Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-11
How OberIin Looks Upon General
COx's Letter.


There has been something of anxiety to
know how the Abolltionists of Oberlin
would receive and look upon Gen. Cox's
letter, in response to Messrs. FAIRcHILD
and PLUME. We have received The Lorais
County Ne,Ss, which is published at Ober-
lin, and which, undoubtedly, in this in
stance, at least, reflects the views of the
Oberlin Abolitionists. The Neaos alleges
that the General has not answered the first
question put to him, either "directly or
Indirectly" The first question, be it re-
membered, was of very considerable impor-
tance, inasmuch as it related to the amend
ment of the Constitution of Ohio, so as to
give TO the Blacks the privilege of voting.
The question was put to General Cox with
blunt directness-Are you in favor OF
amending the Constitution for that pur-
poser TO The Ne.cs " it seems fair to say
that the first question is ignored by the
candidate altogether" On this point there
is perfect concurrence between the Ober-
linites and those who do not five in that
place. Furthermore, The Ne,os holds that
General Cox gave "no direct answer" I" to
the second question:" whether he was
in favor of comforting suffrage on the
Southern Blacks, and it asserts that
in that section, among the radical
Anti-Slavery men of the Reserve" his
views are anything but satisfactory"
and that elsewhere, especially among
Conservative and Pro-Slavery men," Ibis
treatment OF the subject, if not distinctly
his sentiments, are applauded.' While The
Neus ''should have thought the better OF
General Cox, If he had directly and frankly
answered both the questions addressed to
him." yet it is ''not sure that upon the
whole it would have increased his populari-
ty in the whole State"
There is no danger that Oberlin will bolt.
Mildly will the Abolitionists there protest
that General Cox's letter is anything but
satisfactory to them, because it lodges both
, questions put to him; but, inasmuch as
through this lodging they were furnished
a pretext for declaring that they are not
satisfied with his position, to the end that
''his popularity in the whole State" might
be 'increasedn they will give to him their
support. Oberlin knows their man !;
he was educated in their college, and i'm
bibed all the notions peculiar to that insti-
tuition. Above all things, they desired his
nomination, because of their unfaltering
faith in his devotion to the Negro, built
on undoubted knowledge. They were
guilty of an indiscretion by plunging
out so boldly in behalf of Negro Suf-
frage; they cherished the delusion
that all the soldiers would come home the
ardent advocates of the extension of suf-
frage to the Southern Negroes Tor the pur-
pose of subordinating the Southern Whites
who had participated in the Rebellion.
When the soldiers began to return home,
they realized the fact that the soldiers, as
mass, were in favor of nothing of the sort
that they were opposed to it utterly, and
hence could not reconcile it to their minds
to vote for any man for Governor who did
favor it. Nothing then became more plain
than that something must be done to help
General Cox out of the endangered posi-
ton into which he had been put by the
Abolitionists of the Reserve supporting
him on the Negro Suffrage ground. With
the soldiers and conservatives such support
would be fatal. Defeat was certain. There,
therefore, was collusion between General
Cox and the Oberlin committee. Evident
ly, the letter of interrogatory was framed
expressly to give the General an opportu-
nifty to write letter designed to catch the
votes of the soldiers and the conservatives.
The Netcs declares that both questions were
evaded and that it would have been better
pleased with the General had he given
frank and direct answers to the questions
put to him by the Oberlin committee; yet
it draws great satisfaction from the belief
that he has much enhanced the prospects
of his election by answering them in the
evasive manner he did. 1t is doubtful
whether this Oberlin juggle will succeed to
the extent calculated on.