The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-08-03
The Substance of the Argument.

Perhaps the ablest argument on recon-
struction now before the country is the
Faneuil Hall address, bearing date of June
81, and signed by the officers of the meet
ing from which it emanated, as we'll as by
the committee who drew it up. After
tersely exhibiting the tendency and final
posture of Southern society, in opposition
to that of the North, the conclusion is
reached that it was controlled by three
ideas: Slavery. Aristocracy, State Suprem-
acv. These regulated its political warfare
in 1850, were the foundation of its empire
in 1861. and sustained it during four years
of battle. No surrender has taken place
from political considerations. The South
ern States were broken down by force and
must he held by force. "The right of this
republic to be sovereign among the SOW
creignties of the earth. must be put beyond
future dispute abroadas we'll as at home"
The object of the rebellious communities
is to resume the exercise of State functions
with the least delay and the least change
of institutions. The dangers of immedi-
ate restoration are imminent, for slavery
is the law of every rebel State, and the
free colored man is disabled from testimO-
ny, education, the franchise, and even from
residence. The spirit of the people will be
hostile to the introduction of schools, of
colonies, of Northern capital and enter
prise. and of all philanthropic underta-
kings. They will oppose being taxed to
pay the national debt. 1t is fallacy to
contend that States are rehabiltated by the
mere cessation of war. The rebel country
is in military occupation; and the nation
has something to say before this is yielded
up. at is our right and duty to secure
whatever the public safety and the public
faith may require For instance, that the
republic has y permanent claim on the al
legiance of every citizen; that the public
faith be pledged to every person of color
ut the South for his complete and veritable
freedom forever and that of his posterity;
that slavery be abolished and prohibited
by irreversible law; that the system of the
States be truly republican. Most of these
ends can be attained only while the States
are still under military control. The gen.
tlemen who met in Faneuil Hall do not
ask for unconditional, universal suffrage:
eve declare it to be our belief that if the
nation admits rebel State to it's full func-
tons with n Constitution which does not
secureto the freedmen the right of suffrage
in such manner rs to be impartial, and not
based in principal upon color, and as to be
reasonably attainable by intelligence and
character, and which does not place in
their hands substantial power to defend
their rights as citizens at the ballot box,
with the right to be educated, to acquire
homesteads, and to testify i'm courts, the
nation will be recreant to its duty to itself
and to them, and will incur and deserve
to incur danger and reproach proportional
to the magnitude of its responsibility
Political justice and safety, not social
equality, is in the question. The South
gains two-fifths in the next apportionment
of representatives. We have to choose be-
tween four millions of ignorant, INDECENT,
DISTINGUISHED, degraded, helpless beings,
and the reverse. The return of the States
is desirable only so fast and so far as they
come back with Constitutions in which
the public safety and the public faith shall
be secured.-The Nation, Juiy 20.