Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-04-14

I y
letter on this subject, supposed to be an abls
one, in which the writer expresses regret that
| Gy mind has not seemed 10 hc definitely fixed
upon the question whether the seeded Statea
! so called are in the Union or out of it. Il
! would, perhaps, add astonishment to his regret
were hc TO learn that since | hayo found pro-
fesstd Union men endeayorng to make that a
question, | have purposey forborne any public
expr, ssion upon it, rs il appears to me that
question has not been nor yet is practically
material Que, aud that my discussion Of il while
it thus remains practically immaterial could
have no effect other than the mischievous Que Of
dividing our friends. As yet. whatever it may
become hereafter, that question is bad as tho
basis Of n controversy, and good for nothing at
ala merely pernioUua abstraction.
We all agree that the seeded States, so called,
are out Of their proper practical relation with
the Union, mud that the sole object Of the dow
ernnenti civil and military, in regard to those
States is TO again get them into that proper
practical relation. believe it is not only pos-
sibe, but, in fact, easier TO do this without de-
cidlng, or even considering whether these States
have ever been out Of the Union than with 1t.
Finding thcmsees safely at home it would be
utterly immnterial whether they had ever been
abroad.
Let us all join in doing the acts necessary to
restoring The proper practical relations between
these States aud the Union, aud each forever
after iunocenty indulge his own opinion,
whether ia doing the nets be brough; the States
from without into the Union, or only gave them
proper assistance, they never having been out
Of IT,
The amount OF constituency go TO speak, on
which the new Louisiana government rests,
would be more satisfactory To all if il contained
fifty thUus ,ud, thirty th.nsanl. or even twenty
thous aud, Instead Of only about twelve thousand
as it does.
It is also unsatisfactory to come that the cleo
tive franchise is uOt given TO the colored men
would myself prefer that it we're conferred on
the very Intelligent, aud ON those who serve our
cause rs soldiers. Stll, the question is lot
Whether the Louieiann government "a it stands
| is quite oil that is desirable. The question is
Will it he wiser to take it as it is, and help to
improve il, Of to reject aul dispbrs, it! Can
Louisiana be brought into proper practical
relation wilh The Union sooner by sustaining
or by discarlng her now State government
Some l2,OOO voters in the heretofore slave
Stnie 0f Tennessee have sworn aileqiance 10 the
Union, assumed to be tie .rightful political
power Of the State, held elections, organized u
State government, adopted a ftce STATE consti-
tutiuu, giving tho brnelit Of public schools
equally TO black Bnd white, and empowering the
Legislature to confer the elective franchise upon
the colorei aan.
Their Legislature has already voted to raiify
| the constitutional amendment recently passed
by Congress, abolishing slavery throughout tho
nation. These twelve thousand persons aro thus
fully C, mmtted to the Union aud to perpetual
freedom in the State committed to the very be-
iugs and nearly al the things tho nation wants
aud they ask the nations recognition and iia
assistance to make good their committa Now
if We reject and spurn them, we do our utmost
| to disOi gan'ze aud dlsperse them
Wa III fact say to the white man, " You are
wor,h!ets, or worse we will neither help you
nor be helped by you" To the blacks we soy,
" This cup of liberty, which there your Old mag
tiers hold to your lils We will take from you
aud leave you TO the chances oi gathering the
spilled and scattered contents in some vague
and underlined when, wheie, aud how
It this course by dlscouraging and paraly ling
both white aul black, has any tcudency 10
bring Louisiana iuto proper practical relpt ons
with the Uulou, have SO tar been unable To
percei7e II. II, Gu the contrary, we recognize
and sustain the new ruYetnnent oil Louisiana
the converse Of Al thi- is made true.
We Encourage tte lcart nul nerve the arms
Of The l2.OOO 10 adhere 10 their work, and argue
for it, and proscyte ioiti and grow H. lad iii qu
ii TO complete auecrss. The co4rc, mat. tso,
u seeiYg all uoiiol ior hlm, is !us.uei Win vi.
gilince, aui euefg 7, snd dAriag y the saslu ca j.
Mili lie not attain il SOONER ~ saving the "a.
ready advanced steps towards il, than by fua-
! niug backward over laeml
CoUeeds that the new government Llf.as4-
ana Is only to what ii .h0ul he - the Vsr = ~
the fowl, We shall sooner have The lowl ty
hatching the egg than by smus.iug it. AEON.
II reject Logsiane. we als1 tjett sLe yp.e
in favor of tue Proposed aueudia ut to tie IVA
! tiOnal Constitution.
| Ia meat fhiu t,raunu,tt... 80 t.... t.....
that no more th4L three iuIths OF ih3s- Sutes
which have not attempted secessuuarc necessary
TO Validly ratiiy the amondmeut. ! de- not coma
mil mJ self against this further t!aln u say thlt
such ratification wonld be questionable, ull
sure to be persistenhy que.iiln,d, while u Gauh.
cation by three-fou of all The States would
he unquesloned and uuquestionnble.
/ repeat the question, can Louisiana BIZ
brought into proper practical relation witn the
Union sooner by sustaining or bT discnrlng
! her new State government What has been
said of Louisiana will apply seyerally to other
states, aud yet so great peculiarities pertain TO
each State, and such important and sudden
changes occur in the same State, md withal 80
new and unprecedented is the whole case, that
no exclusive and iuilexible plnn eau safely no
prescribed.
As to details and collaterals, such mn exclu
slye and iuiiexible plan would surely become
new enianglement. Important principles may
aud must be infexible. In the present situa-
tion as the phrase goes, it may he my duty to
make same new announcement to the people
OF the South. | am considering, aud shall
not ai to act when satisfied that notion will bs
! proper.
The President, during the delivery of the
above speech was frequently interrupted by
applause, and also on its conclusion tho band
struck up a patriotic air, when he bowel aud
retired from tho window.