The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-12-03
A Noble Letter from Owen Love-
10y.
he Washington Republican.


From the Washington Republican.
The following letter from the pen of the
late Owen Lovejoy speaks for itself l: Is
now for the first time made public, as whole,
by permission of Gov. Hahn, who is now in
the city.
1t is as remarkable in its developments as
it is important, inasmuch as it not only gives
the views of the then President on the great
question of suffrage, which is now agitating
the whole country, but the only other man
whose opinion is reflected in the letter on the
same subject happens to be Andrew johnson
then not thought Of even for the office of
Vice President, but who, singular as it may
seem, is now, by the course Of human events,
President Of the United States--the foremost
man in all the nation-whose opinion on the
suffrage question is most anxiously sought for
because, owing to his high position, and ex
traordinarv power, be can do more to enforce
it and put it into practical shape than any
other man.
II appears that President Lincoln and Gov.
johnson, of Tennessee, as early as March
1864, were studying the great question alluded
to, and, what is better, that they held the same
opinions
The letter is as follows:
WASHINGTON, March IA. 1868.
MY DEAR GOVERNOR Il have just been
reading with great satisfaction, brief notice
of your inaugural, and the address you made
on the occasion | am very glad that you
propose to make clean work of the slavery
question.
Will you allow me to suggest one thing more7
We cannot go to the bottom where the granite
is IN order to build, without giving the cleo
tive franchise to the negro | am satisfied
that if We stop short Of that. it will be found
that our house is built on the sand, and when
the floods come, and the winds blow, and the
rains descend, it will fall, and great will be
the fall thereof. The sense of Justice which
has been awakened in the nation by the re.
bellion, will not rest satifed to have forgiven
rebels. who have tonight to overthrow the
Government, drive away loyal black soldiers
who have fought to maintain it. 1t is not ne
cessary at first that all should vote You can
allow those who can read and write to vote,
oryou can allow black soldiers to vote. The
privilege Of voting, given to the latter class
VIZ: the soldiers, would commend ITSELF |
think, to the whole nation. You NAV think
that this is owing to my overwhelming anx-
let for the blacks, but it is not that alone,
no chiefly. | am satisfied that Providence
will not let us settle this question until we
settle 1t on the foundation of equal and exact
justice to all, in accordance with the principles
OF the declaration of independence, and the
Constitution, which know nothing of black
and white, rich or poor, but regards the rights
of men, as such, as sacred.
| was mneh grati6ed the other DAWN a con.
versatton with the President. TO find that hts
views on this subject accord with my own.
de does not feel that he can require this, as
adele-ation requested him to. Still, he de-
sires tito be done by the action of the peo
pie themselves
II Louisiana takes the lead, think all the
other States will follow, and then we shall
have settled this question on deep and broad
foundations, against which the gates of hell
cannot prevail. The number Of those who
are at first admitted to the privilege of the
elective franchise does not to me seem essen.
tial; for if you grant the right of suffrage to
any portion of the colored people, the res,
will follow in due time.
l had conversation with Gov. johnson. O,
tennessee, on this subject He feels RIGHT
personally. do hope you will see your way
clear to take the lead in this matter. You
will thus not only doa good thing for your coun,
try, but immortalize your name, for I am
satisfied the nation will grow to this, if it has
not already reached it,
Excuse me for having intruded NV views
upon your attention. The brief but pleasan,
acquaintance had with you has encouroed
me 10 90 II. Very truly yours,
OWEN LOVEJOY.
MICHAEL HAHN, Governor of Louisiana.
That we may not misrepresent either the
late President Lincoln, whose views we be-
heve TO be fairly reflected by Mr.. Loveioy. O,
those OF President johnson, we will quote tbs
language OF the latter, as recently set forth by
Major Stearns, and which the President hin,
declares tn ba ,ho<cu Ill
''lf were in Tennessee, should trv and
introduce negro suffrage gradually; FIRST n
those who had served in the army: those WIZ
could read and write, and perhaps properr,
qualincauon Tor others, say of two hundred
and nifty or three hundred dollars.''
AGAssIz IN BRAzIL.-A correspondent q
the Providence Journal, writing from ri,
Janeiro, says of this eminent Sayan,s aYna
dition: caps
Ihe explorations Of Professor Ao.ss;,
are proceeding with prospect of fru;ss e,
exceeding the expectations of those who bav,
known most OF the field. His party now con
sls's OF io.r grand divisions, one of which ba
,or us nelo lhe peninsula lying south of Cap
nc 10Th, VI the Guy OF San Paulo, and betvee,
rue aaaana rlver and the Atlantic Ocean
The second division has the sea coast o..essd
ing from Rio de Janeiro to Balm. and Nv =.
westward as the San Franchises river Th
third division has the interior, living ives, :
the San Francisco and between The ,an,
degree OF south latitude and the tron;c !
Capricorn. The fourth division. at the haa
OF which is Prof. Agassiz himself. h.. f,r ~ !,
head the great valley of the Amazon. ;nclr
ding its tributaries. This and the cos,, saS
ton are the two most interesting. If No, ~
most important fields. To the latter p.o
Asassiz gave some personal attention drr;n
the first months Of his stay here, before n !.
ceeding to the field he had more especisll
determined to spend his strength upon
BAD FOR THE RAILRoAp.-A tender. bs.r..
railway engineer on q certain railroad savs /
- never runs over a man when be can hejn !,
because lit muses. up the track So
We " FRU1TS,
I CASK TURKEY PRUNES;
eas- c;cic- Nv Fiss;
To- boxes IL ver Rassins:
~ ~ -t-r box-s Layer Ratsins.
cesks new Cur rant.;
10 c@ees Cfsnn Pr sale ~