Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-08-17
Henry 3. Footc--fIe FavOrs Ne
gro Suffrage, and Whyf


Mr.. Foote, under date Of Montreal, July
Is, writes as follows in letter addressed
10 Ex United States Senator Nicholson, of
Tennessee:
TO dte Hon. A. 0. T. Nichoison, Of the
State of Tennessee:
SIR: ##* Mr.. Clay and those asso.
ciated with him, in 1850, warned the over
heated pro-slayery zcalots Of that period in
accents which yet vibrate in the memories
Of millions, that the continued agitation Of
questions connected with American slavery
would iniallibly destroy it. We were told
in trumpet tones, such as might almost
have awakened the dead, that to war for
slavery was infallibly to decree its externi-
nation. We were advised that in the ex-
isting condition Of the public mind Of Chris
tendon, the indications Of bold and viru-
: lent hostility TO African slavery were to be
deserted in almost every nook and corner OF
the globe outside OF our own country, and
that nothing could possibly save it from
early destruction but the united energies of
the whole American people, living as they
did under a constitution of government
which guaranteed it's continued existence.
We secuted the counsels when applied to
US; we despised the language Of timely ad.
monition we madly kept up the fires OF
sectional excitement, piling upon them
from time to time, such inhammable rub
bi.h as the Kansas Nebraska bills, Lecomp-
ton Constitutions, and aggressive Demo
cratic Presidential platforms, and 10 ! the
evil tree which we planted, has borne poi
sonous fruit, the taste of which has been
death inevitable! 1t is now too late to be-
vail the result of our wildly fanciful exper-
iment. That result has already become
one of the established historic landmarks OF
coming generations, 1t has been. incor,o
porated and enfbred in the very vitals OF
the body polite [ will not assert it to be
absolutely true, but millions Of trusting
souls do Notwithstanding verify believe that
God in his providence blinded US, as he did
Pharoah OF old, to the natural consequen-
ces of eur own stupendous folly, and made
us the efficient, but unconscious instruments
of His own predetermined policy for the
doing away Of that which, though permit
| ted for time, and even made for several
centuries the source of much and of varied
good to the world, He had always intended
for temporary duration only, and which,
when its allotted course should have been
run, was ultimately to give way to that new
state of things upon which we are now ap-
parently entering; when freedom, both civil
| and religious, confined to no class, and lin
| tied to no complexion or ancestral pedigree,
will become the universal law and the uni
versal possession of all the sons and daugh-
ters of Adam. However all this may be,
slavery in North America is clearly now at
an end, and its future revival is just US i'm
possible as it would be to call up the moul-
dcring dead from the graves where they
sleep and to endue them anew with their
former vitality and vigor. The sooner we
of the South fully realize this fact, the bet
ter it will be for ourselves and for our whole
country. True it is that, even as late as
last December, it was possible, had proper
efforts been made for peace with those at
that time in power in Washington City, to
bring the war then raging to an end, upon
the basis of reconstruction, gradual emancl
patton, universal amnesty, and a reasonable
compensation to the owners of slaves in the
South. But the golden moment was allow.
ed to pass away unembraced; the same mys.
terious judicial blindness which had envel
oped the faculties of our Southern political
leaders for fifteen years before, still hung
like gloomy pail about their organs OF in
tellectual vision, and now we have at last
disastreusly fallen from our high estate, and
ourselves grimly enlocked in the grasp oI
those who have become our veritablc con
auerors We have been compelled to sur
render at discretion. We have lost all con
troll over our fate. We are utterly power
less. Our armies are in state of disper
sion. Our ships no longer navigate tht
deep. Our fiscal resources are exhausted
, Our rights of person and property are de
stroyed or in state of allegiance. Ou
most precious franchises are in the hands o
, those whom Jehovah and the civilized ma
tions of the earth have allowed to achiev
our ruin. Nor have we now the least grount
for hope of being raised to better cOndi
: ton hereafter, except we promptly and en-
, ergetically pursue the course. which tn
progress OF events has SO plainly marke
( out for US. We must, in order to be ire
ourselves, agree never hereafter to interfer
e with the freedom Of others. We mus
amend our State Constitutions as soon a
s possible, and embody therein our consen
9 that the four millions of bondmen an
ern soil shall be henceforth as free in a
. respects as those of the white race VIII
g lately dominated over them; in other words
s we must formally recognize the state {
, things already existing, and bind ourselve
/ to do nothing to disturb it in all futur
q time. We must, In order to assure our ow
( return to liberty and happiness, not onl
recognize the colored donizehs of the Soui
as now free, but we must allow them th
n same means Of preserving. their freeedol
is that we ourselves desire to possess. The
II must be freemen in fact as we'll as in nam'
,r We must consent to their being investe
le with the elective franchise, and this mu
G be done, too, no matter what cherished NJ
" tions we may entertain inregard to the mel
l. tai interiority of those whom some OF Us hay
h heretofore regarded as the doomed poste
h ity of Ham. Nor can we now safely Ia
IN about carrying them through course
e. special tutelage and probation, such as
n understand you to recommend, erewe NAL
b. them our own equals before the law of Il
Us land. These are not at all matters for ol
regulation, but are to be attended to
those who hold in their hands exclusive
the sword and the purse OF the nation.
NJ tell you, my dear sir, and. through you,
~ ~ wish to urge upon the whole mass OF my Il
III low couutrymen Of the South, that the
p things must be dene by US, else our Stat
h will not be allowed to have Representativ
lie and Senator'S in Congress, or even be pt
On mitted, without molestation, TO administ
or their own municipal concerns. This, 6
NV to you .emphatically, is settled matter;
W % sa. a., d,c1fo and there ia no aDDeal for