The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-15
Is Andrew johnson "a DemO-

craft
To the Editors Of the Herald and Mail
We have a Democratic Legislature,
elected by an overwhelming Democratic
constituency. 1t is Democratic IN con-
tradistirction to Radical or Republican
ism, and is in full accord with the great
national Democratic party, headed by
such Northern allies as Seymour, Bay
ard, VOORHEES, Pendleton, Thurman and
Allen, That the great heart OF an over
whelming majority of the people OF len
nessee has beat responsive to a common
sentiment since, as well as during the
perious hours OF our eventtul civil war,
no honest mind could question; and yet
such have been the obstacles and such
the disadvantages that willy adversarIes
and selfish demagogues have thrown In
our way, that it was only IN the recent
election that anything lie full express
sion of popular sentiment could be OBJ
tanned. For long time the great body
ofour white citizens were denied the bal
lot, and the State left to the control OF
their former slaves under the manlpula-
! ton of those who had given them that
| Importance 1t will be remembered with
what difficulty we found dellveTance,
But even after the ballot was restored, we
were denied a free choice by odlous dis
| abilities" in the election OF our pubic
servants. and were forced to choose be-
| tween select few Of the truly loyal.
| Such was the case at the last election OF
| a United States Senator. The great body
| ofour worthy citizens now spoken of IN that
connection were under the ban at that
| time.
Upon he present legislature, therefore,
| devOives the high privilege, and trust, the
great pleasure, of choosing a Senator
| from the entire body of her citizens, with
| out let or hinderance, as the representa-
| tivas of a co-equal, sovereign State Let US
not overlook the gravity of the occasion.
| To suppose thata Democratic Legislature,
with such an experience and at
| such time, would seriously think
of re-electing BrOwnlow to the I. 5.
| Senate, would be the grosest absurdlty
and yet how much less absurd are the
pretensions of Andrew johnson What
| trials and disabilities have we been sub
| iected to since the war that Johnson was
| not as much responsible for as Brownlow?
| What importance or power for mischief
had the latter, that was not given him IN
a great measure by the former? What
has Brownlow done to oppose the present
Democratic organization in Tennessee
that has been half as efficient as the la
bors of johnson in the same direction?
Let US be logical" and, above all, let us
be honest with ourselves.
| propose a candid answer to these
questions, and such an answer as no i'm
partial mind can reject.
| will not 90 back and review the fact ::
that, having been elected to the Senate by
former democratic Legislature, Mr.
Johnson afterwards deliberately changed
his seat to the Republican side OF the
chamber, and led in IA most furious as
sault upon the Northern Democratic mem
bers who sought for Cancellation IN the
: then pending struggle; nor of that other
pregnant fact, that, having sought and
accepted the candidacy for the Nice-Presl-
: dencY on the Lincoln Republican ticket
l in 1864, he used his satraps, as military
: Governor, to prevent the running of a
, McClelland and Pendleton Democratic
2 ticket in Tennessee, as attested by the
l letter of Hon, Bale Peyton, published IN
1872, and which can be seen by any one
| desiring to read It;-nOr to the many
7 other public acts of Mr.. johnson at that
= time that are false to every sentiment Of
2 Democracy. Let these 90 for naught,
| and let us see what he has done for our
! | Democratic harmony and organization.
t since his break with his Radical friends,
i and his effort to organize distinctive
g Johnsonian party in Tennessee.
e No intelligent observer can have failed
: to realize that the great barrier to the
d restoration of local selfgoyernment IN
7 | the South, since the war, has been the
Il jealousy and mistrust on the part OF the
o Northern people as to the sincerity of our
S professions, resulting from the gross
r MISREPRESENTATION made to them by un
e natural enemies at home and unprinci
: pied adventures from abroad This con
e tinued seriously to affect our State unit
S after our first free election in the tall OF
b 1870 as it continues to affect other States
Il even to the present hour. Now your at
It tentOn: In the summer of 1870 oul
Ii Democratic Convention assembled a.
o | Nashville, and nominated as their candl
n date, John {. Brown, for Governor, and
= adopted a platform expressive of theH
L political sentiments and creed. That the
= Radical papers and speakers should have
p been prompt to pervert and ullsrepresen
u our action and purposes abroad, in Ordel
: to keep alive an evil mlSruSt IN thu
e Northern mind, did not excite surprise
e out there were many who expected more
z from Mr.. johnson, in view Of his aliena
II ton from that party, and, what were re
: garded by his friends as overtures to us
Il But what was his course? He HE'D him
5, self to Gallatin and made speech, anC
= would doubtless, but for the want of en-
p cOuragement, have continued to have
a spoken. What said he? From tie file
ID Of the Union and AmcrjcuR, as then re
= ported, | make this extract:
= He Mr. JOhnsOn) then read the reSo
n buttons as adopted by the then recen
Is Democratic Convention
lie ''RcSoIged, That the Southern State
e should be Immediately restored to theI
: rights under the Constitution of the Uni
IS ted States as sovereign States of the Ameri
5 can Union.'
/ No fairminded Radical could see an,
II harm in that-certainly it would neve
b have alarmed a good Northern Democrat
i Surely a Tennessee Democrat, unwilling
to give cOUntenance to the misrepresenta
/ tiOns of US abroad, would ever have de
20 tected in this anything "treasOnabte,' 0
e revolutionary. But how was it will
to Mr. johnson? Continuing his remark
: he said:
RS This seemed to him, whether intende,
IN or not, to be secession and revolution ii
lie disguise, and he would now, as he did il
/ 1860, and up to the passage Of the frs
!. ordinance Of secession, warn the people o
the danger that was before them. H
felt it to be his duty, though it was tn
last act of his life, to admOnish the peopl
y against a repetition of all that had trans
IL pired during our disastrous and Unhapp,
l. civil war" = y In placing a stan
lie dard bearer at the head of our column
D he should be clear ofaU suspicion Of Sc
If ceSSj0H, or a desire to enter again int
ct revolution, and this Should be .foJOwcc
le mp and carried ont IN tie election Of al
10 our members Of Congress and the LegiS
ID Idtuye" y In regard to som,
W of the resolutions which have been adopt
W ed by the recent Democratic STATED Con
W yention, he thought it important for thu
F." people to give them careful examination
N before their acqujeSce9ce and adoption
At and especially so when we see that Con
ie vention refusing even to consider a series
d Of [Greenvillel resolutions which enunci
n ated principles and laid down platform
D. oplwhich the great national Democracy
North and South, could stand united.
< The secret of all this unwarranted as
al sauIt upon the platform and nominee O
e the Democratic party exhibits itself far
e. Their on in his remarks, when he said:
n He called the attention of the people
e to that provision Of the amended consti
e tuition which provides for electing the
n members of the General Assembly in No