The Howard union. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-07


land, and every man, alien and native, white
aud black, protected in the inalenable and
God given rights Of life, liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness. Mr.. Lincoln, in that
emancipation proclamation, which is the
proudest wreath in his chaplet Of fame,
cheers not only gave freedom othe slaves
Tut declared the government would maintain
that freedom. EAppause. We cannot
abandon them, and leave them deiencel SIS
at the mercy of their former owners. Thay
must be protected in their right Of person
and properly, and their freedom must have
the right TO sue in all courts Of justice for
Ill Just claims and to testify also, SO as TO
have security against outrage aud wrong.
call them freeihen not freedmen. The
last phrase might have answered before
their freedom was fully secured, but they
should be regarded now as freemen Of the
republic. Loud and enthusiastic cheering.
Second : The amendment Of their State
constitutions, which have been adob ed by
many OF their State conventions SO reluct-
autIy, under the pressure of dispatches
! from the Pre-, ident and the Secretary of
State, should be ratified by a majority Of
their people. Weall know that but very
small portion Of their voters participated in
the election Of delegates TO these conven-
tons, and nearly, ii not all, the conventions
have declared them in force without any
ratification by the people. When this crisis
has passed, can they not turn around and
say that these were adopted under duress
by delegates elected by meagre vote
under provisional governors and military
authorities, and never ratified by popular
vote /? And could they not turn over the
anti. Lecompton argument against us, anC
insist as we did, that a constitution no
ratified by the people may have effect, bu
no moral effect whatever
Third The President can, on all coca
sions, insist that they shall elect Congress
men who could tako the oath prescribed By
the act of 1862 but, in defiance of this
and insulting the President and the country
: they have, in large majority of instances
voted down Union men who could take tn
oath, and selected those that could not, an
, would feel disgraced if they coiiId. Withou
mentioning names, one gentleman electe
in Alabama by large majority, declare
in his address TO the people before tn
election, that the iron pen OF history woul
record the emancipation act as the mo:
INDUSTRIOUS deed OF cruelty that ever dark
ened the annals of any nation; and an
: other, who showed that he gave all poss
BILE aid and comfort TO the rebellion, de
: nounced the Congress Of 1862 as guilty
J. enactng such. an oath. A voice-'Pl
. them on probation.
d Fourth. While it must be expected that
minority of these States will cherish, fc
years perhaps, these feelings Of disloyalt
$ the country has right to expect that, b.
n fore their members are admitted 10 a shal
S in the government of the country, clet
u majority of the people Of each Of the
II States should give evidence Of their earne
n and cheerful loyalty, not by such speech
5 as are so common, that they submitd the il
e sue to the arbtrament of war; but that tn,
n are willing to stand by and fight for Il
flag oil the country against all its enemies,
10 home or abroad. The danger now is in t
}. much precipitation. Let us rather ma
"a haste slowly, and we can then hope that {
u foundations of our government, when tn
= reconstructed, on the basis of indisputal
y loyalty, will be as eternal as the stal
70 Applause.
III In President Johnson / have unshak
VI confidence. l cannot forget that, in t
OF Senate, at the opening of the rebellion,
'e was the only Southern member W
denounced it and its orginaiors, and that
d was faithful among the failhless. A
e. plause. Nor do we forget that, when
H. his way from the capital 10 his home, ms
On ted though he was at many railway STATIC
~ he never ialtered in his devotion TO
on Union. Nor can forget his speech, VII
ed Military Governor OF Tennessee, TO M
'e, meeting OF culored men at Nashville,
ed which he declared all men should have
AT lair start and an equal chance in the race
la' life, and let HIM succeed who has the N
10 merit. You all remember his speech TO
ell colored regiment Of he District of Colu
rs bia, wherein he repudiated that stereotyI
declaration that This is white ma
ed country alone and insisted that it y
us theirs also. You remember, also, his
ny marks TO the South Carolina delegation, t
mi the only right system was to protect all m
ne both white and black; and that, if they
oy the general principle right, details and {
'u' laterals would follow. We all rememt
too, his earnest dispatches to the South
led Conventions, and that he has signed
m death warrant Of every one who has b
lot convicted of conspiracy.
ro The great Union organization of
on country carried it successfully, aided
md our heroic defenders, through the peril
ing crisis of the past four years. Our belo
TO martyr President leaned upon it in the da
ITS. est hour 1t stood by the national ca
OF unfaltering. 1t voted down the Chic
BUR PLATFORM which declared the war TO b.
the failure, and which demanded a cessation
hts hostililies. The people have placed
og- whole power of The Government in
sti- hands executive, legislative, and jude
err and treasured it by the brilliant victo
i've OF this fall. Let us emulate the exampl
on, its friends in all the States. Lat us ST
re unity IN the light of duty, and believe
the executive and legislative department
re- the Government, when they compare vi
'er- together, will cordially cooperate in
nm k,NI, Il - tlni