Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-11-16
magnanimity to white rebels which is made

harm hair Of their heads---no wish to dis
posst IS them Of single ripht-no wish to
heap upon them "A single indignity-no wish
to salute them with approbrious words.
On the contrary we hold to the Christian
idea of good will TO all men. We pray
that the South may be speedily healed Of
hOr ghastly wounds-that sunbeams may
again gladden. her darkencd homes-that
her parayzcd industry may recover, as by
miracle, from its shock--and that every
where within her borders the wilderness
may blossom as the rose!' At the same
time, we demand with an earnestness which
our written words can only idly and family
chronicie-that to herdown- troddcn millions
Justice shall now be done! And because Of
the beautiful laws by which God governs
human affairs, we believe that, in asking
for the rights of the negro, We are asking
for a blessing ON the South. ......
Congress Is now to secure these rights;
otherwise they 90 unsecured.
Last week we commented on the following
remarks from n sermon Of Mr.. Beccher-a
remark which appeared in italics in the
Times report, and was singled out and
wreathed with compliments in the Times
editorial: 'The laws and ntents Of the gov
ernment and of ourselves will prove Of no
avail, if they are hostile and unpleasant to
the white people Of the South. This state
ment still stands unaltered in the Times,
with compliments and all, though Mr..
Beecher write to the Tribune, the next day.
that the statement was 'inaccurately re-
ported Mr. Beccher's entire sermon,
with emendatlons by the author, appears in
our sheet to-day--a sermon which contains
las all his sermons contain), much fine sense
and fine feeling; and in which the passage
''inaccuratel ~ reported by the Times, stands
as follows: The best intentions of the gov
ernment will be defeated, if the laws that
are made touching this matter H. e. the re-
lation of whites and blacks }, are such as are
calculated to excite the animosity and ha-
tired OF the white people of the south to-
ward the black people there | except
the singlc decree Of emancipaton That
must stand, though men dislike it.
We would not thus make second ref
erencG to Mr.. Beechcr' $ sermon, except to
give him the benefit Of his explanation
But we are bound to say that his Sermon
even as explained, is not satisfactory, and
will continue to grieve his best friends. =
Certainly, as Mr.. Bcechcr says, the Proca-
nation Of Emancipation must stand,
though men dislike it. - But must equal
suffrage fall, because men dislike it" or
not. And we shall continue the same cry,
whether men will ''bear or foi bear." =" Mr..
Beecher Is not yet so explicit as to avoid
being misunderstood on certain vital points.
For instance, he apparently denies the pow
er of the Federal government to- require
equal suffrage from the south But if this
question is to be determined by the rebel
states, what becomes of the negro? We
answer in one of Mr.. Beecher' own phrases:
lie will he ground to powder"
! Il hold, says Mr. Bcecher, "that it is
not possible for us Of the north. except in 6
! remote way, to affect the condition of the
black men at the south" Onthe contrary
we hold, with Mr. Sumner, that it is in tn,
! power Of the north, in IA direct way, moi
only greatly to affect, but entirely revolu
| tionize, the condition OF the black men al
the south, and that is, by the enterventior
Ot Congress to secure equal suffrage. The
government is not ''remote" from any citi.
2 II. 1t stands at every man elbow. II
is omnipresent. Congress can plant itsell
by the side of every slaves cabin in the
land, and say: The Americans cottage i.
his castle :" And this is the great duty o.
next December. "The kindness of the
white men Of the south, says Mr.. Beechcr
SIS more important to the blacks than al
the policies Of the nation put together. -
! But there is no such Kindness of the white
men of the south" Shall there, then be
no policy of the nation to take its place.
Does any man suppose that the southern
states Of their own kindness, will ordar
equal rights? Why is the south annullina
| her ordinances of secession? Because she
IS coerced. Why is she abolishing slavery
Because she is cocrced. Why is she rcpu
dating the rebel debt? Because she is co
creed And when will she. .ordain equal suf
frage? When she is coerced Not one o
these states would have done one of thes,
things except By coercion. And now is th,
time for just. one more, and the last coer
cion-and that is into equal rights. Whel
the southern states shall be fully in tn
union, no coercion will be permissible-th
then be condemned to wait the result Of y
years agitation, before he will attain hi
rights. But now the occasion is ripe, lie
the fruit be plucked. With our whole soul
we reject every plan of reconstruction tha
does not immediately promise justice to tn
negro, so as tosecure him, in advance frou
the tyranny of lifetime Accordingly
we differ totally from Mr.. Beecher, when h
says: 1T is desirable, on every account
that the south should be restored, at the ear
liest possible moment, to a participation i
our common government. We hold Jus
the opposite vew-that a speedy re-estat
; lishment of the southern states would be
: calamity to tho republic As they wer
80 years in getting ready to go out of tn
union, let them be 30 months in gettn
ready to return! "The earliest practical nc
ment! What is it? 1t is when these state
, shall come, bearing in their arms the full
l golden sheaf Of equal rights. Not before
, What therefore, do we ask? We ask tina
, before congress meets, the executive sha
once more survey the remaining fragment
. Of its lost opportunity, and reissue Mr.. Sew
y ard S telegram, amended so as to read as TO
: lows: "The President of the United State
c can not recognize the people Of any state a
8 having resumed the relations Of loyalty t
: the union so long as that state refuses equ;
rights toits most loyal citizens. If the ez
ecutive shall still delay to make this ju,
stipulation, then let congress nail upon il
i doors the following
}, NOTICE.
= The 100 rebels now asking for seats
y these chambers arc informed that they ca
be admitted as members of this body on
: on presentation of credentials showing
. First, that the rebel states have declare
. null and void the ordinances of secession.
y Second, that they have repudiated Il
I' rebel debt.
> Third, that they have ratified the const
tutional amendments.