Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-02
General Cox's Letter Defining his
Position.


Equality-socially and politically. Taking
1t for granted that our information in this
particular was unquestionable-tha he had
taken from the Reserve Abolitionists and
Oberlinites every conceivable support to
their revolutionary and repulsive doctrines
i'm short, that his letter was frank, man
ly exposition of the doctrine that this Gov
ernment was founded by White men for
White men-we could not do otherwise
than make our information in that regard
the text for an exultant editorial. To this
exultation we were not impelled by any
hope of party gain; for it is apparent to all
persons of discrimination who are moi
blinded by their Negro fanaticism, that the
assumption of an unqualified opposition po-
sition to Negro Suffrage and Negro Political
Equality, would promote much more his
prospects of an election than if he were to
take the contrary position; but because II
would be to the country at large testimo-
nial that the great body of the
people of Ohio the third State in
Importance in the Union-the State
that had given to our armies as their trl-
umphant leaders GRANT, SHERMAN, SHERI-
DAN, and officers whose achievements were
only secondary to theirs-were united in
their opposition to the doctrine of Negro
Suffrage and Negro Political Equality. Had
Gen. Cox taken this position, we felt con-
fident that President JOHNSON would have
been emboldened to stand by his Reor-
ganization policy unwaveringly, and that
it would have been salutary in its influence
upon the White people in the South. Vain
hope.
The Ohio State Journal on Tuesday MORN
ing gave General Cox's letter, elected by
letter from an Oberlin committee, in
which he has defined his position. The let
ter of the Oberlin committee bears date
July "a, 1865, and his answer thereto bears
date July %, 1865, one day thereafter.
Through Gen. Cox's letter we derive the
information that the committee was an ir-
responsible, or self-constituted affair, and
vet to that committee he vouchsafes an an
swer that makes in length four columns in
The Ohio State Journal; but, for some cause
or other, he did not deem the soldiers who
addressed him respectful note of interro-
cation touching his views on the sub
iect of the Negro on the Sd of July.
1865, and those who addressed him on
the same subject on the 18th of July,
1865 worthy of any consider alton. 1t may
occur to the soldiers that it is somewhat
singular that he should give to their cores
pondence, in which they avow their pur-
pose not to vote for him if he is in favor of
Negro Suffrage and Negro Political Equal
ity, no attention whatever, and yet with
the utmost alacrity responds to self-con-
stituted Committee of Oberlinites, who tell
him that $50 decided are our ltheirl peo-
pie on the subject, that they could by no
means be persuaded to vote for man
known to be opposed to Negro Suffrage"
His old-time affection for 0berlin remains.
And what does his letter defining his po-
sition amount to? In brief it amounts to
this: The Democratic party must be de-
feated at all hazards; the Platform should
be satisfactory to all men who have hereto
fore acted in opposition to the Democratic
party; that this Platform does not inter-
dict the most full discussion Of matters on
which the Platform is silent or studiously
non-committal-that, in the northern por-
ton of the State, the members Of the party
are at liberty to advocate Negro Suffrage
and Negro Equality as much as they please;
and south of the National road the mem
bers of the party have as full license to OPP
pose these doctrines; that for himself (and
it is only an individual opinion, which he
would not undertake to set up against the
opinions of the leaders in the party, or
against the men of the Legislature or
against the views of the Administration at
Washington, he is satisfied that to give to
the Negroes in the South suffrage while
they are intermixed with the Whites,
would result disastrously to the Negroes;
that they would, in contest with the
Whites, who now, whether lately their
masters or whether the poor White men,
entertain toward them an implacable
hatred, be driven to the wall; that the effect
OF the War upon the Federal White soldiers
has been to make them anti-slavery men;
but at the same time 1t has increased and
deepened their pride of race; that while the
races of Western Europe are susceptible Of
rapid fusion on our soil, the African race Is
not a race that can be brought to form an
element in that fusion; that for the benefit OF
the races they should be separated, and the
Negroes be colonized in contiguous terri |
tory in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama
and Florida" and there invested with
the same functions of Government that are
enjoyed by the Whites in other States; that
the Negroes in Ohio may be regarded as
mere waits and strays of the great body;
that his plan of colonization ''gives to the
Black man political rights and Franchises
without onerous terms" IN aliif .f1ssaf
These opinions he declares to be his per-
sonal opinions, for which he and not his par
ty is responsible; that if he shall be elected
or defeated, they "will have only such
weight or influence as their own value will
entits them,to,n and they will not hinder |
me [him] from giving cordial support to |
the action Of loyal Federal Government |
Jotter vtetos shall finally preuaR."
O. General Cox has not pronounced against |