The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-02
Gen. cox on necon.iruelioa.


The Union papers of Columbus and
Cincinnati published yesterday morning
letter from General Cox 70 Principal Fair
child and Mayor Plumb, Of oberlin, in re-
spOnse to certAin questions on the subject
of the franchise propounded by them. The
extreme length of the letter, which will
preclude Its Perussl by the mass Of readers
also precludss It's publication in the LEAD
KR, and we shall content ourselves with
publishing 6 brief statement of its argu-
msnts and theories. The Oberlin letter, in
response to which General Cox puts very
plAinly and pointedly the following ques.
tions:
"lsf. Are you in faDor of modifying oar
Constitution so as TO give the elective tran
chi,e to coLored nleys2 I'd In the reOTgGni-
zats0H of the SoutherHj States, shO'std the
elective FRANCHISE be secured to the eOtOTed
people 2'oI
It also briefly presents the views Of the
writer upon the above questions and thus
cogsntly comments upon the probable con.
sequences of refusing the ballot 70 the
freedmen: ~
Deliver the four millions of freed Peope
into the hands Of their former oppressors,
now embittered by their defeat, and they
will make their condition worse than before.
The copperhesds Of she North, with the
united South, would gain control Of the
General Government, and in various ways
would hsrrsss and suppress the negroes
and their friends beyond endurance. A
war Of races would be likely to result. Ii,
Is g nation, we can be SO wicked as 70 de-
liver our colOred soldiers, and the millions
whose freedom we are pledged TO mAint@in,
into the power of the most cruel and win
dictive people that ever laid claim 10 civil
izatiOn, terrible TetribuLion will await us,
In response General Cox makes no di
rect ans Wer 70 either of the questions, but
instead proceeds 70 expOund on new plan
of reconstruction. He founds his srgu-
ment upon the declaration that there exists
between the white and the black races mu-
tusl and ineradigable anbAgorism, which
will forever prevent their permanent fusion
in one political community. Believing
this, and believing, too, that homogeneity
of social elements is the only foundation of
permanent security and success in our gov
ernment he fsvors the peaceful
separation of the two races, not
by colonization into some foreign
country, which he holds 70 be at ence Inn
practicable and unjust but by allowing to
them certsin territory within the limits of
the Union, in which they shall have social
and political privileges, and sustain ralS-
tion 70 the Federal Government analogous
to that of the Western Territories. This is,
in its briefest possible statement, the plan
proposed by General Cox for the disPOsi-
tion ofthe freedmen. Its novelty isas remar-
ksble as the franknsss with which it is pro-
pounded Many objections might be urged
against it beside the radical one which al
most every thinker will urge against IFS
fundamental propOsitIon-thst the races
are naturally hostile TO each other. But
the discussion ofthe project is at present
not only unnecessary but impolitic- As
General Cox very sensibly remarks, the
subject will not come under his cognizance
even should he be elected Governor, and
until his opinions shall be adopted and
urged By OthOrs they have no weight be
yond that which attaches 70 his individual
opinion.
1t will be observed that the Governor
entirely fails to answer the question in re-
gard TO ne gro suffrage in this State. We
regret that he has done so, as this is ques-
tion on which General Cox's views, if he is
elected Governor, are of much more i'm
portanee than those of any single citizen.