Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-06-07

L iancipation, the Republic must nurse the
mortal infant, into maturity and strength.
!, is the Republic which at the beginning
ok up this great work. The Republic
iust finish what 1t began; and it cannot
on this occasion, II, In anxious care, II
Ids nothing done so long as anything re-
aims undone. 1t Is the Republic, which,
ith matchless energy, hurled forward It's
mics until 1t conquered. The Republic
ust exact that "security for the future"
<ithout which this unparalleled war VIII
we been waged In vain. 1t Is the RepuD-
(which to-day, with one consentlng voice,
mmemorates the murdered dead. The
, me Republic, prompt to honor him, must
quire that his promises to an oppressed
, yce be maintained In all their integrity
! ID completeness, In letter and In spirit, so
at the great cause for which he became
, crifce, may not fail. His martyrdom was
. new pledge beyond any even in life.
There can be no question here whether a
z ate is in the Union or out of 1t. This Is
ittSphrase on which discussion Is useless.
ook at the actual fact. Here all will agree.
ne old governments are vacated, and this
enough. Until the ,chole body Of loyal
opLe have set up government, all Is un-
r the National authority, acting by the
xecutive or by Congress; and, since the
institution, even without the injunction
the Declaration of Independence, knows
,thing of color, it is the obvious duty Of
,e National authority to protect all loyal
,ople against any denial of rights on this
retension. Already 1t has undertaken to
~ that certain persons shall not vote.
irely the same authority which may limit
le electoral law of slavery may enlarge 1t.
the National authority can do anything
bout elections; If 1t can order an election; |;
it can regulate an election; If it can ex-
ude traitor who Is still at large, 1t can
i Init loyalist, whose only incapacity Is
I is skin. ....... ..... .arr '.H.... H
The colored suffrage is now necessity.
.ut beyond this, in making 1t an essential
ondition of the restoration of the Rebel
tates to the Union, we follow, first the
! NV of reason aud of nature, and secondly,
! ne Constitution; not only in its text, but as
( ,terpreted by the Declaration of Indepen-
ence. BY reason and nature there can be
denial of rights on account OF color;
nd we can do nothing which is thus IRA
ional and unnatural. By the Constitution
is stipulated that the UNITED States Shall
uarantee to every State republican form
government" but the meaning OF this
warranty must be found In the Declaration
I Independence, which IS the controlling
reamble of the Constitution. Beyond all
ucstion the United States, when called to
z nforce this guaranty, must insist on the
Equality of all Men before the laio, and the
consent of the goUrned. Such is the true
lea of Republican Government according
: o American institutions. ls.ty ..
Z The slave-masteEs, driven from their first
tntrenchments, already occupy inner de-
lenses. Property in man Is abandoned;
but they now insist that colored persons
shall not enjoy political rights. Liberty
has been won. The battle for equality Is
still pending. And now new compro-
mise Is proposed by which colored persons
are to be sacrificed in the name of State
Rights. 1t is sad that it should be so. But
i do not despair The cause may be de-
layed; but it cannot be lost; and all who
set themselves against it will be overborne,
for it is the cause of humanity. Not the
rich and proud, but the poor and lowly will
be the favorites of an enfranchised republic.
The words of the prophet will be fulfilled:
'And will punish the people for their
evil, and the wicked for their iniquity and
| will cause the arrogance of the proud TO
cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of
the terrible. will make man more pre-
cious than fine gold, even man, than the
golden wedge Of Ophir." catch these
sublime words of prophecy, and echo them
back as the assurance OF triumph. zee
Fellow-citizens, your task is before you.
Mourn not the dead, but rejoice in his life
and example. Rejoice as you point to this
child of the people who was lifted SO high
that republican institutions became mani
fest in him. Rejoice that through him
Emancipation was proclaimed. Above all,
see to it that his constant VOWS are fulfilled,
and that the promises of the Fathers are
maintained, so that no person in the up
right form of man can be shut out from
their protection. Then will the Unity of
the Republic be fixed on foundation that
cannot fail, and other nations will enjoy its
security. The cornerstone of National
Independence is already in its place, and on
it is inscribed the name OF George Wash
ington. There is another stone which must
have its place at the corner also. This is
the Declaration of Independence, with all
its promises fulfilled. On this stone we will
gratefully inscribe the name of Abraham
Lincoln. ..
z The Nep York Times, in commenting on
this speech, says:
Probably the great mass of our people
will concede that political rights should no
longer depend upon color. Whatever rights
one man enjoys, every other man, under
similar circumstances, should enjoy also.
The colored race must enjoy all the political
rights and privileges Of the white race
other things being equal. Whatever ex-
cludes the black man from voting should
exclude the white man also. The whole
country will recognize these requirements,
and the legislation of the country will here
after be based upon them. But the question
of negro suffrage in the Southern States, as
now presented, is not settled by those prin-
ciples. Other principles are involved
which demand attention, and foremost
among them is that which involves the
right of the President or of Congress to de-
eide aohat shall be the qualifications Of goters in
the seueral States. Hitherto the National
Government has never claimed any such
power. New York decides by her own
constitution what men may vote, and what
men may not vote, at her elections. Some OF
the Western States permit aliens to vote be-
fore they are naturalized. Some Northern
States exclude negro voters altogether
some require a property qualification, and
others admit them on the same terms with
whites. If the National Government asserts
control of this whole question, we must be
prepared to see that control exercised every
where. If the President may say who shall
vote in one State, he may say who shall
vote in every other. We do not believe the
several States are prepared to concede to
him this power. Massachusetts, will de-
eide for herself and will not permit the
President or Congress to decide for her
who shall and who shall not vote within
her borders.
But even ii it were competent for Con.
gress to decide this question of negro suf
frage, there are some considerations con-
nected with it which Senator Sumner car
scarcely ignore. Conceding the full natura