Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-06
SOCIAL FIGHTS.

E--l-AANr an LIZ - w A-@-f - NAAN
nigh. loose the white men. They had
seen in the elections Of Alabama, Tennes-
| see and North Carolina the effect Of the
agitation Of the Civil Rights measure, and
it had become also 4 debatable question in
the States Of Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, and
some others. They saw that f they sought
TO pass that measure with the school clause
in il, that the white men would step from
their power, and 50 they passed 1t, taking
out the school clause and thus relieving il
Of its OdiOusness with the white men OF
the North. They had neither sentiment nor
! philanthrOphy in this measure for either
white men or black; 1t was a cold method
! iCal calculation. II is an adjunct to the
| force bill, and il was intended to make il
l an instrument whereby all our passions and
/ preiU diceS might be aroused that We should
take redress in our OTD hands. l am now
endeavOring TO draw your attention to the
fact that there was method and purpose in
all the measures passed by the last Repub-
! lican COnueSs. The authorized organ of
| the party at Washington, the National Re
publican, said that it was necessary to pass
the force bill 'in order to prevent the cleo
ton Of 8 Democratic President If the
Southern States are permitted to vote as
the other States in the Union are permitted
10 vote. It is almost certain that a Demo
cratic President viii be elected. This must
be arrested; this must be stopped; this must
De prevented; hence all these movements in
the House and the Senate Of the United
States. And DOW your attention 10 what
call as dark a conspiracy as was ever en-
tered into in the world. The cOnSpirat, rs had
sent Sheridan 70 New Orleans, and upon a
resolution introduced in the House by Mr..
Potter, of New York, to limit the President
10 one term,
NIB. BUTLER
took the floor and made use Of this Ian
guage Just after Mr.. Hnar. Of Massachusetts,,
had addressed the House:
IF I do not differ from my cOlleage, I
am glad once In my life to agree with him.
/ am for this proposition whether l az ee
or differ with him in regard 10 il. l be-
iieve that one Of the savings Of our la-e
President, Mr.. Lincoln, which was Charac-
terized al once by good sense and good wit,
was that il was not worth while to swap
horses IN crossing stream. When George
Washington set the example he had got
aC-o5s and al was peace and all was quiet.
And that example might be followed in
times Of peace and quiet. But the time
that will call for the reelection Of a man
as President is when & man, q strong man,
has hold Of the Government, and when the
whole people. IN a time Of CUmmOtiOn, in a
time Of rebellion, in times when THOUSANDS
upon thousands are murdered in ole sec
tiOn Of the country without any punish
ment Of the muTderers-Then the people
of the country, under such circumstances,
feel a doub5 as 70 what will be the future
Of The country without reelection, then
I can conceive Of the possibility of the peO-
pie coming up as one man TO re-eleCt a
strong man who shall administer the exec
utiva power in tie future IS lie has admin
istered IL in the past. Why, they will cry
out IN the language Of the poet laureate OF
Great Britain
0 God, for a man. with hesd, heart and hand
Like one of the strong ones long gone by
AristOCrat, Democrat autOCrat,
Whatever they call him. what care l.
one who can rule and dare not lie.
Now, sir, l can conceive Of this IS the
only thing which can ever make a move
ment for the third Presidential term sue
cessful: and l warn my friends on the othe.
side OF the House, who are looking NE III
the face, Of IL; i viii be 10 keep one sec
ton of this country disturbed, a. war with
| itself Ii we had peace and quiet through
out the country the question OF an election
/ for q third term Of a President could not
have been possible under our traditions,
/ and it is only the uptUrning that you
| threw upon MS that made 1t possible; and
| if IL be possible il Will have been made 50
by you"
Now then if YOU will 20 back TO the "a
I day Of December preceding you will tint
| that this communication was sent to Gen
Sheridan
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON
CITY, Dec. >, lST4.-General: The Presi
| dent sent for me this morning, and desire:
NE to say TO You that he wishes you TO visi
/ the States of Louisiana and Mississippi
and especially New Orleans, in Louisiana
and ViCksnuTg and Jackson, in Mississippi
and ascertain for yourself, and for his II
formation, the general condition of natter
! iu those localities. You need not cOntinl
/ your visit Co the States Of Louisiana and
/ Mississippi, and may extend your trip Il
/ other States-Alabama, etc.,-if you SCI
! proper; nor need YOU COHiine your visit il
/ the States Of Louisiana and Mississippi e
! the places named. What the Presiden
! desires is 20 ascertain the true condition o.
affairs, and 10 receive such suggestion!
/ from you as you may deem advisable an,
| judicious.
/ IuclCsed herewith Is an order authOriz
! inc YOU % assume command Of the Mill
/ tarv Division of The South, or Of any p0r
| ton Of that division, should you see prOpe
/ TO do so. Ii may be possible that Circum
/ stances may arise which would render thi
a pr per course to pursue. You can, if yOl
| desire it, see Gen. Mcdowell in Louis
| vile, and make known TO him cOntidsn
TALLY the object Of your trip; but this is no
| required of Won. Communication Will
him by you is left entirely to your owl
Judgment,
| OF course YOU can take with you sucl
| gentlemen Of your staff as you wish, and
! is best that the trip should appear to be ont
| as much Of pleasure as Of business, for tn
| fact Of your mere presence in The lOcalitie
| referred to will have, it is presumed, ben
elicial effect.
Tie President thinks, and so do l, tina
trip South might be agreeable to you, an
that YOU might be able to obtain a goo
deal Of information on the subject abOu
which we desire TO learn. You can max
your return 10y Washington and make
verbal report, and also inform me from
| time to time al your views and cOnclu
sious. Yours, truly, etc,
WN. W. BELKNAP-
Secretary Of War.
Ills authority from Gen. Grant con
ferrad upon Gen. Sheridan overlooked tn
fact that the command Of the department
was vested in Gen. Sherman; that the i'm
mediate district vas in the command @
| Gen. Mcdowell, and that Gen. Emory wa
! then in command of the city Of New Oh
leans-overlOOked the fact that there weT
reports to be made by committees then in
vlstigating affairs in Mississippi, ATkansa
ard Louisiana. What purpose rad they il
view? When you look to the declaration
Of Gen. Butler, you viii see that it was
conspiracy 10
BRING ABOUT A WAR,
if you please, in the South, with view tina
| Gen. Butler and others like him might Q
out into the country and say that a war eX