Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-12
A INTERPRETATION SHOULD THE
SOrvH RE Urea rEn

Southern papers and politicians which
were struck, a few weeks ago, with the
| notion that GRANT was really their
man, after all, and that they would go
for the third-term movement, or any
other movement in GRANTS interest,
are not so much of that way of think
ing now as they werethen. GRANT
was then, in their foolish fancy, the
representative of the anti Radical feel
ing, the great opponent of the Civil
Rights bill, the leader, IN fact, of the
white Mans Party" As such, they
were all busily engaged in ''rallying
around" him, and were particularly
anxious to find ont what he wanted,
so hat they might show their deter
animation to give it to him. They don't
now see things ''by these lamps" He
now appears to them as a different
sort of man. afs
There is very good reason why to
these self-same gentlemen Grant ap-
pears a different sort of person. He's
always holding ont the promise to the
ear and breaking it to the hope. He
has repeatedly given assurance to the
white people of the South thathe would
protect them against the Vaccinations
of the carpet-baggers, hut the latter
still use him as they please to subserve
their vile purposes. A carpet-bagger
goes to him from Louisiana and pleads
for troops to protect his class and Che
negroes, and they are sent without an
inquiry as to the necessity for their
presence in that State for any purpose
whatever. The same is true as to Ala.
bama, and it would be equally
so as to any other State from
which might come similar repre-
sensations. When the white
men appealed to him for protection
against kellogg, who had overthrow
the legal government in Louisiana
when Gatln guns were brought into
requisition for the purpose-he made
haste to sustain the usurper, and has
kept him in power until this day. Ala,
bama is another case in point. There,
he sustained the usurping Legislators
not only in the disregard of theil
plighted faith, but in fragrant viola,
ton of the law. In the light of Grants
record, it is simply ridiculous to say
she is determined to maintain law and
order"
In December, 1866, a report was
read in Congress on the condition OF
the Southern States, the disposition
evinced by the citizens recently in 're.
bellion," and the most advisable man
ner of treating them. The document
in question was generous in spirit, con.
ciliatory toward the South and states,
manlike IN its propositions. It's author
said: Il am satisfied that the mass Of
thinking men of the South accept the
present situation Of affairs in good
faith. The questions that have hith.
erto divided the sentiments Of the
people of the two sections-slavery and
State rights, or the right Of a State to
secede from the Union-they regard as
having been settled forever by the
highest tribunal-arms-that man
can appeal to. l was pleased
to learn from the leading
men whom 1 met that they not
only accept the decision arrived at as
final, but now the smoke of battle has
cleared away, and time has been given
for reflection, believe that this decision
has been a fortunate one for the whole
country" The disorder resulting from
four years of war had rendered it de.
sirable that the military forces of the
United States should not be wholly
withdrawn from the South at that time
Notwithstanding the loyal disposition
manifested by the leading citizens; but
the author Of the report was careful Il
advise that as few Federal soldiers as
possible should be stationed III the
Southern States, and that they should
all be white troops. THE pressure o.
black troops, lately slaves" he said
"demOralizes labor both by their ad.
vice and by furnishing in the camps Z
resort for the freedmen for long
distances around" His sound com,
mon sense enabled him to see that tn,
danger to the future peace o
the Southern States lay In The
ignorance Of the late slave population
and IN the "belief widely spread among
the freedmen" by the agents Of the
Freedmen's Bureau ''that the lands OF
their former owners would, at least IL
part, be divided among them" HI
therefore urged the policy of leaving
the negroes to the care Of their white
fellOw-citizens, who would give then
good counsel. 1T cannot be expected, ,
he said, that the opinions held by mel
at the South for years can be changed
in a days" but his predictions for the
future were nevertheless thus hopefully
expressed: My observations lead me
to the conclusion that the citizens Of
the Southern States are anxious to re.
turn to self-government within the
Union as soon as possible; hat while
reco%nstrEcting they want and require
protection from the government; that
they are ready TO take any course that
is required by the government that is
not humiliating to them as citizens, and
if such a cours were pointed out they
would pursue it in good faith"
The Ne,c York Herald, from which
the above extract is reproduced, says.
This report was received with appro.
baton blythe people. 1t struck a gen,
erous chord to which the heart of the
nation responded. 1t held in check fol
a time the carpet-bag plunderers whose
fingers were already itching for til,