The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-08-24

H
Volunteer. Z e
If this be not allowed what other
absurdity presents itself?
The conception of an invisible apir-
itual state, surviving its bodily destruc-
ton, and even this abstraction must
owe allegiance to the Federal Govern
ment, and can only be rehabilitated by
the consent of the General Govern
ment. r
Why? lg.u
Its leading institution has been de-
stroyed by the Federal power. Its
old Governors and old Legislatures,
are spotted all over by treason, and
can all legally be hanged as traitors;
for being engaged in measures to break
the unity of the life Of the State-a
fact that clearly proves the death of
the State--the white inhabitants all
defeated rebels, and no one Of them
can vote without taking an oath pre-
scribed by no real State, They de-
rive this right to vote not from their
old charters buttrom Federal amnesty.
They are pardoned into voters they
arc born again into usby Federal
fiat They are all treated alike and
all must, before voting, alike take the
oath. And this not TO revive the
old State, but to make a new one, with
new powers, new Constitutions and to
be admitted into the Union only by
consent Of Loyal States. All this re-
suits from tho necessity existing, as
we'll as from the essential sovereignty
of the United States, of which the war
power was the incident. Sec what
Governor James Johnson of Georgia,
says in proclamation dated July l3'
"And whereas, the rebellion which
has been waged by portion of the
people against the Government of the
United States, has, in its revolutionary
progress, deprived the people of the
State of all civil Government, and
whereas, they must remain. without
civil officers and the administration OF
civil law until State Government shall
have been organized, &c. &C."
Who administers law now in Geor
oia and the rebol States? Military
authority, under orders of Congress
and tho President.
If the Federal Government has the
right to prescribe the rule by which
white men can vote, does not this i'm
ply also the right to extend the same
privilege to emapcipated slaves2
1t will net do at this stage to say
the Federal Government has no righ'
to prescribe the qualifications of voters
in the States because in the case O
whites, it does and must prescribe then
and the President has just the same
right to. say that the negroes shall
vote as he has that the pardoned Rebel
shall vote. Loyal States alone have
tho right to decide on the qualifica
tions Of voters. Rebel States are now
through the agency of Provisional
Governors, taking preparatory steps t
form State Governments, directing vo
ters, constituted such by Federal au
thority, to elect delegates to a convcn
tion of the people. We misuse Ian
guage when we call North Caroline
and Georgia States in the same sense
in which we use the term in speaking
of Ohio and Massachusetts,. After thes
conventions have formed State Con
stitutions-when their State govern
ments are organizcd-their Senator
and members Of Congress admitted t.
the Congress of the United States, thel
and then only win they be States.
Conceding the above facts, woul'
it not be polite and wise to make tn
qualifications of voters nearly as pos
sibly what they were before the rebel
lion?
Several millions of men held Il
slaves before the war have been eman
cipated. They are now as free as tn
whites. The old constitutions mus
be changed to admit this change
Should these people, made citizens b.
the war, be yet subjugated to the pow
er of those SO recently purged from tn
guilt Of treason? There is neithe
reason, justice nor policy in this prop
osition. ~ .
The question of negro suffrage beini
ono of expediency to be decided upo
its merits. What important questio
first presents itself2 = . .."
1t is; is it, right to trust 80 importan
and valuable right rs that Of suffrag
to ignorant and unintelligent men?
This sounds we'll bat q moment
reflection shows Us that the objectio
is directed simply against de6cicncie
of education and intelligence whic
happen to be accompanied by blac
skin. Three fifths or three fourths {
the poor white people of the South ca
neither read nor write, an possess on
other disqualification for citizenship
> indisposition or capacity for work.
!, Our American system, qualities voter
by voting, as prudent teachers boys
, swim by going into water. ChiefJu
; tios Chase very properly says, "ou
D national existence has demonstrate
3 that public order reposes most seeurel
. ON the broad basis of universal suf
\ rage. 1t has aiso proven that univel
> sal suffrage is the supest guaranty an
! the most powerful atimulus, Of individ
pal, social and political progress
What we need In the South is Loyalt
: and Treason is in inverse ratio to is