Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-04-19

tsacts necessary to restoring. the proper prac
sstlcal relations between these States and th,
g mon; and each forever after innocently IL
|5dulge his own opinion whether, in doins
ESthe acts, he brought the State from withou
s. into the Union, or only gave them prope
assistance, they never having been out of it
q The amount of constituency, so to speak
slon which the new Louisiana government
zrests. would be more satisfactory to all, if i
:acontained fifty, thirty or even twenty thou
I sand, instead of only about twelve thousand
aas 1T really does. 1t is also unsatisfactor,
Ito some, that the elective franchise is moi
#glven to the colored man. [ would mysel1
zprefer that it were now conferred on the
Every intelligent, and on those who serve om
8cause as soldiers. Still the question i
8whether the Louisiana government, a. il
fstands, is quite all that is desirable. The
Squestion is, "Will it be wiser to take it as il
Sls, and help to improve 1t; or to reject and
3disperse ~ ''Can Louisiana, be brought
{ into proper practical relation with the Union
9sooner by sustaining, or by dtScarding her
anew State Government
Some twelve thousand voters in the here
stotore slave State of Louisiana have sworn
sallegaince 10 the Union assumed to be the
arightful political power of the State; held
gelections; organized a free government
Sadopted free State constitution, giving the
sbeneht of public schools equally to black
Z and white, and empowering the Legislature
S to confer the elective franchise upon the
5colored man. Their Legislature has already
3voted to ratify the constitutional amend
3ment, recently passed by Congress, abolish
sing slavery throughout, the nation. These
atwelve thousand persons are thus fully com
emitted to the Union, and to perpetual free
@dom in the States-committed to the very
athings, and nearly all the things, the nation
3wants- they ask the nation 5 recognl-
stion and its assistance to make good that
sconmittal.
j Now, if wereject and spurn them, We do
sour utmostto disorganize and disperse them.
ave in effect say to the white man, GU
Care worthless, or. worse; We will neither
shelp you nor be helped by you. To the
ablacks we say, This cup of liberty which
Sthese, your old masters, hold to your lips,
Awe will dash from you, and leave you to the
ychances Of gathering the spilled and scatter
Sed contents, in some vague and underlined
swhen, where aud how If this course,
sdiscouragipg and paralyzing both white and
sblack, has any tendency to bring Louisiana
sinto practical relations, with the Union, |
ahave, SO far, been unable to preceive it.
If, on the contrary, we recognize and sus-
gta!n the new government OF Louisiana, the
Sconverse of all this is made true. We en-
scourage the hearts and nerve the arms of
1.-THE twelve thousand to adhere to their
Swork, and argue for it, and proselyte for it,
Hand fight for it, and feed it, and grow it,
aand ripen it to complete success. The
acolored man, too, seeing all united for him,
Sis inspired with vigilance, and energy, and
sdaring, to the same end. Grant that he de
as;res the elective franchise. Will he not at
atain it 500, er by saving the already adyan-
Iced steps towards it than by running back
award over thenlf Concede tilat the new gov
sernncnt of Louisiana is only to what 1t
dshould be as tile egg IS to the fowl, we shall
sooner have the fowl by Matching the egg
I than by smashing it. Laughter.
! Again, if we reject Louisiana, we also re-
jjcct our vote in favor of the proposed al
smendment to the national Constitution. To
meet this proposition it has been argued
gthat no more than three fourths of those
Estates which have not attempted secessiOnl
! are necessary to yalidly ratify the amend 1
sment. do not commit myself against this,
further than to say that such ratification!
4 swould be questionable. and sure to be perl
asistently questioned while ratification byI
of all the States would be un-
questioned and unquestionable.
lCpCtlb t1lC tuCctt''u Ntti iIOuiSitihtt,
be brought into proper practical relatlonl
with the Union sooner by sustdusHg, or-byi
3discardtag her new State government
What has been said of Louisiana will apply
generally to other States And yet so greatI
1peculiarities pertain to each State andI
| such important and sudden changes occurI
lin the same State; and, withal so new and,
unprecedented is the whole case, that no
exclusive and inhexible plan can safely be,
prescribed as to the details and collaterals.
;Such exclusive and infexible plan wouldI
surely become a new ENHANCEMENT. I'm
Iportant principles may, and must, be infex-
;ible
In the present situation, as the phrase
|goes it may be my duty TO make some new
to the people of the South.
II am considering, and shall not fail to act,
when satisfied that action will be proper.
The speech was applauded throughout hyI
'emphatic sentences and loud cheering. Wei
|have purposely omitted each burst of APP
|proval as it occurred, to avoid marring, or,
lat all events, breaking the consequentialnessI
,of the argument by innumerable parenthesis.
MARRIED.:
On Thursday, April 18TH by Rev. John,