Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-11-16
NlistsIlaneous.
THE RADICAL PROGRAMME.
Significant UttcranCe from Radical
Leaders.
A Letter from Sumno, and on El,toripl
.(rom tie hdcpcndent- What Mc Nert
Congress Is Requircd to DO.

From the New York Independent, Nov. 2
We have received the following letter
from the Hon. Charles Sumner, whose views
ofpublic policy, herein expressed, are Just,
statesman-like practical and morally noble
"BosToN Goth October, 1865.
"DEAR Mr.. EDToR-I rejoice that the
independent has planted itself firmly on the
sure ground Of equal rights 1t is natural
that a Journal which has from the beginning
so blavely and constantly opposed slavery
in all ito pretonsions, should now insist that
these preteusons shall be trampled out, SO
that nothing shall be left to breed future
trouble This can be done only through
the establishment of equal rights.
'To my mind there never was duty
palmer OF more instructive. 1t is plain AS
the moral law, and it is instructive as self:
defence. If the country fails to do this jus
tice now, it will commit crime, where guilt
and mcanncss will strive for mastery. On
this head it is enough to say thatit is "A debt
we owe to saviors and bcnefacters. But
here all the instincts Of self defence har-
monize with justice.
'Forthe sake of the whole country, which
suffers from weakness in any part for the
sake of the states lately distracted by war,
which, above all things need security and
repose for the sake of agriculture, which
is neglected there; for the sake Of com
merce, which has fed for the sake of ma
tional credit whose generous trust is eX-
posed to reputation and, finally, for the
sake of reconciliation, which can be com
plete only when justice prevails, we must
insist upon equal rights as the condition of
the new order of things. So long as this
question remains unsettled, there can be no
true peace. Therefore, | would say to the
merchant who wishes to open trade with
this region; to the capitalist who wishes to
send his money there to the emigrant who
wishes to find home there, begin by as
suring justice to all men. This is the one
essential condition Of prosperity, of credit
and of tranquility Without this, mercan-
tile houses, banks and emigration societies,
having anything to do with this region,
must all fail, or at least suffer in business
and resources.
'To congress we must look, as the guar
dian, under demonstration, Of the national
safety. ! do not doubt its full power over
this Whole subject; nor do doubt its duty
to see that every pretended government,
organized by recent rebels, is treated as Il
present nullity. President johnson spoke
well, when, in Tennessee, he said that, in
the work of reorganization, rebels must take
back seats leaving place to those who have
been truly loyal. There is the key note of
a just policy, which | trust congress will
adopt.
1T is difficult to measure the mischief
which has already cnsued from the expert
ment' which has been made Looking at
the positive loss to business and the pro
ductive industry of the country, it is pain.
tul. Looking at the distress which it has
caused among loyal people, by the revival
of the rebel spirit, it is heart-rendng. =
Looking at it in any way, it is a terrible
failure. 1t will be for congress to apply the
remedy.
Meanwhile you have the thanks of good
people, for your loyalty to the cause, and
your strenuous efforts in its behalf Go on,
I cntreat you. Do not hesitate
II am, dear sir, your grateful fellow
laborcr, CHARLES SUMNER.
This letter pure gold. Christian states
manship is common sense and moral pur
pose. 1t is such craftsmanship thatwe wish
to sec applied to our present affairs. n
equal rights will be accepted bp the party OF
the rebel states. SO long as / 4.UOO OOt
American people are denied their sacred
rights before that law which should be JUS
and equal to high and low, so long shall We
persist that this government shall not com
promise away a jot or title Of these rights
; A member Of the confederate congress
said to us, lately: "lf President johnson
had, at any time during the first twomonth
after his accession, declared to the south
i want the negroes to vote, the soutl
would have acquiesced without a murmur
for the south was expecting such a policy
and could not have refused it,. The frs
great opportunity therefore, was with tn
! president lie let it slip. The next is witt
congress. God forbid a second failure.
About 100 gentlemen, lately rebels, vii
make their appearance in Washington abou
the lst of December-elected by the south
3 ern states.to be senators and ndrepresentative
of the United States. We trust that thei
!, visit will been njoyable, profitable and dmomor
able; that they will find comfortable quar-
ters at the hotels-though we are afraid t
exact this sasa pre- requisite teofreconstruction
that they will be shown the elegant improve
= ments in the public buildings that the
= will be politely received at the president
levees but that, when they turn their step
toward the other end of Pennsylvania ave
nue., and ascend the stairs of the capitol t
y the halls Of congress, they will be touche
on the shoulder by the sergcant-at-a arms
saying: Gentlemen, the lower floor is fc
C. members your seats are in the gallery,
The president commits reconstruction t
!, congress- What, therefore, is the authorit
of congress? "l do not doubt" says MI
Sumner, ''its full power over the whol
subject. What terms, then, shall congre'
exact? The government has already eXac
ed certaiu terms. Not to mention all, "
quote one: ..
D. WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 1865.
The following is the text of the commun
cation dated Washington, Oct. 2S, 1866
and transmitted to his excellency, James .
Johnson, provisional governor of Georgi
at Milledgevile:
"Your several kilograms have been r.
ceived. The president ofthe United Statl
can not recognize the people Of any state
having resumed the relations of loyalty
of the union that admits, as legal, obligation
contracted, or debts created, in their name
- to promote the war of the rebellion.
"WILIIAM III. SEWARD"
Now, how can the federal governme
:, say to sovereign states, "You can not r
sumo your relations to the union till you fir
repudiate the rebel debt !" For the exec
lent reason that the federal governmel
A n i