Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-07-12
A few Hours with Hon. William
Allen.
Editorial Correspondence.l
CnrLrrcorur, O., July 10, 1865,


tensions, Is one of the most delightful
places in this section of the country, where
to friends are ever welcomed by a warm
hearted hospitality, reminding one of the
hospitality that's represented to have been
a marked characteristic of the society in the
preceding generation. THERE'S, perhaps, no
man In the State who is more decidedly
student than he. To the study of science,
history, general literature, and the politics
of the country, no one brings more zest;
and this study serves to fortlfy and strength
en- his faith in the cause of Democracy. In
study and in the companionship OF his
charming daughter the most of his time is
taken up. Time deals gently with him.
He exhibits as much physical and mental
vigor as he did years ago. a
Unlike many men who have held promi-
nent positions at the hands of the Demo-
cratic party, he was faithful to the party in
its darkest and most trying hour-faithful
when he knew that overwhelming defeat
and gloom weresure to overtake it, through
false charges and a clamor set up against it
by a constituencies tanaticism. AS to the
aims and purposes of the party dominant,
throughout the last four terrible years, he
had a very keen and just perception. No
doubt whatever has he entertained of the
patriotism of the mass of that party; but
he has all along been firm in the conviction
that, from the very commencement OF our
unhappy troubles, the Abolitionists, who
have been the vitalizing element in that
party-who have given to 1t its doctrine
and its law-have not desired restoration
of the Union, and the course of policy they
are pursuing convinces him that they are
animated by no such desire now; for he
contends that if it were, the restoration has
been accomplished by our armies. Such
thing as rebellion no longer exists in the
South. The South accepts, If not with
cheerfulness, with alacrity, the condition of
things imposed upon them by the adverse
result to them Of the War. Slavery they
have surrendered as If it were an institu-
tion to which they had not been welded.
This should SO far satisfy the Abolition
lists as to induce them to suffer the coun-
try to settle into repose, to the end that
the expenditures of the Government may
be reduced to within reasonable bounds, and
the people North and South be allowed to
engage in and with vigor prosecute the
varied industrial pursuits, and thus con-
tribute to the payment of the enormous in
debtedness of the country. This, however,
can not be done, if the agitation of the Ne
gro question is to continue. The Aboli-
tionists know full well that if the Negroes
in the South are invested with the privilege
of suffrage, their late masters will control
and direct their votes. About this there
can be no doubt. 1t is as inevitable as the
decree of Providence. And the Abolition
lists are simply using this question of Ne
gro Suffrage as pretext to prevent res
tsration of the Union. They know that if
President JOHNSON were to undertake to
make voters out OF the emancipated slaves,
that it would require the maintenance of
vast military establishment to make the
mass of the Southern people submit to such
a condition of affairs. This, then, would
be holding the South as conquered Prov
inces. The indications, however, are
that President JOHNSON is not disposed
to lend himself to the furtherance of
a project so impolitic and so unjust.
On this subject (and it is subject fraught
with the gravest of consequences to our
people, because among other things it in
wolves the payment of the Public Debt).
President JOHNSON is pursuing the proper
course, and Democrats should make it
point to give him support in it that shall
fortify him against all assault. Every
bond-holder, too, who is anxious not only
that the interest shall be paid on the bond
he holds, but that the principal shall like
wise be paid, should give to him an earnest
support. The Abolitionists having thus
far failed in making President JOHNSON a
willing instrument to carry out their ne
farious scheme, are organizing to accom-
plish, through the action of Congress, that
which they have failed to accomplish
through the President. They will UNDER
take to deny admission of the Representa-
tives of any Southern State into Congress
the Negroes of which shall not have been
made voters. This line of policy will ex-
clude the Representatives from all the
Southern States, and will remand them
to political vassalage. It will indefi-
nitely postpone the restoration of the
Union, and will thereby SO swell the Pub
lie Debt, that its reputation will become
inevitable, or the great mass of the people
will become completely pauperized.
The question that now comes directly
home to us for our immediate decision, and
which alone should challenge our consider
alton, is whether the Union should now be
restored in reality, or whether, to grati-
fy the Abolition -Disunionists, the South
should be held as conquered Provinces un-
til such time as it may please them to allow
them to occupy different condition. Union
men, and men who favor the payment OF
the Public Debt, and men who do not de-
sire to be borne down with oppressive tax
alton, and laboring men, who do not want
to compete in the field of labor with the
emancipated slaves who are flocking to our
State and cheapening labor to such an ex-
tent as to drive hence the poor white la
borer, or compel him to labor at prices that
are not remunerative, should not encounter