The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-09-16
Mississippi.


fate of the south, for veal or woe.
Mississippi WAS the first Of the southern
states t. hold constitutional convention I'M
der the auspices Of the national government,
| with a view to her rehabilitation as state OF
lie Union. That convention did ITS work well
and nobly, and the debates showed that 1t dld
| il honestly. l. declared the secession ordI-
nance null and void, thereby denying the
r;,.bt of secession it declared invalid the
acts of the legislature of that state while in
rebellion it abolished slavery forever in the
state, and provided for the protection and
education of the freedmen 1t only failed TO
rarify the constitutional amendment for want
OF power to do so, that amendment requiring
to be ratified by the legislatures Of the vari-
Gus states.
Thus Mississippi stood right on the record,
and Gov. Sharkey believed the time had come
| when he could safely rely for enforcement OF
the laws upon the civil power. About that
time a man named Cooper was arrested by
a civil officer for shooting a negro soldier.
He was about to be tried, when, by order OF
Gen Osterhous, he was forcibly taken out OF
the hands of the civil power, and turned over
toa military court This was done, itappears,
on the direct order of Secretary Stanton.
G ov Sharkey, however. still believing that
the state could manage its own affairs with
out aid Of the L. :. military, thereupon issued
proclamation, directing a cavalry and in
fantrv company of the local militia to be Or
gained in every county in the state. Gen.
S!ocuin, in command of the department in
Guiding Mississippi, regarding this proelama-
ton Of Gov. S. as in contempt OF his power,
Issued n counter order. forbiGliEg the execu-
ton OF the Governors project. on the ground
that the proposed state forces would exceed
in strength he L. S troops now in the state,
ard that collisions between the two would in
evi:ably follow Gov Sharkey answered the
objection by maintaining that the local forces
could maintain order without government aid,
and the l. 5. forces could be withdrawn.
The action of Gov Sharkey was furiously
assaiied by all the republican papers of The
north lie WAS denounced as worse than a
traitor and accused of desi IN to resrgan-
ize The rebel army in his state and driving
out the L. 5. authorities By force. In res
ponsc to all these fierce accusations. Gov.
ShaTI,ey appealed to President Johnson, and
his reply WAS blunt enough. The President
tells lin that is was on his own suggestion
that Gov. S. proposed to organize the state
militia that he approved that or,e-; that it
WAS based on the prime PIE announced BY
Washington, that the re pie must BE- trust
Cd with their own government" AID That be
had confidence, il the people Of Mississippi
were trusted with their own Government .'they
would act in good filth" The President
then directs Geu. SIOcum to withdraw MS or
der (which lie Immediately did. and intmates
to Gov. Sharkcy that tie experiment Of let
ting the people of Mississippi g vern ,hcn>
selves should b, fully and fairly tried, aud il
| they were found unworthy of tire trust, it
! would then be sane for the general government
to interfere.
Ii stroke Of lightning on q cloudless day
| lad shiveIei the dome of the CAPITOL ut
/ Washington, it wouIt have created less
| ;.mazement than tins despatch of President
Johnson has created in Il .Pablican quarters
II is really amusing to see how utterly dunn.
founded all the party editors and leaders are
Most OF them stand speeches., ike The MAI
driving the load of ashes up the HILL declar'
ing their inability to do justice to the sub
iect." \ few of the boiler ones OF the press
however, with the Tribune in The lead, car
hold in no longer, and have opened thei
guns .uriousy on the President. The Tribune
says the Republican party is in one train and
President Johnson ii. another, and these
trains are approaching each other at fear
full speed, a grand smash up is inevitable, anc
it proceeds to fire up the republican engine
with startling energy. We LAY back will
all imaginable calmuess (seeing ii is none
our funeral, awaiting the result of the grea
collision
o. course if the P:esident's experiment il
Mississippi, which is at with every hops
and aspiration of the abo!itionsts, succeeds
J it solves at once TIE whole reconstruction
question, and will he followed in every othel
southern state 1t will be the death of the
radicals, but the salvation of the country.