The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-12-14

) di orders of the past into oblivion, an,
!. that, on the other. the evidence Of sin
cerity in the future maintenance of th
Unioo shall be put beyond any doub,
by the ratification of the proposed amend
IN snt to the constitution, which pro
| vides for the abolition OF slavery, Tor
ever, within the limits of our country
So long as the adoption ofthis amend
. nent is delayed, so long will doubt ant
great jealotsyland uncertainty prevail
This is the measure which will effac,
the memory of the past. This is TIL,
measure which will most certain
Il ly call population and capital and SC
curity to those parts of the Union tha
need them most. Indeed, iii not toe
much to ask of the stats which ar,
now resnming their places in the family
of the Upion, to give this pledge O
loyalty and peace. Until it is done
the past, however mnch we may deeirt
/ il, will not be forgotten TheAdoptior
of the amendment re-unites us beyont
all power OF disruption. 1t heals the
wound thas is still imperfectly closed. :
1t removes slavery, the element which
has so long perplexed and divided the
country. 1t makes us more a united
people, renewed and strength ened
bound more than ever to mutual affect
ion and support. The amendment to the
constitution being adopted, it would re
lifain for the states whose powers hav.
been SO long Id allegiance to resume
their places in the two branches of the
national legislation, and thereby com.
ple'e the work of restoration. .. F.
Here il is for you, feliow-citizens of
the senate, an6 for you, fellow-citizens
OF the house of representatives to Judge,
each OF you for yourselves of the eiec.
tion, return and qualifications of YOU
own members. The full asserlion of
the powers of the general government
requires the holding of circuit courts of
the Z Dit.d Rtates Within the districts
where thei' authority has been inter
rupted. "r7@
In the present posture of our public
affairs, strong objections have been ur-
ged to holding those courts III any of
the states where the rebellion has exists
ed, and 1t was ascertained, by inquiry:
that the circuit court Of the United
States would not be held within the dis.
tr'ct OF Virgipia5 during the autumn or
early winter, nor until congress should
have an opportunity to consider and act
on the whole subject
TO your deliberations, the restoration
OF this branch of the civil authority of
the United States is, therefore, ueces.
sarily referred, will! the hope tn at eveffy
provision will be made for the resun,p.
ton OF all its functions 1t is manifest
that treason. most fragrant in character.
has been Committed. Persons who are
Charged with Its Commission should
h'gu~Se M ir--. -.s~.~, u ..:->,- "a .i,.
in order that tho con stitution and laws
may befully vind,cated, the truth clearly
established and affirmed that treason is
a crime, that traitors should be punish
ed, and the off nee made infamous, and
a. the same time that the question :Day
be judiciaily settled, finally and forever,
that no state. ofits own will, has the
right To renounce its place in the union.
The relations Of the general govern
ment towards the four millions of inhab-
itants whom the war has called into
freedom. have engaged my most serious
consideration. OF the propriety of at
tempting to make the freedmen electors
by the proclamation of the executive,
| took for my counsel the constitution
itself, the interpretations, Of that instru-
ment by its authors and their contem-
poraries, and recent Legislation by con-
g, esq. When, a the first movement
towards independence, the congress of
the Uuited States instructed the severa,
states to institute governments of their
own. they left each state to decide for
tself the conditions for the enjoymsnts
of the elective franchise. During the
period of the confedcracy, there con-
tinued to exist very great diversity.
in the qualifications prevailed with re
gard to the officers who were 10 be
chosen. The constitution Of the Uni
ted States recognizes these diversities
wheu it enjoins that in The choice of
members OF the house of representa-
ti>es OF the United States, the electors
in each state shall have the qualifva-
tions required for electors of the most
| numerous branch of the state logisla-
ture. After the formation of the con-
stitution, it remained as before the
uniform. custom for each stats to en-
large the body OF its electors according
TO its own Judgement: and under this
system, one, state after another has
proceeded to increase the number of
its electors, until now. universal suff-
rage, or something very near it, is the
general rule, SO fixed was this reser-
vation of power inatlie. HABITS q the
people, aud SO unqnestioned has been
the Interpretation of the constitution
that during the civil war, the late pres
ident never harbored tie purpose, GER
taiLl never avowed the purpose o!
disregardiNg it ; and in the, acts of cor:
gress, during that period, nothing Car
be found which, during the continuance
Of hostilifes, much less after their
close, would have sanctioned any de
parture. by the executive, from policy
which has SO uniformally Obtained
Moreover concession Of the elective
franchise to the freedmen, by act o.
the president of the United States, mus
have been extended to all colored men
wherever found, aud SO must have es
tablishcd a change of suffrage iu thu
northern, Middle and western states