Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-07-06

ditional political power to those who still
eujoyed the elective franchise. But State
can only do this after she has State Gov
ernment in operation, not when she is about
to frame one. North Carolina is in the
Union, as shc has always been but her
people, having lost, by war against the Gov.
ernrnent, their political rights, are not al
lowed to 60 on under their old Constitution
and laws They have to begin again. As
Idaho, if desiring to be State, wou ID have
to do, the people of North Carolina have to
elect members Of Convention, which Con
vcntion has to frame a State Constitution,
to be presented, for acceptance or rejection,
TO Congress. Now, just as Idaho. taking
her first step toward State sovereign.
ty, could not on her own authority, begin
by denying a vote 10 the election Of mem
| bers Of her Convention, to half her free
population, or it she did, would find Der
Constitution rejected, for that cause, by
! Congress, as not emanatiug from the whole
people so, in my judgment, ought not
! North Carolina, having forfeited her State
! rights and beginning anew as Territory
! does, to be permitted, in advance, TO reject
more than third Of her free population
her rights as to venture on such reject more
| than third of her free population-3 -36l,-
522 out Of g92, ,622. hope she will net 50
construe her rights as to venture on such a
rejection If she does, Congress ought to
reject her Constitution as authorized by
part of her people only.
| But, beyond all this, we cannot safely al
low the negro-exsmption clause to take its
chance along with other possible restrictions
to suffrage which State, fully organized,
may see fit to enact. FIRST, because of its
magnitude. 1t is an act Of ostracism by
one. half the free inhabitants OF an entire
section Of country against the other hall,
equally free Secondly, because Of its char
acter and results. 1t is an act Of Injustice
! by those who have assaulted the life OF the
nation against those who have defended the
national life an act by which We abandon
to the tender mercles OF the doubttuly
loyal and the disguised traitor those whose
loyalty has stood every test, unstained, un-
shaken men ignorant and simple indeed,
but whose rude fidelity never failed either
the Union fugitive beset in the forest, or
the Union cause imperiled on the battle
field.
The decision of matter 80 grave as this
should be taken out Of the category OF those
rights which State, at her option, may
grant or may withhold; because, being na.
tiona in its consequences, it is national in
its character This is matter for Federal
interference. because, like emancipation, it
is matter involving the Federal safety.
1t is because | know the frankuess oi
your own character, Mr. President, that, at
possible risk of conflicting opinions, write
, to you thus frankly. 1t is because l am
deeply impressed by the vast importance OF
the issues at stake that write TO you at all
! think of our Union soldiers, the slr
yiyors of a thousand fields. ] recall the
last days. not OF conflict but OF triumph
when Confederate arms were stacked anC
Confederate paroles we're given, and tb,
Stars and Bars tell before the old flag.
remember with what fierce fury those wh(
surrendered at last, fought, throughout {;
four years desperate effort to shatter int
! fragments that beni gnant Government un
der which, tor three-quarters of century
they had enjoyed prosperity and protection
remember all that was done and sufere'
, and sacrificed, before, through counties dis
couragements and reverses, treason's plot
was trampled down and the glorious ending
was reached. And as, in spirit, folloy
vctors and vanquished from the scene o
, conflict, think that never was nation NOR
gratuitously or more: e:foully assaie and tha
! never did nation owe to her dellverers Iron
anarchy and dismemberment deeper deO
! of gratitude and good will.
Then ask myself great question.
Shall these soldiers of liberty, returning
from fields OF death to Northern seids G
i labor aud of peaceful contsst-of contest i
J which the ballot is the only weapon, an
y = the bulletin of defeat or of victory is cor
! tanned in the election rcturns-shall thes
, veterans, who never finched before militar
force, be overborne, with their laurels sti
;, green. by political stratagem? Their weal
y ons of war laid aside, is the reward Of thes
i conauerors to be this, that, man to mar
u they shall be entitled to one-thrd as niue
., influence in administering their country
. Government as the opponents they col
- quered Are the victors on the Fields
=, death to become the vanquished in Halls
- Legislation
It is question which the nation cann'
t ,t fail, ere long, to ask ITSELF and who ca
~ :, doubt what the ultimate answer will be =!
I, May God, who, throughout the gre
y crisis of our nation history, overruling e,
y, for good, has caused the wrath of man
|; work out His own gracious ends-directir
- US, without our will or agency, in paths
- Justice and of victory which our hums
H. wisdom was too feeble to Discovering
20 20 you also, throughout the arduous task b
&c 20 fore you, to the Just and the Right
10 ROBERT DALE OWEN.
of New York, June q, 1865.
u
III Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Sherman