The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-12-06

to holding those courts in any of the States
where the rebellion hasuexisted, and | have
aseortained by inquiry, that the cilcuit court
Of the United States would NOT be held within
the district of Virginia, during the autumn Ior
early winter, nor until Congress should have
| IN opportunity to consider and act on ne
subject. To your deliberations the restcfa-
| ton of this branch Of the civil authority of
the United States is therefore necessa-
rily referred with the hope that early
provision will be made for the resumption OF all
its fanetions. II is manifest that treason most fa-
grant in character has been committed. Perspns
who are charged with its commission sh1nld have
fair and impartial trials in the highest civil tribu-
nails of the country, in order that the Constitution
and laws may be fully wind ated, the truth clearly
established and affirmed that treason is crime.
that traitors should be punished and the offence
made infamous and at the same time that the q sss.
ton may be judicialiy settled finally and forever;
\ that no State of its own will has the right 70
renounce its place in the Union.
The relations of the General Government towards
the feur million of inhabitants whom the war has
called into freedom, have engaged my most serious
consideration. On the propriety of attempting TO
make the freedmen electors by the proclamation OF
the Executive, took for my counsel the Constitu-
ton itself the interpretations OF that instrument
BY its authors and their contemporaries, and
recent legislation by Congress. At
the first movements towards indepen-
dence the Congress of the UnitedStates
instructed the several States to institute gov
ernments of their own. They left each State
to decide for itself the conditions for the en-
Iioyment of the elective franchise. During
the period of the Confederacy, there contn-
ned to exist very great diversity in the
qualifications ofelectors in the severalsStates,
and even with State, a distinction of qua
liheations prevailed with regard to the
officers who were to be chosen. The
Constitution of the United Statea
recognizes these diyersties hen enjoiEs that in
the choice of members ofthe House of Representa-
tiyes Of the United States the electors in each State
shall have the qualifications requisite for electors
Of the most numerous branch of the State Legsla-
ture. After the formation of the consti-
tuition it remained as before, the uniform usage
for eaeh State to enlarge the body Gifts electors
cording to its ownjudgment and under this
system one State after another has proceeded
to increase the number of its electors. until
now universal suffrage. or something very near
it. is the general rule. SO Fixed was this re-
servation Of power in the habits the people,
and so unquestioned has been the interpreta-
ton of the Constitution that during the civil
war the late President never harhored the pur-
pose certainly never avowed the purpose Of dis
regarding il. and in the acts of Congress
during that period nothing can be found.
which during the continuance of hostilities,
much less after their close. could have
sanctioned any departure by the Executive
from q policy which has SO uniformly Oh.
tanned. Moreover n concession Of the elective
franchise to the freedmen bv the act of the
President Of the United States, must have
been extended to all colored men wherever
found and so must have established change
Of suffrage in the Northern, Middle and Wes-
tern States. not less than in the Southern and
South western.
Such an act would have created q new class
of voters, and would have been an assump-
I on Of power By the President which nothing
in tie Constitution or laws Of the Cniied
States would have warranted On tho other
hand, every danger of conflict is avoided.
when the settlement Of the question Is refer
red 10 the several States. They can each for
itself decide on the measure. and whether it
is to be adopted at uceand absolutely. or in
trodIced gradually and with conditions. In
my judgment the freedmen, IL they show POI
liticaI aud manly virtues. wIll sooner obtain a
participation in the elective franchise through
the states than through the General Govern.
Inent. If II had power to intervene. When
the tumnlt of emotions that have been raised
By the .u1denncss Of the social change
shall have sulslded, It max prove
that they will receive the kind
est usage from some of those on whom they
have heretofore most CLOSELY depended. But
while have 10 doubt that now after the close
of the war. il Is not competent for the Gen
eral Government To extend the electiye
franchise in the several States. it is equally
clear that good faith requires the security OF
tho freeftuer, in thor lil,arty and their prop
erty. their right to labor and their right to
claim the isSt return Of their labor [ can
not too strongly urge dispassionate treat.
ment of this subject. which should be care
fully KEEP, aloof from all party strife. Ne
must equally avoid hasty assumption Of any
natural impossibiIity for the two races to live
side by side in state of mutual benefi, and
good will. The experiment involves us in
no inconsistency, let then go ON and
make that experiment in good faith. aud not
, be too easily disheartened. The country
is III need of labor and the. freedmen
are in need of employment, culture and
protection, while their right of voluntary mi
grafton and expatriation is not TO be question
Ell. | would not advise their forced removal
and colonization. Let us rather encourage
them to honorable and useful industry, when
it may be beneficial 10 themselves and to the
country, and instead Of hasty anticipations
the calamity of failure let there be nothing
wanting to the fair trial of the experiment.
. L liz cuuuHe III tueiT cOHultlOu Is the S1bStftu
ton of labor by contract for the status Of
slavery The freedmen cannot fairlv be
accused Of unwilingness TO work. so long
as doubt remains about his freedom. and
freedom of choice in his pursuits, and the
certainty of his receiving his stipulated wages
! In this the interests of the employer and the
employed coincide. The employer desires in
his workmen spirit, and this can be perrna
nently secured in no other way and If the
one ought to be able to enforce the contract.
so ought the other The public interest will
I be best promoted If the several States will pro.
vide adequate protection and remedies for the
| freedmen. Until this is in some wav accom-.
/ pished. there is no chance for the adyanta-
geous use of their labor. and the blame of i'll
success will not rest on them ! know that
since rephilanthropy is earness for the immedi-
ate realization of its remotest aims but time
Is always an element in reform. 1t is one of
the greatest acts on record to have brought
four millions of people into freedom The
career OF free industry must be fairly opened
TO them. and then their future prosperity and
condition must after all rest mainly on them.
selves. If they fail, and SO perish away, let
us be careful that the failure shall not be at
tributabe to any denial of Justice In ali that
relates to the destiny of the freedmen, we
need not be too anxious TO read the future.
Many incidents which, from speculative
point of view. might raise alarm, will tiaietly
settle themselves. Now that slavery is at
an end, or near its end, the greatness
fha al.