say 1t, tn
there is but one way to compromise tn
matter, and that Is to crush the leaders
this rebellion and put down treason. 70
have got to subdue them; you have got t
conquer them; and nothing but the sacr
flee of life and blood will do it.
But let us go Oh; let us encourage the arm
and navy; let us vote the men and tn
means necessary to vitalize and bring int
requisition the enforcing and coerciye pow
er of the government; let US crush out tn
rebellion" etc.
Remember, fellow citizens, this was Il
January, 1862. The North was hesitating
in view of the magnitude the issue wa
likely to assume. At such an hour no rea
patriot, of either section, would fail to taxi
courage from the faintest hope that SOM
settlement might be effected. The South
ern soldiers were on their own soil. The!
were making no aggressions. It remained
| for Andrew johnson to stir the sluggish
passions of the North; to whet their re
venge; to cheer On the bloody war. Where
was the Constitution then? Where was hi
'Bourbon Democracy" Where was hi
much Wanted love for his people? I ap
peal to you, if he had not deserted all.
In brief time, with his aid in strength
ening the Northern army, Tennessee fel
under their military sway, and he who had
once been honored as our civil Governor
now came with commission to play the
role of military dictator. His will wa:
law. His DEGREES were absolute. 1t is moi
my purpose to criticize the history of his
kingly reign. refer to it simply as sing.
ular spectacle in the life of man who
claimsto be the only public man of our par
ty, who chung to the Constitution, and who,
With statesman's gravity and solemn
mein, says, "Let us be logical.n What
monstrous assumption; what unparalleled
effrontery! Can It be that our people are
dolts, or that they can be played upon as
you would finger flute?
THE SHERMAN SURRENDER.
In the progress of the war, the Democratic
party North, favorable to peace, nominal
ted Gen. Mcclellan for the Presidency.
Mr.. johnson, though now claiming to have
been consistent Democrat, managed to
get himself in such favor with the central
izing Federal party that be was nominated
and put on their ticket with Lincoln for
the Vice Presidency. Unfortunately for
the South, as was generally supposed, Mr..
Lincoln did not live long. Andrew John
son became the President. The Federal
arms, by force of numbers, had triumphed
before his accession to that high office.
Let us see, fellow-citizens, how our "Bour-
bon Democrat" this only true man to the
Constitution, an 'honored Tennesseean,
mellowed by ago, standing upon the pin
nacle OF fame, opened his administration.
VI course at such time, such a man
would give way to the gentler and nobler
impulses OF his nature. Such was the case
with Gen. Sherman. True, he had lived in
the very blaze of battle; he had seen his
heroic troops fall on every side before the
then conqured enemy. But when he was
victorious, like true soldier, he was
magnanimous. He, therefore, agreed
upon terms of capitulation, of which the
following sections embody the main points:
''2. The Confederate armies now in ex-
istence to be disbanded and conducted to
their several State capitals, there to deposit
their arms and public property in the State
arsenals, and each officer and man to ex-
ecute and file an agreement to cease from
acts OF war and abide the action of both
State and Federal authorities.
80. The recognition by the executive Of the
United States Of the several State Govern
ments, on their officers and Legislatures
taking the oath prescribed by the constitu-
ton of the United States.
80. People and inhabitants Of all States to
be guaranteed, so far as the Executive can,
their political rights and franchises, as well
as the rights ofperson and property, as de-
nned by the constitution of the United
States and Of the States respectively.
so. The Executive authority of the Gov
of the United States not TO dis |
'urb any of the property by reason of the |
ate war, so long as they live in quiet and |
peace, and abstain from acts Of armed hos |
,ility and obey the laws in existence at |
my place of their residence.
81. In general terms, war to cease. and a |
general amnesty, so far as the Executive |
1oWer OF the United States can command, |
IN condition Of the disbandment of Con- |
ederate armies, and the distribution of |
lrms and resumption Of peaceful pursuits
~ ohcers and men hitherto composing the |
aid armies"
Such were the terms demanded by the |
army. They were honorable |
like to the victor AMI the yanouisbed, |
They put down the rebellion and fully re-
tored the authority of the general Govern
nent. Ii they satisfied the demands of the |
rave men who conquered us, should they |
lot have satisfied our former Senator, the |
hen accidental President? No. That |
you'd have been unlike Andrew johnson. |
lie Indignantly rejected them and prescribed |
erms of his own-established ''his policy"
y which all the States of the South were
educed to condition of colonial vsssalaee,
md entailed upon our impoverished peo-
lie innumerable woes. Upon this unnatu-
al conduct Of our unnatural
resident l could invoke no stronger
riticism than that of Gen. Sherman
himself in his letter to Gen. Foreman of
lay 10, 1885, in which he says: 81
ave noticed that on fields of battle brave
nen never insult the captured or mutilate
he dead, but towards and laggards always
10. cannot now recall, but Shakespeare
ecords how poor Fallstaff, the prince of
owards and wit, rising from figured death,
tabled again the dead Percy and carried
be carcass aloft in triumph to prove his
alor. SO now, when the rebellion in our
and is dead, many Fallstaffs appear to
randish the evidence of their va or, and
eek to win applause and appropriate
onors for deeds that never were
one." 81 do want peace and security
nd the return to law and justice from
laine to the Rio Grande, and if it does
lot now exist substantially, it is for State
easoas beyond my comprehension. Il may
Re thought strange that one who has no
anne but as soldier should have been so
areful to try to restore the civil power of
be government and the peaceful jarisdic-
ion of the Federal Courts, but it is diff
nit to discover in that fact any just cause
# offence to an enlightened and free
'eople."
But the policy of Andrew johnson was
widely different from the policy of Gen.
sherman. Hence he declared that s'treason
must be made odious and traitors punish
d." be was never able to view it in any
ther light than as war between himself
nd certain Southern politicians on our side
f the question. Was this craftsmanship?
Vas it patriotism? In his own language,
Let us be logical"
THE WRIT OF HABEAs CORPUS.
Remember, fellow-citizens, am testing
he arrogant claim of Andrew johnson to