The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-08-10
NEGRO SUFFRAGE"
LETTER FROM GENERAL cox


sition on "Negro Suffrage"
We briefly referred in our last issue,
TO the recent Letter of Gen. Cox, de-
ining his views on "Negro Suffrage"
and incidentally on the "Reconstruo.
tion" Of the rebel States. The letter
was called forth by certaiR questions
addressed to him bya Committee repre-
senting a public meeting held at Ober-
lin. In order that our readers may un-
derstand the whole drift of the CORE
spondence, we republish it in full, be-
lieving that the vital importance of the
subject so ably and clearly discussed by |
Gen. Cox, justifes US in giving it
place in our columns, to the exclusion
of other matter. ..
THE LETTER FROM oBERLIN.
OBERLIN, July "a, 1865.
GEN. j. D. Cox-Dedr Sir; The
people of this place, with entire una
nimity, sought your nomination for
Gov. of Ohio. With equal unanimity
we desire to promote your election. We
rejoiced in your nomination because we
had perfect confidence that your views
and sympathies were in harmony with
our own on the great issue before US
the equality of all men before the law.
We still believe that we were not mis-
taken. But some of US have been
startled by a report coming directly
from Warren, to the effect that you are
opposed to giving the elective franchise
to colored people, and that you request
ed the editor of the Chronicle to pub
lish your views on the subject, that you
might not lose the support of Union
men in the Southern part of the State.
We do not credit the rumor, and yet it
has so disturbed some of your warmest
supporters, that the undersigned have
been requested to address you on the
subject.
We want to know directly from
you your views on tho following sub
; Gets: 1st. Are you In favor Of modi
flying our Constitution so as to give tn
elective franchise to colored men? I'd
In the reorganization of the Southern
States should the elective franchise b.
I secured to the colored people?
Among us there is but one opinion
on this subject, and we were neve
more in earnest on any political ques
J, ton. We believe that the distinction
made by our Constitution between white
and colored people was made in the in
terest of slavery, and is both wicke
=" and absurd. And VIC believe that Il
reconstruct the Southern States an
admit them with Constitutions exclud
ing colored men from the polls uoult
y, give the country and the negro into tn
J.. power of the very men who have sough
:, and still desire to ruin the one and en-
slave the other.
), Deliver the four millions of free
people into the hands of their forme
% oppreSsors, now embittered by their d.
). feat, and they will make their conditio
worse than before. The Copperheat
, of the North, with the united Soutl
would gain con troll of the General Gov
ernment, and in various ways woul
!. harrass and oppress the negroes an
e, their friends beyond endurance. A wa
70 of races would be likely to result.
as nation we can be so wicked as
deliver our colored soldiers and I'll
millions whose freedom we are pledge
to maintain, into the power of the mo-
cruel and vindictive people that ev'
laid claim to civilization, a terrible n
tribution will await us. We spes
strongly that you may know how '
feel on the subject.
IF it be said that the negroes of Il
DOuOu aIS iBuOHaut anu uuuL lOE VI
- elective franchise, we answer, grant
: but this has nothing to do with Il
!. question. Our colored soldiers, wi
have fought three years for the Unio
are not of this class, nor are those vi
have always been free, many of who
have amassed wealth. 1t is for the
sdy we ask the elective franchise. If
J. should take year, or two or three
4, prepare the mass to vote, we would
content, though we believe our Fl
er.n institutions would be safer in the han
low. of the cOlOred people as they are, tn
in the hands of the best half of I
white population of the South. I
question is, Shall colored people
g. allowed to voteP The enemies of {
country say no. The mass of the To-
say yes. So decided are our people
the subject, that they could by