The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-12-08

nvu, wherever found, and so must have establish
% change of sudrlgeih the Northern, Middle
spq Westesp Statess not less than in the Southern
anu Southwestern Such On act would have Gre
a'cd new class OF voters, and would have beer
IN assumption Of powcrby-thc President which
nothing ID the Constitution or iSws or the United
{ State, would have warranted.
ilJ pntbe other band, every Danger Of conflict
avoided when the rettcineh Of The question: isre
tcrred to the several States. They can, each fol
ITSELF decide on the measure, and whether II Is u
be adopted at once and absolutely, or introduced
$ gradually and with conditions. In ny judg
: ment, the freedmen, lifthey show paicnt nnd
manly virtues, viii sooner obtain pattisipatiol
c in the elective franchise through the States thar
through the General Government, even ny -had
tons that have been raised by tho suddeness OF
/ the social change shall have subsided, II may
prove that they will receive The kindliest usage
from some of those GU whom they have heretofore
most closely depended. ,,;,.....
= But while have no doubt that nov, after the
close Of the war is not competent Tor tho Gene
raj Government to extend the elective franchise
in the several States Il is equally clear that good
faith requires the security Ofthe freedmentn their
liberty and their property. their right To labor,
and their right to claim the just return OF their
labor. / cannot too strongly urge q dispass'on'
ate treatment Of this subject, which should be
. carefully kept aloof from all party striies. We
, must equally avoid hasty assumptions OF any ma
tural mppssibility for the two races to live side
by side. IN state Of mutual benefit and good will
Il The experiment involves us in no inconsistency;
r let Us then, ga on and make that experiment Ia
good faith, and not be too easily dlshcartencd.
The country Is In need OF labor, ahd the freedmen
are in need VI employ mont culture, and protec-
ton. While their right Of voluntary migration
and expatriatfon Is not to be questioned, would
not advise their forced removal aud colonitaton
T Let Us rather encourage them u. honOrsthey and
, useful industry, where il may be beneficial to
themselves aud to he'country; and, Instead OF
hasty anticpaions Of the certainty of failure let
there be nothing wanting to the fair trial Of the
Il experiment The change Ia their condition is the
substitution Ofabor by contract for the status of
slavery. The freedman cannot fairly be accused OF
nnwillingncss 10 work, so long as adOubt remains
about his freedom Of choice 10 his pursuits, and
the certainty OF his recovering his stipulated wa
ges. In this the Interests ofthe employer and the
employed coincide, The employer desires in his
workmen spirit and alacrity, aud these can be
| permanently secured in no other way. And II
the ono ought to be able to enforce the contract,
80 ought the other. The public interest will be
best promoted, IL the several States will provide
adequate protection and remedies for the freed.
men. j Until this is in some way accomplished,
there is no chance for the advantageous use, OF
their labor;a AMI the blame OF III success viii not
rest on them. %. E| ] r"SF 'F''i
know that sincere philanthropy is,earnest for
|
but time Is always an element in reform. II Is
one Of the greatest acts record to have brought
four millions Of people into freel2m. The car
recr Of free Industry must be fairly opened to
| them; and then their FIXTURE prosperity and con-
diton must, after ALL rest mainly on themselves.
they fail. and so perish away, let us be careful
that the failure shall not be attributable to any
denial ofjustcc.-In oil that relates to the desti.
ny OF the freedmen, we need not be too anxious to
real the future; many incidends which, from q
speculative point OF view, might raise alarm, will
quietly settle themselves. -.
Now that slavery Is at an end, or near It's end
the greatness of its eyil in the point of We've of
| public economy, becomes moro apd more ,appa.
rent. Slavery was essentially monopoly OF la
Dor, and rs snch locked the States where it pre-.
vailed against the incoming OF free industry.
