The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-20
sPFTCH OF sETLTOR SIBERIAN.
The RespOBsIbIlIty of ~ Union Party
--CRO ESSENTIAL DOgmas--'fhe
BIaVes must be Freed--Ihe Necessity
Of negro suErage@ ~w- -

OA OhbutAayl oauO AOsHI EoN1 80 n
man addressed the Union men Of Psks-4
way county, assembled in convention at
Circleville, in an able and ststesmAnhks
review of the issues before the people, and
the responsibility of the Union party. We
reprints some extracts from his speech, giving
his views upon the great and absorbing
question oil negro suffrage. These views
are the more interesting from the fact that
Senator Sherman has been counted among
the conservatives on this great izsus:9
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UNION PARTY.
The real responsibility for political events
now rests upon the Union party, oras l
nov prefer TO call il, the Republican party.
Names are not very material, but still we
have our choice. That party whichfduting
the war, resOlutely maintained the right
and duty of the National Governments tod
suppress the rebellion by force of arms, Is
the party I mean. This party was found
ed mainly upon the Republican party, |
whose opposition 10 slavery was always
avowed, and whose msmbers have main-
tanned that the end of the war Is the end OF
slavery. It matters little what motives
unite us when we are agreed Isis certain
that we do agree upon certain fundament-
al dogmas, and these are: HC-pp
l. That the Union must be preserved.
This is Jscksonian doctrine. ~-
2. And this is Andy Johnson's DECLARE
ton; That traitors must be punished.
1Gre4t cheering.
These we regard as no longer debstables
The mode and manner Of inforciDg them,
and all the complications growing out of
the war, we may debate about, but these
are fundamental. No man can righifully
be said to belong to the party in power,
who does not sdn it them, and who will
not act upon them. !
Observation-Disclosures OF SLAVES.
A still more difficult class of questions
grows out Of the political relstions Of the
rebel States End their unhappy condition.
Oar brave soldiers-snd l an glad to see
so many of them here-can tell you bow
desperate 3 resistance they met and what
| fearful rsvsges they left behind. The
Young men of the S-uth are In their
graves. Those who had property are now
impoverished, and a ne class is in posses
sion. The slaves, upon whose labor their
industrial fabric rested, are now free, and
are working for themselves. ChArred
ruins mark the whole country; cities and
towns are in ashes. Though the armed
rebellion is crushed, the spirit Of reb .llion
still lives. A population of old men and
children, n mothers and daughters
mourning for dead husbands and sweet
hearts, and also four millions of freedmen,
swat the reconstructing hand of the Ma,
tionAl Government. And upon the prin-
ciples upon which this reconstruction shall
be founded depend not only the lives and
property of sill these people, bat also de-
pend our future national safety, Let no
man who has his part to perform in set
ting these questions satisfy his conscience
by q party cry, but let him think for him
self, under the light of the conscience i'm
printed in him By Almighty God, and let
MIN be charitable to those whose judgment
leads them to q different conclusion.
1 cannot in the limit of a short speech
enter upon an elaborate or even q brief
discussion of these questions, but wi only
state certain conclusions as to the different
classes of the Southern population.
And first as to the former slaves of the
South, we promised them their freedom,
by every mode by which n g people may
speak to smother. We prou ised it By the
proclamation of Mr.. Lincoln. Congress
twice ratified this proclamation, and the
people, in two annual elections, have rsii
lied it. These slaves have won their free
dom by their devotion to our cause. They
have from the beginning been true friends
They have borne our flag in battle. They
have been slaughtered for our cause. They
have aided our sick and wounded. They
have fed our soldiers when in prison, and
have guided their escape. They have
and the hospital. They have never fought
against US. They have relied upon ouE
promise, and have performed their part
Without them, and without their presence
as q weakness TO the Enemy We might new.
er have succeeded. By their simple faith
in US, following our fleets and our armies
they have earned their freedom. The enc.
my know and confess that an inevitable In
cident of their overthrow Is the freedom Of
the slave. 1 therefore conclude that W.
must secure them their freedom beyond al
doubt or persdventure, and msintsin Il
against every danger in any form OF recon
struction that may be adopted.
WHO SHALL YorE IN THE SOUTH
Will you, in addition, authorize them Il
vote ? Will you invest them with all the
rights and incidents of citizenship ? Have
you the power to lott under the Oonstitu
ton of the United States2 1t is perfectly
clear that unless the powers of the rebe
States are changed or sffocted by their re
bellion, Congress csnnot fI the qualifes.
ton of e voter within q State. The Oo1
stitution provides but for three elections
of President, Of Senator, and of Rspresen
A.as-z, nko D-azfdnnF i ahA-,-r 49, a.,
electors appointed in such a manner a.
the Legislature of the State may elect
Senators are chosen by the Legislatures o.
the respective States, and members art
chosen by the people Of the several States
and the electors of each State shall have
the qualifications requisite for the electors
Of the most numerous branch of the State
Legislature. If anything is clear it il
that the trainers of the Constitution mesI
that each State should prescribe who
should voc. The only limitation upon
this power is the duty of the Ns,iCns.
Government to msintaiu in each State 1
Republican form Of government.
But again the question recurs, ia not al
this changed in b state where the voter
have Voluntarily r%enounced their allegiance
to the General Government? Can such
State renounce all Us duties, and yet insis
upon its rights? 1t is generally admitted
and is certainly very clear, that the United
States may punish 3 traitor by deprivine
him of his lie, his property, his franchise
Ifone, why not all who are equslly guilty
If the entire voting population have open
ly revolted against their allegiance, it il
absurd to say that we have power to Kill
them, and yet have no power to prevent
their voting. Again, We can punish thI
counterfeitet of our coin with ~disfranchise
ment. And yet why not so punish atraito17
If one why not oil? But It's said thai
the loyal people are left who can vote Il
is q sad fact, but q very True one that tht
number of such people in the Southern
States would form 8 8 very narrow fouuds.
tion fer q republican government. North
Carolina and Tennessee may contain
enough such. a'a"
President johnson intends to try the ex.
pertinent in those states, but l fear he viii
find the spirit of rebellion too deep rooted
in those who nave taken the oath to make
them good citizens. How is it when you
come to South CaroliLa and Mississippi
1t is said, establish in these smiritary gov.