The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-28
mony it owned before the rebellion COM

no hope you can entertain of being adj
mltted to representation, either in the
Senate or House of Representatives, till
you give evidence that you, too, have
accepted and recognized that that insti-
tuition is gone. That done, the policy
adopted is not to restore the supremacy
of the Government at the point of the
bayonet, but by the action of the people.
While this rebellion has emancipated
great many negroes, it has emanclpated
still more white men. The negro In
South Carolina that belonged to man
who owned from one to five hundred
slaves thought himself better than the
white man who owned none. he felt
the white mans superior. l know the
position of the poor. white man at the
South, compelled to till the barren, sandy
and poor soil for u subsistence. You
cannot deny how he was, in your eyes,
of less value than the negro. Some here
in the North think they can control and
exercise greater influence over the ne
gro than you can, though his future
must materially depend on you. Let us
speak plainly on this subject. I, too,
am Southern man; have owned slaves,
bought slaves, but never sold one. You
and I understand this better; we know
our friends are mistaken, There the Pre-
sident rose up and continued emphati-
callyl, and tell you that don't want
you to have control of these negro votes
against the vote of this poor white man.
L repeat, our friends here are mistaken,
as you and l know as to where the con-
troll of that negro vote would fell
When they come to talk about the cleo
tive franchise, say let each State judge
for itself. l am for free government;
for emancipation, and / am for emanci-
pating the white man as well as the
black man.
A DELEGATED see you are for maintain
ing the Government and the COnstitu-
tion.
The President-Yes, sir; intact.
Delegate-We are, at this present mo-
ment, without law. You have the power.
President-Don't let us proceed upon
the idea of power, but upon that of right.
My opinion is that, for the present, you
must have an agent of the Government
"a military or civil Governor, call it
what you will-then have convention,
amend your Constitution, abolishing
slavery, adopting the amendment to the
Constitution of the United States.
After that, as far as white and black
men are concerned, they come into the
market as laborers, subject to the same
general law of supply and demand.
Delegate--But IL 1t necessary to have
convention pass upon the question?
t-Certainly-and then it re-
mains with the Governmt mt to receive
them, or "leave them out in the cold, !"
to use common expression.
Delegate-Then our admission or re-
lection would depend upon our adopting
or not adopting what you think right?
President-No; only advise; l would
have you understand ME more correctly.
In the first instance, we proceed upon
this idea: that the Constitution guaran-
tees to every State republican form of
government. Now there comes rebel
lion, which has suspended the functions
of the State Government; in order to re-
store to the State its republican form of
government which it has lost, it is ne
cessary to make some initiative step. A
civil or military Governor is appointed
---btse dgefiT of the Government; through
him the Government may say, convene
yourselves, send your delegates, but we
expect you to amend your Constitution
and abolish slavery. You may refuse,
but then Congress can say we have the
right to Judge of the eligibility of our
own members, and if you don't submit
YOU must remain under military rule
You may send your two Senators, but 1t
is for that body to admit or reject them
not for me; but here, as Executive of the
nation, can only take:the initiative to
enable you to do these things.
Delegate-But there is the fact that
slavery is not mentioned in the COnsti-
tuition of the State.
President (smiling)-But there is the
fact that it has existed in the State, and
you can amend the Constitution so that
1t will say it does not exist there.
Delegate-Then this is a sine qttd non
to precede our being restored.
President-Y ou must see that the fric-
ton of the rebellion has rubbed slavery
out. and assume it would be better fol
the people, through that convention, t.
make it legally and constitutionally
dead. The people, in coming forward
would better recognize that fact.
Judge Foster then said that industry
and enterprise were paralyzed through
out the State; that the conditions init
mated by the President AS likely to be
those required would be anticipated as
they had been expected. He stated thai
the people of the South had come out o.
the struggle wiser than they went into
it, and that it is the part of wisdom to
make the bestOf circumstances. He then
remarked that there could be little doubt
but certain illusions had forever been dis
PEELED. 1t is now very certain that the
notion that slavery is an enemy of mar
tial strength andpower is dispelled; that
notions of State rights have been cor
rected, as well as the idea that cotton is
king. The people are willing to accept
the new system of labor, and would cor
daily cooperate to make that system eff
fective. The South is the most interest
ed in the matter, and he had expected
that any suggestions it might have to
offer would be at least exempt from in
vidious construction. The negroes had
become inflamed by their newly acquir-
ed liberty; were too apt to confound it
with RIGHTEOUSNESS, and to adopt the
idea that freedom means exemption from
labor. The South would take up thesub.
ject in good faith; carry out the policy
of the Government, and hope for the
best. and none should more readily re
joice at the emancipation of the slave, |
it should prove successful measure
than the people of the South. The tlral
dom of the slave was more irksOme to TIN
master, and, indeed, the emancipation 0
the slave was in truth that of the maste
from obligations which he feared hav
been too little understood by those win
had made a crusade against slavery. HI
would dare to say that, as South Carroll
ma had gone into the rebellion will
,-oni,nstxy thapa vyotrI,