Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-07
The Cleveland Abolition PnPers
s,tA Aha NneaanRe. III


on the Nnessnge.
The gsesetdhd Leader Is regarded as the
radical Abolition, Daily Of the Reserve.
ThIs L It's view Of the message:
|" On only one point in the whole message
will the radical Union men feel CONSTRAINED
to differ with the President-and that .ls
upon the question of Negro Suffrage. Ihe
President reaffirms srecOnstruction policy
on this subject and sustalns 1t upon the old
argument-that the regulation OF the elect
i've franchise is left exclusively to the States,
and that 10 interfere with II would be TO
transcend his duty. The answer to this ar
gument has been urged so often and so
conclusively, that we need only To restate
ft In the briefess terms The President hdS
interfered over and over again with the
franchise regulations OF the rebelllons
STATES. He did so when he PROVIDED that
none but loyal men should vote. lie did so
still more emphatlcally when he set aside
the recent elections in North and South
Carolina. If he has the right to say None
btt Ioyal men shall vote, he has the equal
right to say 'AH loyal men shall vote
"3ut the President fortifies his position
with another argument which has at least
the merit of novelty. He declares that q
concession Of the elective franchise to the
freedmen, by act Of the President OF the
United States, must have been extended 10
all colOred mel, wherever found, aud so
must have established a change OF Suffrage
in the Northern, Middle and Western
States, not less than in the Southern and
Southwestern.' 1t is hardly credible that
the author Of so able state paper as this
we are considering should have deliberate
ly introduced into 1t an argument so trans
parently illogical and baseless. 1t ignores
entirely the fact of the rebellion. 1t as
sumes that the South has forfeited no
rights or privileges, and that 1t stands In
precisely the same relation to the Union
with the States of the North, 1t assumes
that the extension of the elective franchise
would be made to the negroes because they
are the loyal citizens of rebelliOus commu-
mites. Improves too much. If 1t is accept
ed as true 1t would overthrow the recon-
struction policy Of the Government. If 1t
is accepted as true, the President has as
much right to appoint Provisional Gov
ernor in Ohio as in South Carolina. Ia
"But while we protest against the Presi-
dents argument on this subject we are
glad to observe that he uses 1t only in JUS
tiflcation of his own policy, and in dehni-
tion Of hisown duty. He makes no recon-
mendation to Congress upon the subject
and evidently desires to leave 1t sole judge
ofwhat it ought to do and can do in regard
to it. Meantime the message Indirectly
confirms the position taken by the Presi-
dent, as apriyate Individual, in favor OF the
gradual and qualified admission OF the
freedmen to suffrage" ...u..u 10
The Herald, which affects sort of con-
servatism, says this |
"The message only confirms the people
I It was not necessary, except as contirma-
tory, for the general design of Mr.. johnson
could not be mistaken. His course has dis
comtlted the foes of the Union party, it has
nerved the arm Of the loyal masses, while
those lately in rebellion have been compel
/ led to acknowledge his forbearance, kind
ness, integrity, and wisdom"