Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-11-03

Of October, IN the Year OF our Lord, lob5, and OF
the Independence Of he United States the
GOTH
n (Signed,) ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President:
WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
Till within few weeks it has not been so
easy matter 20 tell exactly what Mr.. Johnson
intended to do, or what his course would be in
regard to those questions which are at this time
occupying the minds of the people both North
aud South. What the views of the President
are in regard TO the reconstruction of the South
ern States are of late much palmer. On the
question Of suffrage he tells us that each State
must declare who of its citizens shall vote, and
that Congress or the general Government has no
authority in the matter. But he says if he
were not President he would TRY to iutro-
ddce Negro suffrage gradually" He be-
lieves in the principle of universal or general
suffrage. But he is not in favor of comforting
this privilege at once in the former slave States
upon all, on account of the existing opinions
produced by the poisonous influences of slavery.
He would, however make commencement at
once and admit, in Tennessee, to the polls those
blacks who have been soldiers in the army,
those who can read aud write and those who
have money to the amount of two hundred
dollars
The President also believes IN making the
apportionmentf for Representatives according to
the number of qualified voters. Here is what
he says on this point: s......
Many years ago moved in the legislature
that the apportionment of Representatives to
Congress in Tennessee should be by qualified
voters. The apportionment is now fixed until
1872; before that time we might change the ba-
sis of representation from population to quail
fed voters, North as well as South, and in due
course of time the states without regard to col
or might extend the elective franchise TO all
who possessed certain mental, moral or such
other qualifications as might be determined by
an enlightened public Judgment,
The President again says, he does not think
the people Of. the States should pay any of the
rebel war debt: Every dollar Of the State
debt, created to aid the rebellion against the
United States should be repudiated, finally and
forever The great mass of the people should
not be taxed to pay debt to aid in carrying on
srebellion, which, they in fact, If left to them
selves were opposed to. Let those who have
given their means for the obligations of the
State, look to that power they tried To establish
in violation of law, constitution and will of the
people" It will be seen by this that those So
called Democrats, who think the North should
nav or assume this debt, that Mr.. johnson diff
fers from them.
Again, he says to the colored soldier: This
is the country in which you expect to live, and
in which you should expect TO do something by
your example in civil life as you have done in
the field. This is your country as well as any
body's else country. This country is founded
upon the principle of equality; the standard by
which persons are to be estimated is by their
merits and worth" The President believes in
the Constitutional amendment and places it as
the leading principle of his Administration
He says: THE mode by which this great change
the emancipation of the slave-can be effect
ed, is properly found in tnc power to amend
the Constitution Of the United States. AS to
the legality of equal rights to all men, he says;
'TWill require of each of the southern states,
hefOr6 GQeY can DE- dubQOTiZ6O I6SuID6 control
of their local affairs far as his influence can
20 to effect that result, such provisions in their
constitutions and their laws shall put all their
citizens upon an equality before the law, and
eutitle every man within their borders, whether
black or white, to all his rights of person and
property, and to redress for all his wrongs, in
the courts of the state, so as to enable him to
obtain there, at the hands of his peers all that
may belong TO him as a free man.
All know what he demands of rebels before
they can be citizens of the United States. They
"have to sue for pardon
So we have knowledge of the views of our
President-Andrew Johnson-on all points per-
tanning to the question of reconstruction. We
find he favors equal suffrage; that each State
must decide for herself who may vote and who
may not; that those colored persons who have
served in the war and who can read and have a
given sum of money shall be admitted to the
polls; that the Constitutional amendment be
fully passed; that the Southern States secure to
the colored man equal rights in the courts and
that his life and property be protected, and that
redress be granted him; that the people do not
pay dollar of the rebel debt; that the loyal
people shall be remunerated for every dollar of
expense occasioned them by the prosecution of
the war; that certain of the rebels cannot be par
doned except they make strong promise for the
future; that the States be allowed TO make their
own local laws reserving the right of the gem
eral government to oppose when it chooses.
This is his policy. All through it the prin-
ciple of equality is manifested. The President
stands upon a platform like the foregoing, and
whenever any individual or party says he or it
support the Presidentr-let them remember the
material of the planks which make up the struc-
ture upon which Andrew Johnson stands.
I. A DAY OF THANKSGIVING.