The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-13
GEN. slocum's SPEECH.
The Presidents Restoration Policy
Supported.
M Interference With the Domestic
Affairs Of States.

Affairs of States.
Gen. SLOoUM, the Democratic candidate
for Secretary of State of New York, made
powerful speech at Syracuse last week,
on the great questions that engage the at
tention of the country. Gen. SLooUM
speaks with the clearness and decision of a
man who has formed well-grounded opin-
ions by the exercise of his own powers of
observation and reflection. His experience
and opportunities in the South enable him
to deal with the topics of chief interest
with freshness and independence not
easily attainable by minds that learn at
distance the things which fell under bis
immediate inspection. We quote from
his speech:
The great question which for years has agi-
tated our country-which has Influenced all our
lepislation-which has created sectional parties
and at last has eliminated in civil war, has
finally and forever been put at rest. The Ope-
rations of the war having demoralized and
rendered the slave valueless the States are now
voluntarily moving to the entire extinction of
the system. Most devoutly do thank God
for this result lam confident the abolition of
slavery will prove a greater blessing to the
stakeholder than to the enslaved. With soil
of surprising richness with a climate equal to
that of Italy, with monopoly in the culture
OF the greatest of all staples, the removal of
that institution which has checked the devel.
opment of her resources, and has driven ener-
gy enterprise and capital from her borders,
opens to her career of prosperity, which in
few yeas will do much to make her children
forget the loss Of life and property she has re-
been removed which has heretofore prevented
rs from having a. true Union-one of
interest and feeling as we'll as of law. I
believe the Union is now permanently
established, and that as q people we
are soon to enter upon brilliant career.
Whether this career is to commence at once or
to be deferred twenty or thirty years, depends
very much upon the course pursued by the
General Government towards the Southern
States. If the General Government is to as
sumo powers which it has never before claimed
to possess-and is to attempt to decide who
shall be entitled to the elective franchise in
certain States-f it is to continue to interfere
in the domestic affairs of the Southern States,
keeping military officers in the midst of their
between different classes of citizens-then the
dawn of peace and prosperity is yet far in the
distance. The issue in the recent war was on
the right of secession-the Southern States
contending for that right and declaring coer-
cion upon the part of the General Government
TO be violation of their legal and constitu-
tional rights. The General Government. on
the other hand, assumed that no such right
existed, and treated the pretended secession as
q revolt of a portion of the citizens of those
States. The triumph of the Government has
decided the question, and it will never again
be made an issue unless we now voluntarily
reverse the decree. Ii we now say to the Sc
ceding States, you have been out of the Union,
and thereby lost your constitutional rights as
States, We certainly recognize the very prin-
ciple for which the South has been contending.
But am opposed t. All these measures for in
reference in the domestic affairs of those
States, not only because believe we have no
constitutional right to interfere. but because I
believe 1t will be unwse, impolitic and unjust
to do so-leading to far greater evils than we
would correct. One of the results of the re-
cent war has been the sudden emancipation of
four millions of slaves. Of these, at least one
and half millions are either children without
parents upon whom they can depend for sup.
port, or old and infirm people, having no chill
dren on whom they can lean. OF the remain
ing two and half millions, not one in a thou
sand can read-none of them possess land.
All have heretofore labored only by COM
pulsiOn, and, OF course, have not ac-
CURED habits of industry or economy
They are now in land which has
just been desolated by civil war. The pol
icy to be adopted toward them is a ques.
ton which should engage the best minds of
the country. In the solution of the question,
differences of opinion must of course be antic.
ipated. The plan of colonization has been
proposed, and as many advocate, believe it to
be impracticable as well as unwise. In their
present state of ignorance and Incidence. their
condition as colony would be infinitely worse
than that from which they have just been re-
moved. They need the example and aid of
the white race and the States where they now
are need their labor. The two races will re.
main associated, and the great mass of the ne
grOes will remain in the Southern States
These States now come forward and accept the
total abolition of slavery as one of the results
of the war. In their State Constitutions, which
are now being remodeled. every State will ac-
knowledge this fact, and will insert an article
prohibiting slavery henceiorth and forever,
Having done this they claim all the rights
guaranteed to them by the Constitution. The
right of deciding who among their own citi.
zens shall be entitled to the elective franchise
and the right of controlling their own domestic
affairs. Shall they be allowed these privileges,
or shall the General Government in violation
of the Constitution, and in violation of repeat
ed declarations as to its purposes in prosecut-
ing the war, assume control of these matters
This is now almost the only living issue be-
tween the great political parties of the day.
The Democratic party with entire unanimity
declares in favor of allowing to every State the
exercise of all powers not delegated by it to
the General Government. Now that the free
dom of the slave is universally acknowledged,
this party is willing the States where the
freedmen reside shall pass such laws as they
may deem proper for their education and sup
port. A large portion of the opposition party
favors having the General Government assume
control OF these matters. burdening our people
with the support of million paupers, and
complicating US in the settlement OF
questions with which we have no con-
stitutional right to NEEDLE. The arguments
used to convince Northern people that it is the
duty OF the General Government TO assume
this great responsibility, while the States are
willing and DESTROYS of relieving the govern.
ment from it, are based, first, upon the as
SUMPTION that, as soon as the government
withdraws its protection, great cruelties will
be inflicted upon the blacks, and secondly. that