Urbana Union

His Last Card.

"How long did it take you and the Politicians of New York to prepare that paper?"

Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, who holds the fictitious post of Military Governor of that State, to which he was appointed by Mr. Lincoln without authority of law, has undertaken to get up an election in that State for Presidential Electors, and to define by Proclamation who may vote, and to prescribe an oath to be taken by all voters, one clause of which requires them to condemn a suspension of hostilities. Prominent citizens of Tennessee have waited upon the President, and asked his interference to prevent this usurpation by his military agent, and to protect the people of that State against this unlawful exercise of power. Having heard the paper read, his reply was, by the query at the head of this article: "How long did it take you and the Politicians of New York to prepare that paper?" This burst of rude vulgarity was no doubt quite involuntary; and will, at this day of better information, cause no surprise in the public mind but it must be very humiliating to many of his party followers, to be obliged to blink at this palpable evidence of the man's unfitness for the place he now holds. and which he is determined to hold again if unscrupulous exercise of power can enable him to do it.

He refused to give any other answer, but has since thought better of it and has put forth a letter which is meant to deceive the public by the false pretense that he has no power to interfere in the matter. He alleges first that he has nothing to do with holding Presidential elections, and at the same time admits that it is not possible for an election to be held under the laws of that State. He also alleges that he has nothing to do with saying what votes shall be admitted, as that belongs to another Department (meaning Congress), and he coolly tells the people of Tennessee that leaving the plan of Mr. Johnson alone will be their best security against violence. Which predominates here, insolence or absurdity, it is hard to say. The pretense for a military Governor, is that the people cannot be trusted with the execution of their own laws and that the conquering power must assume the jurisdiction. Now if the military sway is justified by facts and the presence of a military Governor is continued, the people cannot vote at all. for all popular authorities are deposed.—If the people may vote, and so far exercise self-Government, the Military Governor has no business there. It is in vain for Mr. Lincoln to say that he has nothing to do with Presidential elections in States when he usurps the power of controlling all civil administration in Tennessee by his military Agent, and that he cannot control that agent. He may deceive those who are willing and gaping for it, but he cannot deceive the intelligence of the enlightened public.

Mem.—If the votes of the Loyal States for McClellan shall be more numerous than the votes of the Shoddy States for Lincoln, and an attempt should be made to overcome that majority by any pretended elections in Tennessee and Louisiana, then that resolution of the Chicago Convention, which provided for their meeting again, will solve its meaning.