, 1865-10-19

Of the Gpyerntaeut of the United Statas,
within the sphere of is power, and the rlght
to protect itself as1tinst dIaintegration By the
secession Of the sta1es..
And, second, You must recognize the abo-
lition Of slavery, and the right Of those who
have been Slaves to the privileges md pro-
lection of the M law Of ths .9 iana; ho reonr
ed rs the least thst would be likely to satisfy
the Government, and secure to yon the bcne-
fits OF civil government, and the admission Of
your members into the Congress Of the Uni
ted States.
Bnt eyen this may fail In the attainment Of
these ends, unless provision shall be made BY
the new State Government for comeriug the
elective franchise on the former slaves And
present appearances indicate that this will BE-
required by Northern public sentiment and
by Congress. And our people are IN no con
dltion to disregard that opinion or power with
both without further injury to yourselves
than has already occurred. II you can do
this, and secure to yourselves liberty, the
projection Of tho Constitution and the laws Of
the United States. and the right Of local self
government, you will be more fortunate than
many other conquered people hare been. The
Government and the people OF the Northern
States will, have no doubt, recognize the
necessity Of your securing these blessings, as
important to the whole country, as mems
Of preserving to it Constitutional liberty and
the present form Of republican government.
1 + an vii e. ogSa to ePR@ n 10 Sog Is
It Ia sorrowfn1 to me- But it would bc more
than folly, It would be q great crime for You,
and I, and those who may be charged with
the duty of rcorgan{zing aud restoring the
State to the Union, to refuse to recognize the
facts Of your situation, however disagrceablc,
and TO speak Of aud deal with them with can
dor and directness-
Wisdom requires rs to accept the decision
Of battle upon the Issues involved, and to be
thankful that no more has been demanded by
the conquerors, and to unite ftanklJ, and as
cheertnlly as we can, with the Government,
Some Of our people seem still to thlnk they
can retain their property md their slases, un-
der the authority Of the Constitution and laws
Of tue United States. II tho question Ind
been originally submitted 10 tho conrts OF
the country, instead Of to the trial Of battle,
this might hare been the case. Bnt We arc rs
not now permitted to clam the protection Of
the Government which We repudiated and
fought against, unless by It's consent.
It eays, I'd the great mass Of 0ur people
you may retain your property, except your
slnres. They nEe now free. And unless You
agree to this you can neither get back Into
the Government as citizens, nor into Its courts
10 assert your clains to slaves Or any other
species Of property. The only wiso and safe
course for you to pursue fs to accept promptly,
uurcscrycd1F. md in good faith, the terms and
policy offered, and to 60 forward in the work
Of reorganization md restoration to the
Union This requires your assem-, to great
pecuniarY sacrifices, momentons changes in
our social and industrial system, and a surFcn-
der Of your opinions aud preiuhices on most
important questions. It Is humblng to our
selcestccm, humfljating to our pride, and enn-
not be more unwelcome to you than 1t Is
painful to me to feel that duty requires me to
give anl you to accept the advice. 1t Is not
that sort Of advice which persons sometimes
gire but do not accept for themselves 1t Is
| ior me md mine as well 0s for y0uund yours
To the comforting Of the elective ttanchl5e
on your former slaves, I anticipate stubborn
and sincere opposition b9ssd on III TIC lgno
| total want OF Information and e1perience In
| matters Of legislation, administration, and
everything which pertains to the science OF
! government and upon the prlde OF race. And
| this objection may be sustained BY pointing
to the examples Of Mexicu, and Of the Cen
where. by tho eafranchisement of the Indians
| and the negroes, md all others, without ref
| errncc to F1ce or mental or moral fitness Tor
| tho exercise Of these responsible rights, they
hare been deprived Of the blessings Of peace,
order md good government, anu mSoiYea in
]
revolutions, otlcn Of the most cruel and bar
barous character, for more than half . cen.
tury, with DO prospect of an amelloration OF
improvement Of their condition. ;.
