The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-07-15
Saturday Morning, July IS, 1865.
GOVERNOR oonY,s LETTER.
AUGUSTA, Me-, July Sd, 1866.
LORENZO CLAY. ESQ. 5f gfl7

Ac1ucLAs ME, JULY 81, 1900.
LORENZO CLAY, ESQ, 5i ElgkHs
Chairman de-, Gardiner. Me.
Sir-Y our polite note in behalf of the con
mittee, inviting me to be present and partic
pate with the citizens of Gardiner in celehra
ing the national anniversary, accompanied b
request i'll should not be able to accept.
favor you with letter communicating m
views upon the topics of the day, was duly r,
ceNeu: AS other engagements prevent th
possibility of my being with YOU. adont III
alternative, and present you with my opinion
upon one subject which is now about to er
gross the attention of the American people.
Ihe war being ended by the utter oyel
throw OF the military power of the rebels. tb
nation stands in the presence of grave due,
tons not to be evaded, and upon the wise SO
i iu1lOn =, Wnicn lts future peace and welfar
BY the emancipation Proclamation and III
concurlng legislation of Congress and fh
STATES, amending the organic law of the LAND
slavery has been abolished throughout til
United States. Color is no longer a badge o
serVltude the words of the immortal decIara
tlon, 'tnat all men are created equal so long
sarcasm upon our institutions, have with u.
b,come an eternal verify. -Four millions of bond
men, the offspring OF a promiscuous inter.
course, with but little of moral or intellectual
culture, and of such condition as is to be ex
pected OF a race whose only experience has
been that OF oppression, have been born into
new relation to society and government
Inc questions which are at this moment at
tracing, more largely then any others, the at
tentlon OF the people of this country, and ex-
citing a ieverlsh apprehension, relate to the
future status OF these people in the body polit-
Ic. Having bestowed freedom upon them Il
is the duty Of the nation to provide for the fe
moval OF the disabilities attaching through the
policy OF their masters, to their condition 4.
slaves. Among them the marital and Daren-
tai relations, as legal condition, have been
utterly ignored and the race condemned to
the level OF brutes, presenting a spectacle OF
abhorrent indecency which, had it been the
only reproach of the institution of slavery. was
enough to call down upon it the execration Of
mankind. These relations demand the recog-
milton OF the law which shall surround them
with those sanctions which have been found
necessary In all christian communities.
That ignorance heretofore legal essential
of their existence as slaves, demands to be re-
moved. This can only be effectually accom-
plished by moral and intellectual instruction
at an expense too large for private charity, and
which must be betrayed by the State In which
they reside. In a community where free
schools are coeval with its earliest settlement,
this proposition requires only to be stated to
be insisted on. aaa5
The moral and intellectual darkness hang
ing over these people is another of the hide
GUS features OF the institution which has been
destroyed. The freedmen, upon principles Of
the plainest equity, are entitled to arildiment-
al education from the estates of their late mas
tiers who so vigilantly closed the portals OF
knowledge against them, not as retribution
upon the masters, although this would be Jus
tl1abe, out because those very estates are the
fruits OF the labors of the slave
Again, access to courts of Justice for the
vindication Of their rights, which should be
placed upon the same basis as those of the
white man, must be provided; and the disabili
ty to appear in them as witnesses against
whites should be removed. ~
These are some of the instant needs of the
freedmen, which must be met, and met at once
How and by whom are they to be provid
ed for and assured?
The regulation of the right of suffrage, inher.
ing by the Constitution in the States, the pre-
liminary question demanding settlement is
the legal condition of those ancient States Of
the Union which have revolted against the
National Government and essayed its over
throw. If those States are entitled to an in
slant resumption of all their legislative rights
and if their powers have not been impaired ol
suspended by their crimes, then any discussion
OF the question of allowing the freedmen the
right OF suffrage is mere impertinent inter
ferance on the part of all outside the States in
which they dwell.
But the common sense ofmankind and the
plairest dictates ofjustice revolt against con-
clusion which would at once accord to South
Carolina and Alabama the same rights and
powers in the Union which are enjoyed to-day
In Maine and New York. Such conclusion
would confound all moral and logical distinc-
tions and would afforda guarantee against all
punishment for evil deeds. Mol the criminal
treason of these States led to war and war led to
anarchy, and the General Government having
utterly crushed their military power, has the
right to administer their civil affairs SO long as
it adjudges such administration to be for the
common veal of the nation. President John
son is eminently wise, therefore, in appointing
civil Governors for these revolted States in
stead of allowing their lately rebellions inhabi-
tants to elect them and wise, also, in assur-
ing these States, as he has in Teponse to theil
delegations, that the abolition of slavery is. an
absolute prerequisite to their resuming then
places and functions in the Union.
The southern rebels rising against the pow
er the nation, defying its government, seiz.
ing its property, ejecting its officials, obtaining
recognition OF foreign governments as possess
ed OF belligerent rights, extorting the same
from our own, continued the contest until
their armies were destroyed or captured, then
country overrun, their resources exhausted,
and they were utterly powerless to offer lurthe,
resistance. III certainly was not by force OI
any moral influence, nor by any treaty, they
We're induced to cease the contest, but by sheer
1orce OF arms. If they could have reinforced
ana suDsiSted their armies, who doubts thp,
instead OF celebrating this anniversary % The
nations Dlrtn IN peace, we should I'm bav y.
been engaged IN nagrant war. the tt,,,,da- y
cannon rolling over the land D. ~,
battlefield reaping his dess.' .-lu death On en'
Assuming, then, a+ laelig .u narvesl. a.
proper arbiter of Prs o,,est;n 1nc nss'o s - vi
the revoited ,.ates, one test natlIralIv sno
geses ltsep to every mind, whether apnlied /,
wniVe II black That should be furnished b
s-.swer to the questions: is the person seek
ing to exercise the right, loyal? and has b
been loyal to the nation during the war?
So far as regards the whites OF the South,
is very clear that loyalty was but q rare virtu
among them. Not SO with the Dlack race
The concurrent testimony of the armies
the Union in whatever quarter operating,
alstlnct, clear, and uncontradicted taat "a
blacks We're in all places and at all times OF
Hlends. Our soldiers escaping from reb
cnarnel houses at Andersonvile and Salisbur
trusted their lives with undoubting confideni
10 tne hands OF the poor negroes and Wel
never betrayed They fed; they guided: the
rescued those fugitives from death l-How o
Ten dld the Southern lcIiitespive them even 9
cup OF cold water?v The fidelity and kin,
ness OF the blacks to our suffering soldie
nylng from the inhuman barbarities of the
masters, Will ever stand in bold relief briol
page IN their history, making more infamor
~ contrast the story of rebel cruelties to or
people, 1t was not bv fhesa offices alov