Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-12-14


= wherever found. aud SO must have establish,
~ aohange Of suffrage in the Northern, Middl
n and Western States, not less than in the Sou.
e ern and Southwestern. Such an act woul
:. have created new class of voters, and woul
k have been an assumption of powers by til
/ President which nothing in the Constitution
!, Or laws Of the United States would nave war
c ranted.
r On the other hand, every danger of conflic
: is avoided when the settlement of the qucstio
= is referred to the several States. They can
{ each for itself, decide on the measure, am
G whether it is to be adopted at once and abso
= lutely. or introduced gradually and with con
: dtions. In my judgement. the freedmen,
! they show patience and manly vitues. wi
sooner obtain participation in the clectiv,
franchise through the States than through tn,
General Government. even il it had power t.
intervene. When the tumult of emotion.
that have been raised by the suddcnne,s O
the social change shall bave subsided, it may
prove that they will receive the kindest usage
from some Of those on when they have here
soforc most closely depended.
But while have no doubt that now, after
the close of the war, it is not competent for
the General Government to extend the elect
i've franchise in the several States, it is equal
ly clear that good faith requires the security
of the freedmen in their liberty ami their pro-
perty, their right to labor, and their right to
claim the just return Of their labor | can =
not too strongly urge a dspassionatc treat
mcnt Of this subject, which should be care.
fully kept aloof from all party strife. We
must equally avoid hasty assumptions of any
| n ~ II, f,ncehilify E,v tt,a
| side by side, in u state of mutual benefit and
good will The experiment involves us in
no inconsistency; le. US, then, 60 on and make
| that experiment III good faith, and not be too
easily dishcartcneI. The country is in need
of labor, and the freedmen are in need of en-
ploymcnt. culture and protection. While
their right of voluntary migration md expt-
triatlon is not be questioned, | would not adj
wise their forced removal and colonization
Let us rather encourage them TO honorable
aud useful industry, where it may be benef.
cial to themselves and to the country; and,
instead of hasty anticpatious Of the certainty
Of failure, let there be nothing wanting to the
fair trial Of the experiment The change in
their condition is the substitution of labor by
contract for the status Of slavery. The freed
man cannot fairly he accused Of unwilngness
to work. SO long as doubt remains about his
freedom of choice in his pursuits, and the
certainty OF his recovering his stipulated |
wages. In this the interests of the employer |
and the employed coincide. The employer
desires i'll his workmen spirit and aacrity,
and these can be permanently secured in no
other way. And if the one ought to be able
to enforce the contract so ought the other -
The public interest will be best promoted ie
the several States will provide adequate pro-
lection and remedies for the free linen. Un-
til this is in some way ceomplished, there is
no chance for the advantageous Use Of their
labor; and the blame Of ili-suc.ess will not
rest CT them.
know that sincere philanthropy is earnest
for the immediate realization of its remotest
aims; but time is always an element in re-
form. 1t is one Of the greatest acts on rec
ord to have brought four millions of people
into freedom. The career Of free industry
must be fairly opened to them; and then their
future prosperity and condition must after al
rest mainly on themselves. If they fail, and
50 perish away, let us be careful that the fail
'irc shall not be attributable to any denial of
Justice. In all that relates TO the destiny of
the freedmcn we need not be too anxious to
read the future; may incidents which, from
speculative point of view. might raise alarm.
will quietly settle themselves.
Now that slavery is at an end or near its
End. the greatness of is evil. in the point of
public economy, becomes more and more ap-
parent. Slavery was essentially monopoly
'f labor. and as such locked tho States where
t prevailed against the incoming Of free INDUS
ry Where labor vas the property Of the
,apitalist the white man was excluded from
employment. or had but the second best
chance Of finding it; and the fo- cign cmigrant
urnca away from the region where his con-
lition would be so precarious With the de-
''ruction of the monopoly; free labor will
hasten from all parts Of the civilized world to
assist in developing various and inmeasura.
Ole resources which haze hitherto lain dor.
nant. The eight or nine States nearest the
iuf Of Mexico have a soil of exuborint fer
ility. climate frier !ly to long life, aud can
sustain Il deuser population than is found as
Jet IN any part of our country. And the fu-
.ure Influx ofpopulaton to them will be main
y from the North, or from the most culriva-
ed nations in Europe. From the sufferings
hat have attended them during our late s.rus-
lie, let US look away to the future, which is
sure to be laden for them with greater pros
,erity than has ever before been known The
cmoval Of the monopoly of slave labor i, a
oledge that those regions will be peopled by
and cntcrprising population. which
sill vie with any in the Union in eompactness
nvenlivc genius, wealth, and industry.
Our Government springs from and was
made for the peopi,--not the people for the
Government. To them it owes allegiance:
rom them it must derive its courage, strength
ind wisdom. But. while the Government is
hus bound to defer to the people from whom
t derives its exisse,es. sfo3ld. frNn the
'ery consideration Of its origin. be strong in
u power Of resistance to the establishment,
4 inequalities. Mooop'lies. perpetuties. and
;lass logisLatiou are contrary to the genius of
rec government. and ought not to BE- allowed.
Here there is no room for favored classes or
nonopolies; the principle Of our Government
= that Of equal laws and freedom Of indus
ry. Wherever monopoly attains fothold
{ is sure to bc source Of danger, discord.
md trouble. We shall but fulfil our duties
Is legislators by according equal and exact
ustice to all men" special privileges to none
The Government is subordinate to the people;
L.