Where labor was the property Of tho capitalist,
the white man was excluded from employment,
| or hal but the second best chance of finding il (;
and the foreign emgr,nt turned away from the
region where his condition would be so prccari-
Gus. With the destruction Of the monopoly, free
labor will hasten from all parts OF the civilized
world to assist In developing various and immcaT
surable resources which have hitherto lain dor
| nlant. The eight or nine States nearest the Gulf
of Mexico have soil Of exuberant fertility, eli
mate friendly to long life, and eau sustain tIJn.
ser population than is found rs yet In any part
ofour country. And the future population to
them will be mainly from the North, or from the
most cultivated nations in Europe. From the
the sniferings that have attended them during our
late struggle, let us look away to the future
which is sure to be laden for them, with greater
prosperity than has ever before been known. Tho
removal of the monopoly ofslaye labor Is pledge
that those regions will be pcopled by numerous
and enterprising population, which will we with
any in the Union In compactiveness, inventive sc
Mus, wealth and industry. ~ ...ui va . /
(Tbridged. lie argues next that while the
Government owes allegiance to the people, II must
be strong to correct inequalities. There must be
no monopolies, perpetuities and class legislation
nor any tax on travel or merchandise in their
transit i,lGO,533 acres Of the public lands we're
entered last year, and experience pr,yes the wis.,
lom Of the Homestead Act. On the 3O,h day OF
June last, the total number OF pensioners was
IS ,0S5, requiring for their annual pay exclusive
OF expenses, the sum OF SS,023,4 AS, The number
Of 'applcatiUns that have been allowed since that
date will require large increase Of this amount
for the next fiscal year. Tho revenues of the Post
Office Department for the past year, from the 10y
nj States alone, exceeded the maximum annual re-
ceipts frbm all the States previous to the rebellion
In the sum'of SO ,03s ,09l and the annual aver.
age increase Of revenue during the last four years,
compared with the revenues of the four years i'm.
meliately preceding the rebellion, was s., $50 Si5.
The revenues OF the last fiscal year amounted 10
Sli, $50 l5s. and the expenditures 70 l3,69i,72S,
leaving surplus Ut receipts over expenditures of
SSH ,l30 Progress has been made In restoring
the postal service in the Southern States.)
ial.pra NAVY DEPARTMENT.. .Tt
1t appears, trout the report OF the Secretary of
the Navy, that while, at'the commencement of the
present year, there were in commission $50 vessels
Of all classes and descriptions. armed with 5000
guns and manned By 81 900 men, the number of
vessels ut present in commission Is III, with $50
guns and Il, ias men,. BY this prompt reduction
Of the naval forces the expenses Of the Govern
hat lar lnt mi hal nd m ,hor
of vessels, purchased for naval purposes from the
merchant marine, have been returned to tho
peaceful pursuits, CT commerce. Since the sup
PRECISION Of active hostilities our foreign squad.
rons have been and consist of ves-
sells much more efficient than those employed on
similar service previous to the rebellion. The
suggestion for the enlargement Of the navy yards,
and especially for the establishment of one Ia fresh
water fer iron clad vessels, Is deserving Of consd
Grafton, as is Also the Recommendation for die.
ferent location and more ample grounds for the
Naval Academy. =. &c.
'"'' % WAR DEPARTMENT.
In the report Of the Secretary of War, gener.
nj summary Is given Of the military campaigns of
| 1864 and 1868, ending In the suppression of arm
ed resistance to the national authority In the in.
surcent States. Interpretations Of the general al.
ministrsti,s Bureaus Of the War Department du.
ring the past year are detailed. and an estimate
made Of the appropriations that will be required
for military purposes 10 the fiscal year commence
ing the Goth day Of June. 1866. The national mil.
itary force on the LIST of May, 1865, numbered
,0oO,5lG men. II Is proposed to reduce the mill
tsry establishment TO peace footing, compre-
bending $4,000 troops'of all arms, organized 30
as to admit Of an enlargement by filling up the
ranks to $4,000, " the circumstances Of the coun-
try should require an augmentation Of the army
The volunteer force has already been reduced by
the discharge from service Of over 500 900 troops,
and the Department Is proceeding rapidly in the
work IT further reduction. The war estimates
are reduced from ,l3i to S33sl4, 46l,
which amount, In the opinion Of the Department,