The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-12-07

them to participate in the high office of
amending the Constitution. Every M
triot must wish for general amnesty
at the earliest epoch consistent with
public safety. For this great end there
is need of a concurrence of all opinions
and the spirit of mutual Cancellation.
All parties in the late terrible conflict
must work togethe in harmony, 1t is
not too much to ask, in the name of the
whole people, that, on the one side, the
plan OF restoration shall proceed in
conformity with IA Willingness to cast
the disorders of the past into oblivion;
and that, on the other, the evidence of
sincerity in the future maintenance of
the Union shall be put beyond any
doubt by the ratification of the proposed
amendment to the Constitution, which
provides for the adjustment of slavery
forever within the limits of our conn
try. 80 long as the adoption of this
amendment is delayed, SO long Will
doubt, and jealousy, and uncertainty
prevail. This is the measure which
Will etface the SAD, memory of the past;
this1s the measure which will most GER
talnly call population, and capital, and
security to those parts of the Union that
need them most. Indeed, it is not too
much to nsk of the States which are
now resuming their places in the family
OF the Union to give this pledge of per-
petual loyalty of peace. Until it lis
done, the past, however, much we MAY
desire It, viii not be forgotten. The
adoption of the amendment reunites us
beyond all power of disruption. 1t
heals the wound that isstillimperfectly
closedii It removes slavery, the elee-
ment which has SO long perplexed and
divided the, collntry; Il max es of os once
more a united people, .renaRed and
strengthened, bound more than ever to
mutual affection and support. -
THE ADMISSION OF SOUTHERN CONG RIass-
J TFbe amend NJ IstI ttS: H. t,,a
being adopted, it would remain for the
States whose powers have been SO long
IN ab6yance, to resume their places in
the two branches of the National Leg
islature, and thereby DOM ipletethe work
of restoration. Here il is for YOU, fell
low citizens of the Senate, and for you,
fellow citizens of the House Aof Repre-
sentatiyes, to judge, each of lyou for
yourselves, of the elections, returns,
and qualifications of your own mem
.bers. n Il - = y ri' o. n
THE RE-ESTABLISHMENTo OF THE FEEDER
-,1r. "a AL COURTS.
The full assertion of the powers of
the General Government requires the
holding of Circuit OouEts of the United
States within the districts where their
authority has been Interrupted. In the
present posture of our public affairs,
strong objections have been urged to
holSlngy thoseF courts in any of the
States Where the rebellion has existed =
ana it'waS Sscertained, by inquiry, that
the Circuit Court of the United States
would not be held within the District
of Virginia during the autumn or ehrlyI
winter, nor until Congress should have
Fan opportunity to consider and act on
the whole subject.' To your delibera--
tons the rest9Tation 4 iofJthis branch of.
the4civil authority of the United States
is, therefore, necessarily referred, with
the hope that. early provision will be-
made for the resumption ofall its func-l
t1ons. 1t is manifest that treason, most.
.hagrantin character, has been commit
teCha Persons, who are charged with its
commission should have fair and im-
partial trials in the highest civil tribu-
mails of the country, in order that the
Constitution and the laws may be fully
vindicated; the truth clearly establish
ed and affirmed that treason is u crime.
that traitors should be punished and
the ohense made infamous; and, at the
same time, that the question may be
judicially settled, finally and forever,
that no State of its own will has the
right to renounce its place in the Union.
THE QUESTION OF. NEGRO sUFFRAaH,
The relations of the General Govern,
ment towards the four millions of in
hnbitants whom the war has called into
freedom, have engaged my most serious
consideration. On the propriety of at
tempting to make the freedmen electors
by the proclamation of the Executive,
took for my counsel the Constitution
itSelf, the Interpretation of that instru-,
ment by its authors and their cotempo-
raries, and recent legislation by Con-
greSs. When, at the first movement
towards Independence, the Congress of
the United States instructed the several
States to institute laws of their own,
they left each State to decide for itself
the conditions forithe enjoyment of the
elective franchise. During the period
OF the Confederacy, there continued to
exist very great diversity in the quail
itications of electors in the several
States; and even within State dis
dnction of qualification prevailed with
regard to the officers who. were to be
chosen. The Constitution OF the Unit
ted States recognizes these diversities
when 1t enjoins that. in the choice of
members OF the House of Representa-
tives of the United States, "the electors
in each State shall have the qualifica-,
tions requisite for electors ofithe most
numerous branch of the State -LeRisIa-s
ture." After the formation of tho Con-i
stitution, itremained, as before, the ufii-
form usage for each State to enlarge the
body of Its electors, according to its
own judgment; and, under this system,
one state after another has proceeded to
increase the number of its electors, un-
I'll now universal suffrage, or something
very near it, is tile general CfuIe.. SO
fixed was this reservation of power in
the habits of theipeople, ahdso unques-
toned hnS BEEN the aeinterpretafion of
the Constitution, that during the civil
war the1atel President mover hafbored
the purpose certainly never avowed
the purpose-of disregarding III; and in
kat
nd, nothing can be found which, during,
the conunpancel of hostilities, much
less atter theiE close, would have snnc-.
toned any departure by the Executive
from a policy which has SO uniformly
obtained: Moreoyer, u concession of
the elective franchise to the freedmen,
by act OF the President of the United
States, must have been extended to all
coloted fInen, wherever found, and So
must have established a change of suf-
frages in the Northern, Middle and
Western States, not less than in the
Southern and Southwestern. Such nm
act would have created q new class of
voters, and would have been an as
sumption Of power by the President
which nothing in the Constitution or
laws of the United States would have
warranted. f sts ~ ls-asll
On the other hand, every danger OF
conflict Is avoided when the settlement
" " gtne 4usSuOn lS raIeEreu 70 tne several
states. They can, each for itself, de-
eide on the measure, and whether it is,
to be adopted at once and absolutely. or
introduced gradually and with contli-
tions. In my Judgment, the freedmen,
ff they show patience and manly vir-
tues, will sooner obtain participation
in the elective franchise through the
States than through the General Gov
ernment, even If it had power. to inter
yene. When the tumnlt Of emotions
that have been raised by the suddness
of the social change have subsiCied. IT