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Primary sourceNewspaper article9 July 1864

Sunbury Gazette: Andrew Johnson's Nashville 'Union and Democracy' Speech

Andrew Johnson · 9 July 1864

A newspaper reprint of Johnson's 1864 campaign speech in Nashville, in which he argued that former Confederates should not control Tennessee's restoration.

This newspaper reprints Johnson's own wartime speech outlining his views on restoring Tennessee's government.

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Scan of a newspaper column titled 'The Question of Construction' in two sections, containing a political speech arguing that traitors should not be restored to citizenship or control over Tennessee's reorganization. Text is printed in dense black columns with some ink smudges.
"Union and Democracy Speech of Andrew Johnson at Nashville," The Sunbury Gazette, 9 July 1864.

About this source

What it is

This is a column from the Sunbury Gazette, published on 9 July 1864, reprinting a speech given by Andrew Johnson at Nashville titled 'Union and Democracy.' In the speech, Johnson argued as the Union candidate that people who had supported the Confederacy should not be allowed to control the reorganization of Tennessee's government.

Why it matters

Given during the Civil War, before Johnson became president, this speech shows his early thinking about how to rebuild Southern state governments after the war -- ideas that would later shape his controversial Reconstruction policies as president. It is also an example of how newspapers of the time spread political speeches to the public.

Look closer

  • Why does Johnson argue that 'traitors' should 'take a back seat' in restoring Tennessee's government?
  • How does the newspaper's audience, far from Tennessee, affect why this speech might have been reprinted?
  • Compare this speech to Johnson's later actions as president -- does it match or differ from what he actually did?

This newspaper article is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Andrew Johnson on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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