The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-12-08

deliberations, the restoration oil TINS
branch Of the civil authority of the
United States is therefore necessari-
ly referred. with the hope that early
provision will be made for the re-
sumption Ct all its functions. 1t is
manifest that treason, most fagrant
in character, has been committed.
Persons who are charged with its
commission should have fair and i'm.
partial trinis in the highest civil tri
bunals of'the country, In order that
the Constitution and the laws may
be fully vindicated; the truth clearly
established and alllrmed that treason
is a crime, that traitors should be
punished; and the oifense made in.
famous; and, at the same time, that
the question may be judicially settled
finally and forever, that no State ol
its own will has the right to renouncC
its place in the Union.
The relations of the General Gov.
ernment toward the four millions OF
inhabitants whom the war has called
into freedom, have engaged my most
serious consideration. On the pro
priety of attempting to make the
freedmen electors by the proclama
ton OF the Executive, took for my
counsel the Constitution itself, th,
interpretations of that instrumen,
by its authors and their cotcmpora
ries, and recent legislation by Con
gress. When. at the first movement
toward independence, the Congress
of the United States instructed til,
several States to inAiitute Govern
.mcnts of their own, they left eacl
State to decide for itself the condi
tions for the enjoyment of the elect
I'VE franchise. During the period o
the Confcderacy, there continued t.
exist a very great diversity in thC
qualifications of electors in the sew
'eral States and even within q STATE
II distinction of qualifications pre-
vailed with regard to the officers t
be chosen. The Constitution of tn,
United States recognizes these di. er
.sities when it enjoins that, in th'
choice of members of the House o
Representatives of the United States
"thc electors in each State shall hav,
the qualifications requisite Tor electors
.of the most numerous branch of th
State Legislature After the for
nation of the Constitution, it remain
ed, as before, the uniform usage 70
each State to enlarge the body of it
electors according to its own judg
ment; and, under mis- system, on
State after another has proceeded t
increase the number of its elect
ors, until now universal suffrage, o
something We. near it, is the gcner
al rule. So fixed was this reserva
tion of power in the habits of til
people, and so unique stoned has bee
the Interpretation ofthe Constitution
that during the civil war the lat
President never harbored the pul
lpose-certainly never avowed til
purposc-of disregarding it; and i
the acts of Congress, during that pt
Rod, nothing can be found whicl
: during the continuance of hostilitie
much less after their close, woul
have sanctioned any departure by Il
f Executive from q policy which HI
4 so uniformly obtained. Moreover,
e concession of the elective iranchi
n to the freedmer, by act of the Pres
a dent of the United States. must ha'
4. hqRn ,Qyinp9ea u tnaau saplara5, ne
S established 4 change of suffrage
\ the Northern, Middle and Wcstel
4 States, not less than in the South al
/. South. western. Such an act won
= have created new class of voter
= and would have been an assumptit
: of power by the President whi
= nothing in the Constitution or lay
t of the Uuitcd States would have wa
$ ranted.
k On the other hand, every dang
o of conflict is avoided when the sett
c ment of the question is referred
C the several States. They can, ca
n for itself, decide on the measul
IT and whether it is to be adopted
j. once and absolutely, or introduc
i. gradually and with conditions.
e my Judgment, the freedmen, if tn
'e show patience and manly virtues, W
4 sooner obtain participation in t
,f elective franchise through the Stat
'r than through the General Cover
l. ment, even if it had power to int
o venc. When the tumult Of emotio
|. that have been raised by the suddo
II ness of the social change shall ha
subsidized, it may prove that they W
II receive the kindest usage from sol
t; OF those on whom they have heret
It fore most closely depended.
|, But while / have no doubt th
@ now, after the close OF the war, it
= not competent for the General Go
c ernment to extend the elective fra
r chise in the several States, it
0 equally clear that good faith requir
y the security of the freedmen in th'
!, liberty, their property, their right
Il abor and their right TO claim the ju
# return of their labor. | cannot t.
4 strongly urge a dispassionate tres
S ment of this subject, which shou
y be kept alOoi from all party strife.
We must equally avoid hasty assum
1 tions of any natural impossibihties
S the two races to live side by side,
. a state of mutual benefit and GOO
1 will. The experiment Involves us
n no inconsistency; let MS, then, go an
make that experiment in good fait
+. and not be too easily disheartened.
q The country is in need of labor, ar
e the freedmen are in need of emplo
e ment, culture and protection. Viii