The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-07-12
THE Grenf EssGe.

IN I2tc lCtttE 4lOm W aodAns tou3 Janus
the following significant and pointed re-
marks:
"To the feeling created by the appro-
hension that this right nay be obtained
By the negroes, I attribute the recent
exhibition of rebel venom and bad faith
in Virginia North Carolina and other
Southern States. In the extremity of
their rage the parties who show this
spirit forget that they are only preparing
themselves for harder trials and suffer
| in@s. DO they suppose, for moment,
that when President johnson recognized
the State Government, (partly to deny
that these Governments had been destroy
ed by secession, and whom he detcrmin-
ed to appoint Southern mon as Governors
over the Statet that had been stolen out
of the Union, he then departed from the
covenant he had made with himself and
with the Constitution n--that these States
should be 'republican IN form," and that
ne would stand idly by, and, under his
proclamation, allow the traitors to come
back into power by taking oaths which
they intend to break that he would cool
Iy witness their efforts to re.enslavc the
colored people; that he would remain
unmovcd before such proofs Of the inhu-
manisy of the late slave masters IN Rich
mond and Raleigh as are daily published?
Those who expected such dobasement aud
infamy fotn Andrew Johnson are simply
mistaken.
IF tao late leaders Of the South, no
matter what they call themselves now,
refuse TO accept The generous potfers OF
the Government, and to be instructed by
the teachings Of the experienced, ,hey are
no batter then tie agoyst Of the rebels, and
thea are uaft to be trusted Wib CONT
deace. Sensible men, convinced Of the
weakness, and constantly preaching, as
they do, Of the dcstitution of the South,
feeling the gigantic and Irresistible power
Of the Government, would take warning
by the signs Of the times. Such men, if
opposed to indiscriminato negro suffrage
in the South, could delay but not pre-
vent it, By throwing thamsclve@ppOn the
confidence of the Government: by show
ing that they intend to be true to their
oaths, and by assisting to ameliorate con-
dition Of tie oolored population. Do they
suppose that this population of the South
who have been taught for years and years
that the fruits Of their labor were all 90,
ing into the pockets Of their masters and
they had right to eVado the tolls of the
day, and that they had no rights in CON-
mon with their owners, can be suddenly
liberated, and be filed with the concious-
ness that they arc really free, without
feeling also :hat they are entitled to some
of the blessings so long denied to them
| would suppose that the intelligent and
philosophical observer would find it to be
his interest that the freedmen should be
taught to read and write, to pay taxes, to
, sit upon jurios, than that, with a sense of
their brute power, they should, by mu-
niciple legislation and by social obstacles
be kept in a condition Of discomfort, until
at last, forced by the sharp contrasts of
) the hour, to take that sure vengeance
which has SO frequently been apprehend-
cd. If the numbers of tho blacks in cer-
tain of tho Southern States are greater
than the numbers of the whites, this is
the fault Of the ancestors of the latter,
who traded in flesh and blood and allow
ed>tho appalling disproportion to go on.
1t is no way to deal with millions Of men
tranferred at a bound from yassalage to
liberty, to remind them tlat they are still
inforior,by unjust legislation and by every
: imaginable form Of tyranny. Let US bean
in mind that the blacks of StDomingc
only became reckless when they found
that the whites acting under the fatal and
mistaken theory | have alluded TO, tried
to re.enslave them, to teach Us, now that
this Btupondous complication is thrown
: upon our hands by the war, how to be-
have toward the black people of the South
But [ may be told that it is proftless to
discuss these issues. My answer is that
they arc upon us-they are being dis
cussod at every fre5ido and in every
workshop, and we cannot better prepare
: ourselves fer our duties than by examin
ing the question as it stands. There is
not q conscientious citizen who is moi
J giving a great portion of his thoughts tG
this consideration. When congress meet!
the whole subject viii be thrown open
and it will require all the prudence ant
good sense Of cur best men to secure
Harmonious concluson and q lasting cure
I am in great hopes that the facts,a as thoy
appear, will not be without effect upor
those who call themselves Union men II
tho Southern States, aud that these vii
will help the President, instead Of OBJ
struoting him in the discharge of hii
gave duties. They may rest assured tha
: nothing is to be gained by bad faith t.
tho Government, or BY i'll treatment CT