But these difficulties arc not tnsuperable, L
you meet them with patience aud reason
hare no doubt you can adopt plan ~hfc1
| will fully meet the demands Of Justice an1
| fa{-ness and satisfy the Northern mind, ana
the requirements OF the Government: Without
cndangefing good government, and l Tue IT,
"First, Extending the privileges and pro
| lection Of the laws over negroes as 'hes 81
ofcr the whites and alIowinE them TO- testify
Iu the courts On the same conditions, leaving
their testimony subject to It's crcdibil1T bn1
not objcctInE to its ad1nlssihillsy: And II
Of modern legislation, and the tendency Of al
judicial decisions In nl1 enlightened countries
"Aud Second, By fixing IN Intellectual anc
moral, and, II thought necessary, prop
erty test for the admission. Of an persons t
thu exercise Of the elective franchise, without
reference to race or color, which "ouid sectu'
its intelligent exercise"
Ny own yiew would be
| First, That no person now entitled to tn
privilege OF voting should bo deprived Of i
because Of any new test. | would recognize
In this the difference between taking away
right not heretofore exercised:
Second, That to authorize the admission
persons hereafter to the exercise Of the e!ec
live ftanchisc, they should te, trst, males
secona; ~ 3r-.i1e' S1sias. fanrtfe sl,oult
zens u sas =, 4He atnta ~ vear and in tbI
nave les1aeu ~ .no n.aLI W IL, Inonths n.v
o1suagt, coan.y lp.t,.. =. ~ sshsch ther mo
pose to vote; fifth; should be able to read y
The English language understAndinglv 6lxtn
| and must have paid taxes for the last yea
preceding lof NMsa Sucn 's si'S,,"I;s..in1 "S @ r.
peSabte, sHn}ect 70 an5 uie4 ".1 49, 10 s
crime, o. mhsn s1G pson nsn h. any nyyesr4,he5 b
9a1 I1ss eoH' 4''e4' "AA4~
The aaon,,on of these ncasures, IN ad1i1io
tn those before mentioned, would, in N
nss luu sc",,rc tSe re.establish1nent OF The stat
aaa+,t ness 11S tbo .tfrnissior, n bor Scnator
~ n.nross,ntrt1srs IN Cnnpresa. The suspel
s;nr @ ~ pn,i1ttaTr u,ie: and 2he restoration,
ci c1ril " 1cnnstitn},onaI and local selt-coyerr
neni Ani Il would do moru. It would 81
cure your protection against other great an
J pi pEne1nti cnnsennencn to Tour future peact
Erosns1;tv and hanpiness.
. =. 80 sa,,o-+a ~, ,nst grounds ,
.,.., rs,I hn.ii,;fE between the whij
an!1Enns~ aaa TTnless tbis is ifone. epdle:
anG olacA 1aGs. 4:ts.asa ~ saaiinI ,nrst chara
strife aad osietnsss o. nn teeii a fs1ory and b,
tefHe AeI .eaa.o WV W -enst ~" aoonsr ar la1c
man txpelte.u teren oas 90 W. nnw Fnow. fTo1
:. tesu!t u va VI .tat hn T.o- ;s hntxeen er,un
: sa1 e1Reltnce, "nnt a,e VA MT ~ ~ nj wars
aug enne nseneu a peGptIb H., 1,ost rc,ent1ess IN
sociai W.T. Q, taseI - in1 " EMULSION fro
~. ~ ~. .nsSsvn1ner+ ~ ono or Il
ths soqni Or ,nsn3tah; e,siaf5iar nd wbe1e they q
a % infa t. tbe1ssiyess % or tie loss Of liberty
hnsh @ ~ 2nces Wbere fheg ere III subject to ii
( control cont Of superior power, which would
4 our sit,;ot,on' sneak Of course, ofthe leg
* rirlts Dad status Of tho two races. Their 5
ana ana nj % subject t. to legislative regulation.
socond-Tb,s conrse wou1d filsar1u and D
: c9Ia ~ ,ntor9siota H sscf;ona1 nn3ttlcal &
~ aat;an Su ~ ~ th,s t snhicc}. At least Which
!, been tue special carsc Of our country fer );