The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-13
TFor the LEADER.l


DEAR SIR: 1 notice your name among
the list of delegates appointed by the COun-
ty Union Convention on the 10th inst, 70
Cuyshoga county in the az
preaching State Convention, to be helo st
Columbus on the 2lst instant, and 1 hsve
taken the liberty 10 use your name in cor
nection with this article, not because l
think you need any persuasion to bring
you to the hearty support Of the measures
1 herein propose, but in order to swsker,
If possible, q personal concern en- the part
Of all our delegates in the suggestions I
have to ofsr.
TIE important question of choosing wise
ly the person who is to set as our State
Head Is already before you, with such plain
iasimation Ct what the Ubi0n people Of this
county desire that nothing need be said 10
urge you and your colleagues in the direc-
ton of prudence snd honor. The patriotic
subjects of cheerful and strong support 10
the present National administration
hesrty welcome TO cur returning braves
who went forth boys to upAold the honor
Of our flag, and come back men to sustain
the arms of Justice and civil government
the deep sympathy of the people with those
who have given up their desreat ones,
husbands, sons, brothers sud fathers, (how
great q holocaust for the safety of the
nAsion's Iifs-the sure and Suitable punish
nssnt Of those who brought this CREST sfiic-
ton upon US for their own ambitious ends,
these. and other kindred topics, are well
calculated to urge their own claims upon
the convention to which you are sccredit-
81, and 10 one expects or asks that one of
them shall be passed upon lightly.
But there is a subject which is not 20
much engrossing the public mind as these
topics Just enumerated, and yet I believe
that 8 proper action in regard to II ia Of
more moment at this point in our Safe
history 4hsn upon any of the above vital
subj cts.
You knew,bouorsble sir-for your loyalty
in this recent struggle with re6e lion have
never been of so ieeble g kind as to leave
Won in doubt about the sciiVs cause of this
great crims-that American Slavery was
the moving spirit, the active psincIple Of
all this terrible tragedy. You know, slso,
(4las,t that it must DO said of any Sssts c-led
frea snd saddest Of all, that we must
admit it true in regard to Ohio, at whose
Christening the liberty loving patriot, JEFF
isrson, stood sponsor, and whose early life
was Graded in that immortal ordinance of
1851, you know, too well, that it was the
fashion for Northern States In years past,
both collectively by their conventions and
their representatives in Congress, and Incl
vidually in their State action, to make con-
eesslo1ls to this accused, ~domineering spirit
of Slavery. Platforms must be so con-
structed that all the bsrbsrism Of that in
iquity might have the front seat at the
stated assemblies Of either great political
party. Fugitive Slave Bills must be so
amended (God save the msrk!) that all
possibility of justice and law should be
erased from them and aver the legislation
of States in regard to their own citizens,
must take out its license from this exacling
demand.
When our State Constitution of 1851
was adopted, did We not like fawning
menisls before this despotic power, cast
aside as unworthy TO govern Us that great
principle of our Magma Chsrts, that "All
men are born free and equsp'-when we
come to provide for the right of elective
frsnchIse-and did we not ssy, in act, to
to those lordly coutherners, 1--WE know it
will hs claiming manbocd for the African
race, if we permit its children to vote In
Ohio, and this will be an impeachment of
your claimed right from God 10 ensIsve
and chsttel "a them. Therefore we cav,
only Whie male citizens shall vote in
Ohio"
For what purpose did we seek then and
there TO trsmple out from this black form
that manhood which God had stamped on
it unless it weretod do the behest of American
slavery manipulating American poliLics2
Why this sacrifice OF the rights of q race
that has 1t seems) pUrer loyal blood than
the white racer Was II mol q ssccifcs of
fered 70 Appropriate that DsgOn OF the South
ern PnilistIs2
Ard noW that the Almighty Jehovah,
who has made of o7ls blood sill the nations
OF the earth, has by The right hand of His
power smitten down this idol of the South,
so that not merely is ans are broken off
but its whole form shattered into q thous-
and crumbs, shall We still persist in our
sacrifice to its broken remaias2 God for
bid that we who have been slaves to this
sin should any longer remain in such SER
vice
Thus you see that the question Of recon-
struction has TO US 3 more potent siguii-
canoe than 10 dsIermine Whist shall be the
ssatus Of loyalty il South Carolina. The
question for uS, IS Unicn loving men-as
ioysl men in Ohio-as slsvery-hating, be-
-. -L1I.z- LmAs-- aTgs-nur $780, .,
this-What shall be the important, essen
tisl condition Of the exercise Of that high
right of citizenship, the elective franchise,
in our noble Stste2 Shall we allow il to
remain in our constitution q condition Of
color-eolOr of the skin; shutting Out loyal
men who have shouldered their musksts,
and bound their lives on the outside OF
their blue uniform for rebels to pluck of
and stamp upon; ID letting in the rebel
sympathizer, Of white face but black heart,
who las sought in the time of war
and rebellion, TO cast down our flag and
trsmple on It's authority?
Let our Convention come out boldly on
this question; and 1 charge you, sir, IS a
Representative of the freedom loving snd
God fesring voters of Cuyahogs county,
that you see to it thst no time serving pol
icy drops out from the resolutions Of INST
body plain, out-spoken statement Of the
right Of the citizens Of the State, without
regard to color, TO eIercisetbe elective fran
chise Let sresolU'ion be adopted d~eclsrir g
it to be part and parcel of our policy as d
Union party, TO take proper steps st once
% reform our Constitution in accordance
with that righteousness which is alone able
70 exslt . nation.
One word IS 10 our duty to ourselves
We degrade ourselves whenever we insult
or trsmple on cur fellow men, for We are
therein degrading that genuine manhood
which is our only title to nobility. Let US
cease this insult TO our own selves, to God
and to our brethren.
AN AETI-SLEvERY MAN.
Second Ohio Cavalry.