The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-06-29

the party in power, who does not admit
them, and who will not act upon them
sTRUoTIoN--FREEDoM OF SLAVES.
A still more difficult class of qucs-
tions grows out Of the political relation
of the rebel States and their present un-
happy condition. Our brave soldiers
and am glad to see so many Of them
here--oan tell you how desperate a re-
sistance they met and what a fearful
ravage they left behind. The young
men of the South are in their graves.
Those who had property are now impov-
erished, and a new class is in posses
sion. The slaves, upon whose labor
their whole industrial fabric rested, are
now free aud are working for them
selves. Charred ruins mark the whole
country; cities and towns are in ashes.
Though the armed rebellion is crushed,
the spirit of rebellion still lives. A
population of old men and children,
and mothers and daughters mourning
for dead husbands and sweethearts, and
also four millions of freedmen, await
the reconstructing hand Of the Nation
al Government. And upon the princi-
pies upon which this reconstruction
shall be founded depend not only the
lives and property Of all these people,
but also depends our future national
safety. Let no man who has his part
to perform in settling these questions,
satisfy his conscience by party cry,
but let him think fer himself, under the
light of the conscience implanted in
him by Almighty God, aud let him be
charitable to those whose judgment
leads them to a different conclusion.
I cannot, in the limits of short
speech, enter upon an elaborate or even
a brief discussion Of these questions,
but will only state certain conclusions
as to different classes of the Southern
population.
And, first, as to the former slaves ot
the South, we promised them their free.
dom by every mode by which one peo
pie may speak to another. We promis
ed it by the proclamation of Mr.. Lin.
coin. Congress twice ratified this proc.
lamation, and the people in two annual
elections have ratified it. Their slaves
have won their freedom by their devo
tion to our cause. They have from the
beginning been true friends. They
have borne our flag in battle. They
have carried our arms. They have been
slaughtered for our cause. They have
aided our sick and wounded. They
bave fed our soldiers while in prison
and have guided their escape, They
have performed the humble Offices o
the camp and the hospital. They never
fought against US. They have relied
upon our promise, and have performed
their part. Without them, and withou
their presence as a weakness to the enc
my, we might lot have succeeded. By
their simple faith in us, following ou
fleets and our armies, they have earned
their freedom. The enemy know ant
confess that an inevitable incident o
their overthrow is the freedom of thu
slave. l therefore conclude that W,
t must secure them their freedom beyond
= all doubt or peradventure, and maintaiI
it against every danger in any form o
E reconstruction that may be adopted.
WHO SHALL VOTE IN THE SOUTH?
Will you, in addition, authorize theu
to vote? Will you invest them with al
the rights and incidents Of citizenship
= Have you the power to do it under tn
Constitution of the United States?
is perfectly clear that, unless the power
of the rebel States arc changed or affect
cd by their rebellion, Congress cauho
fix the qualifications of a voter within
State. The Constitution provides bu
for three elections; Of President, o
Senators, and of Representatives. Til
President is chosen by electors appoint
cd in such manner as the Legislature o
: the State may elect. Senators are chos
, en- by the Legislatures Of the respectiv
States, and members are chosen by tn
people Of the several States, and tn
? electors of each State shall have tn
qualifications requisite for electors Of th
most numerous branch of tho Stat
Legislature. If anything is clear it
. that the trainers of tho COnstitutio
meant that each State should prosorib
= who should vote. The only limitatio
upon this power is the duty of the Ma
tional Government to maintain in eac
: State republican form of Governmen
But again the question recurs, is nc
= all this changed in q State where th
: voters have voluntarily renounccd the