Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-11
From The Lorain County News.l
General COx's Letter.


The correspondence between General
Cox, Union candidate for Governor, and
Messrs. Fairchild and Plumb, of Oberlin, is
SO prominently before the public, ana VIII
be so prolific a source of comment during
the canvass, that it seemed to us desirable
to give it in full, although its repuDllcation
mostly occupies the first page OF our pa
per. It's presentation to our readers IN full,
obviates the necessity for much comment
Messrs. Fairchild and Plumb, in behalf
of themselves and a number of gentlemen
who had united in expressing wish to
hear directly from General Cox concerning
rumors as to his sentiments on Negro Suf-
frage, addressed a friendly letter to him,
asking his opinion on two specific points,
embodied in separate questions, leaving 1t
to him to determine whether his reply
should be for public use, or for private in
formation only. The General replies very
promptly, his letter being dated but one
day after that to which it is an answer.
And the General elects to make 1t public,
sending it to the press of two cities, stimuli
taneously with the forwarding of a copy to
Messrs. Fairchild and Plumb.
The first question solicits his views as TO
the propriety of amending the Constitution
of Ohio, so as to give the franchise to color
ed citizens OF the State. The other, his
views as to extending suffrage to the freed
men and other colored people OF the late
rebel States, in the reconstruction OF their
governments.
The first question the General does not
answer as we can perceive, directly or in
directly. The only passage which can pos
sibly be construed into reference to 1t, Is
that in which he speaks of the few colored
people of the North as "the waits and strays
of the great body" The inference to be
drawn from that, if indeed it has any ref
erence to the subject, does not appear
1t seems to us fair to say that the first
question is ignored by the candidate, al
together.
No direct answer is given to the second
question but what he does say, In the main
portion of his letter, justities the inference
that he is not in favor of giving the right OF
suffrage tc the black men OF the south
The main reason he gives for this, is the
great antagonism that exists now, and
would be increased by the proposed meas
ure, between the white and colored races
in those States. Instead of that he proposes
to colonize the blacks by themselves in
section of the South, and he designates the
States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
and Alabama, as the territory to be devoted
to that object. He does not propose, as we
understand him, coercive measures to effect
such colonization, but would have the Gov
ernment encourage it, and protect the
blacks in it; and as there is now majority
of that race, in at least portions of that ter
ritory, he seems to think the matter would
be easily and readily adjusted in the natural
course of things, under such encourage
ment, and guarantee Of protection.
These views, and Gen. CoX's manner of
treating the questions addressed to him, of
course meet with different degrees of ia
vor in different sections, and among differ
ent classes of men in our State. In this
section, among the radical anti-slavery men
of the Reserve, they are anything but sat
isfactory; while in other sections, and es-
pecially among conservative and pro.slave-
nv men, they are highly applauded. At
least, it may be said that his treatment OF
the subject, if not distinctly his sentiments,
are applauded.
We should hare thought the better Of General
Coz, If he had directly and frankly dnstoered
both the questions addressed to him; out zoe are
not sure that upon the tohole 1t could haze III
creased his popularity in the aolole State. II
the theory advocated by him be good and
practical one, the question still remains an
open one, whether, in the meantime, the
blacks who have fought so bravely, and in
various ways served the Union cause so
well, may not be allowed to participate in
the Reorganization of the States; and the
home question, as to the amendment of our
own Constitution, is one on which the Gov
ernor is in duty bound to act, in his mes
sages to the Legislature, whenever it is ag-
itated by the people.
1t is but fair to notice that General Cox
dwells strongly upon his position on the
platform of the party that nominated him,
and his duty to conform to it, and confine
himself to it during the canvass-a point
always urged with plausibility in such
cases, if not conclusively.
We have no doubt that General Cox
greatly overrates the antagonism between
the two races at the South, taking the
whole country together; but it may be
that things are worse in that regard, where
his sphere of observation has existed, than
in other sections, whence we have so many
accounts of the harmonious workings of
plans, amicably observed, under military
auspices as well as in many places where
the white men acknowledge their subjuga-
tion, and are disposed to make the best of
the circumstances by which they are sur
rounded. Gen. Cox's plan is essentially
the same as that of General Sherman, re-
pcatedly put forth in his proclamations and
orders at the South, and distinctly repeat
ed, quite recently, in speech at lndianap-
oils.
Time and space preclude further COM
ment on the subject at present. -...,
Gen. COx's New Dodge.
Hsas - =