The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-07-11
THE GREAT POLITICAL PIOF.


sess-to-wit: wealth. fashion, money and
politics-he asks for the negroes the ad-
vantsge Of. the fourth element to protect
themselves sgainst the white race which
possess agsins. them the three other ele.
merts, IS well as the fourth. Mr.. Phillips
then says:
Mr.. Sumner, Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. Kelly,
they say 70 him "Sir, the white race hes
three elements; make the fourth impartial"
The President says, ~ hesitate, 1 do not
see my way cleaI." What do these gentle
men say nIf you don't see your way
clear, stop; if the way don't sppesr before
you, stand still until it does. If you don't
see your way clear to reorgaEize those
States, keep them where they are That
Is the advice Mr.. Sumner gave him; that
is the advice Mr.. Boutwell, gave him; that
is the sdviee Judge Kelly gave him.
have no disposition to bear hard upon the
President. The solution of the question
depends upon his being on our side. L
am standing here TO day to take counsel
with you TO find Out-whst2 Two things
what are the indications in our possession
to-day of where the President means
to stand2 That is the first question. The
second is il he is not standing right TODAY,
how can ha ha Y,nadn -. 49, etivFs
you the importance OF this question;
"Where will President johnson stand on
the 4Lh day of December nextP' The
press and public speakers recently under
took to discuss how weconld keepthe rebel
States out of Congress. Man say: "Fhe
next Congress may be relied upon; they
cannot gel m jofity to vote them in. No
matter where President johnson stands:
there is the bulwark of Congress; they
never will recognize these States" Is not
that the comfort every politician gives yOu7
There would be some hope if tbs members
of Congress would have an opportunity
with the delegates of the rebel States out
side of the doors of CongreSs-to vote
whether they should sit there. But in my
opinion President Johnson's theory Is,
that the States have never been out Of the
Union. Their relations have only teen
suspended, not destroyed. They are going
to have members of Congress chosen this
summer. During the next summer they
will be elected. On the 4th day Of Decem-
Der, eighty-fouF Southern representatives,
from North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida and Texas,
will march into Washington. Will
they stay at the outside of the doors of
COngress2 Mol they will walk into Con-
gress, and ait down in their old seats
They will say Gentlemen, President
johnson says the States have never been
out Of the Union" How can you check
them2 What is the next step2 Mr.. Nc
Pherson, Clerk of the House, is the only
officer. The way to organize Congress IS
shis' HHa rises and says: "Gentlemen,
are you ready to organizer '-'' We are
cry out the crowd. He then proceeds to
call State after State-Mssssehusette
Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Con-
necticut, Rhode Island. Suppose he goes
on, and calls North Carolins, Alabama,
Mississippi They respond Itremsins with
him, ana 5sith him only, whether he shall
call these 81 men inside When he has
done it they vote for Speaker. But you
may say, HMr. Boutwell, won't let them
Gentlemen, il Is not in order 10 object. If
Mcpherson admits them you cannot object
10 the Speaker chosen. Well, the Speaker
is chosen. Mr.. Boutwell, rises and says, "I
move that Louisiana has no right to sit on
this floor" The subject is referred TO COM
mittee. Suppose the committee report that
she is not, or that she is, no matter which.
The six gentlemen walk outside the bar.
OF the eighty-four Southerners seventy
eight remain, and they vote on tfe
question. Seventy eight rebel repre-
sentatives are j0ined in the decision.
But you say "Mr. Macpherson won't
do it." Why there il not one politf-
clan in thousand could resist it, II the
Administration wishes him to do iE. II
President johnson says it Is 10 be done, it
will be done. If not, it will not be done.
That is the importance Of knowing where
the President means to stand on the 4th
day of December. IF he lets the cOlored
race know that he thinks those States have
not dissolved their relations with the Gov
ernment and have right TO resume them,
then eighty four votes viii walk
inside of that Congress, and the
question will be, not shall we sdmit
them, but shall we put them out2 On
that question Of putting them out, seventy
eight of them will vote. The Democratic
party will join with them, if the President
wishes them. A large share of the Re-
p1blicsn party will join with them, if the
President wishes it. So you see, gentle
men, our fate rests in the hands OF the col
ored race, and the disposition Of Andrew
johnson on the 4th day of December next.
He, to-day, stands urging those States to
choose these men to Congress. Now the
question is, Scan we exert any
such power on him SIS that when
he has got them chosen, he shall
allow them 70 stand outside
Of Congress and abide the jadgmsnt of the
loyal mombers of that bOdy2" We ara
hoping that those Ststes will stand outside
OF Congress, and our Republican party
shall say, "You cannot come in until YOU
send us q ratification of the constitutional
amendment But suppose when they
stand there the Clerk OF the House draes
them in without giving US time to impose
that condition2 Why, then they viii say,
Gentlemen, here we ara. If You want
that amendment ratified, we will tTest.
If you want it ratified, rstiiy tho rebel
debt. If you want it ratified, ratify our
Constitution. Here we are inlide, uncon-
ditionaIIy, unpledged." While they are
= the helm Is in our hsnds. Whether
.-. -Pherson calls those States in or
o,.- that is the hub Of our
Jobn h, If the national fu-
caves them m, YOU have
rolitica tbot - '-ht
ure. In order to prevent b,.
'es to keep Andy johnson within the
.nd sound OF Charles Summers and -.
Selly Ae 3 voice and advice To-day he'sn
'WO Men LOse Their Iives -,