The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-10-14

tious policy Of reorganization. which shall
be satisfied with nothing less than absolute
guarantees for the extinction Of that spirit
of caste and prescription which is the root
of slavery and the parent of civil strife.
then the people will be as unanimous for
such 4 policy as they was last year in fol
lowing President Lincoln to the abolition
of that gross and hideous form in which
slavery then presented itself to their view.
The people of the Free States do not
intend To enter upon any crusade against
the ancient right of the State to fix the
qualifications of voters. Whether such
qualifications be of property or education,
or OF age and sex alone, is a matter of State
concern with which no one desires TO in
termeddle. But when the late rebclcom-
munities, denuded by their own acts of
State Governments, without Legislative
or judicial Departments, without even a
justice or Il constable who can legally ex-
%ercise the functions of civil Office, come
forward as suppliants for pardon. and for
restoration into the family Of States, it is
an exercise IN cur part Of the simplest
instinct OF selfdetcnce if we require that
all constitutional and statute provisions,
all customs. and usages, and traditions,
solely based upon that institution Of slav-
cry, which was the origin and handspring
of the rebellion, Shall hemade 10 give way.
Laws and ordinances made for the govern
ment of chattcls mus not be perpetuated
for the government of men.
We do not ask the President or Con
grcss to make use of any doubtful powers
but the power to preserve what the yalor
of our soldiers and sailors has won is no;
doubtful; the power TO keep the country
from again falling into the possession Of
an aristoeracy of caste-the power to pre-
serve US from another quarter Of Il centu-
Try of slavery agitation, to be followed.
perhaps, ly new rebellions and more de
vastating wars, is q power which the PEG
pie will not reliGquish, and which theii
servants, we cannot doubt, viii sooner q
later beobliged to use. Loyalty. as every.
body admits, must BE insisted on as tho
indispensable qualifications Of all voters
no matter 5chethtr tho Constitution or iou.
prescTidc 4 az nor.
But 4 dark skin. or a trace more or les.
distinct of African descent, is no evidence
of disloyaity. Nor is it any test Of intel
ligenee. 1t is simply a badge Of that ser
vitude which we have been obliged t
abolish in order TO preserve the n~ationa
existence. Shall we consent To the reSto
ration of the rebel communities under thu
two-Gfth constitutional provision. which
greatly enlarges the political power O
their voting population, and under 4 sys
TEN which excludes from the POLLS a loya
lpeople-quite as intelligent as the grea
body of the whites-whose good will to
wards u Government has helped to say,
it from destruction, and whose continued
fricndlness will be fno less indispensable,
in the future.
1t is no answer to this to say that SOM
of the loyal States do not allow c%olorc,
men 10 vote, aud that we may rs well un
dertake TO exclude Ohio from the Jniol
as TO keep South Carolina from comm;
back with full congressional powers. Sucl
inequalities, when they have not endan
eered the LOYALTY Of the States where the,
exist and where they do not threatel
hereafter To put in peril the public peace
may be safely left to the reyiving spirit 0
Ejustiee in the Northern people, stimulates
to fricndliress towards 4 race which La
performed for US 4 useful national service
At any rate we possess and claim no RICH
to interfere with the electoral laws of 10y
: al States. But the rebel States, as every
/. body admit, are IN a condition which re
| quires reconstruction or restoration, an,
which j~ustiies guardianship and the stric,
: est watchfulness on the part of our Gov
lernment and people. Whatever safe
) guards may be found necessary for til
, permanent pacification of the country
; and for the fulfllment Of the naticna
r pledge of freedom, in spirit as we'll as i
5 letter. to the enfranchised blacks, must b
? insisted upon.
! We would not lay undue stress upo
: the mere question of suffrage as a matte
OF right, or seem to insist upon giving t
. the freedmen new powers which, howeve
{, valuable to them, might not be deemed /
t be imneratiyely demanded by public cot
siderations affecting the whole countr,
We are awarc(too, that there are othe
: Questions of administration. the solutio
of which is in the hands Of the Presiden
e and Congress, and which, if rightly Sc
: tied, as we believe they will be, will 9
l far to ensure to us tranquility and safet,
We note with great satisfaction that man
r inevitable abuses. which have been brougl
' to light since the close of hostilities. hay
t been promptly corrected by the civil an
i military power.
And we are confident that a wise an
8 humane policy viii do what can be don
e in the future 10 protect the colored loya
t lists from the spirit of hatred and oppre
sion. But it will be found that the secrt
of cur peace policy is precisely what WI
r found to DO the secret Of our war polio
: that is, the necessity of doing justice
0 this people, and of placing in their hant
i the power to protect themselves, to gecul
their own rights, and redress their on
G wrongs. To this complexion mustit con
at last. And the great Industrial interes
of the nation, its financial stability an
E honor, the progress of the new civilizatio
which is to make this continent the peae
full abode Of a hundred million self-sul
porting citizens, all demand that the wor
E of craftsmanship shall be wisely commen
6 ed and thoroughly carried on.
i WM CLAFLIN, Chairman.
LOYALTY In THE PULPIT.-It is no
thought that there will be no serious opp
: sition by clergymen in Missouri to the pu
n ting in operation Of that clause of the ne
S Constitution of that State requiring them
t take an oath of loyalty as a prerequisite
e the exercise of their ministerial functions.
y The Missouri Republican copies this, al