The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-03-22
MARCH ID. S66.


bring him 10 Immediate trial before q
Court Martial Condemned | know he
would be: then il | could do it l would
like take hlm upon the highest pinnacle
in the nation and let him look to the
South aut see the misery, destruction.
and desoiation that he has caused. He
might look 10 the North and see the
mi ghty pros peritv that he could not
harm; he might look all over this great
nation, viewing these Temples of Llber-
tv. raised by our fathers, and whose
foundations thev laid deep and strong,
and cemented with their blood, those
glorious Temples OF Freedom which his
puny hands could not tear down. tie
might then commend his soul to - Him
who piles the mountains high. and rocks
the mighty Ocean in its ceaseless bed,
after which would turn him over TO the
tender mercies OF file of Negro soldiers
and let them send him down to where
good men DO not 90. Applause
loyal MEN TO DECIDE WHO SHALL VOTE.
l would thus punish the precipitators
of the rebellion and disfranchise all who
had taken up arms, voluntarily, against
the Government; organizing the states
with IovaI men and loval men only
Some may think this a severe punish
ment. but when take into consideration
that this great nation is established up
on the ballot box, that il has perpetu-
ated its well being, and its integrity de
penls alone upon the purity Of the bal
lot box: that there IS not an officer in
the land, from the humble supervisor on
your streets, all along the legal road, up
To the Chief Executive Of the nation, but
waa is elected by the people, that those
little pieces Of paper that you put INTO
the ballot box. or election day, simple
things. of themselves, yet they control
the dcstuies of this great nation, and eN-
ecutc the freeman's will with the same
uuerring certainty that the little flakes of
snow, descending from Heaven and fall
ling upon the earth, execute the VIII oil
G oa. | say when | consider these things,
1 am unwilling that any man who has
participated in this rebellion against the
national life shall vote or hold office, un-
til all tt.ese questions of reorganization,
upon which the welfare of the nation de
pends, shall be settled and determined
Alright
After we have put these states in the
hands of loyal men | woald leave with
them these questions of franchise and
suffrage. | have another reason why
am opposed to rebels voting or holding
office BY allowing them to vote you
offer no reward for loyalty. The Union
men of the SOUTH DO not stop to en-
quirc whether there have been few or
mauy-who stood b. the Government
during the darkest hours Of its peril
who had To flee to the recesses OF the
mountains. perhaps into the ranks OF the
Union army. as many of them did, to
look back and see their habitations IN
flames, their wives and little ones fee
ing in the dark hours Of the mid night
in the light Of their own burning homes,
now that the war is over, the rebellion
suppressed and these Union men return
amid the desolation that treason has Nis-
itel upon their homes. they find crowd
ing around the window, on election day
the very men who were chasing them
through the forests for their lives, cloth
ed with the immunities and prerogatives
with themselves. will you tell me that
there is any reward for Loyalty IN tins
" Would il not have been better for these
men. personally. at least, to have been
traitors For is it not notorious fact
that ever since the close OF the war ana
elections have been ordered III the South,
that no man stands any chance for be
ing elected to Office who has been known
to have svmpathised in tie least degree
with the Union cause? That man runs
the best for office who was most conspic-
uouslv engaged in the rebellion. Il you
say to me that this is right, that the traI-
tors should have all the ilnmunities OF a
loyal man. then | say let us have no
more 4th Of July gatherings. let us
have no more 4th of July orations let
rs talk no more about patriotism Tor
there is nothing in it.
But we are told that it is dangerous
to keep any large class of citizens in this
country dcharrcd of their political rights.
but have vet to learn that bad man
is more dangerous out Of power than he
is in power. | had sooner risk JEFF Da-
Wis In Fortress Monroe than in the Sen
ate Of the United States / would soon
cr have him with his neck ierked out ot
Joint than in either Of these places =
Loud and continued applause For
am unwilling that the man who was once
clothed with the greatest prerogatiye Oi
q freeman. who possessed the ballot 1T
5its fullness. whose vote counted as much
IS any other mans vote in the nation
but who threw that ballot down and
trampled it under foot, seized his INNS
ket, fought four wears to destroy the
Government that had conferred that in
estimable right upon him l say / an
unwilling, that as soon as you have
wrested the musket from his hands, thai
you should Immediately give back the
ballot to him. For he will accomplish
with the ballot what he failed TO accom-
plish with the musket, if he can.
f l have another reason why | Oppose
+ the rebels voting You cannot divide
j the right Of voting from the right to b'
voted for. In this country If man i:
/ legally entitled to cast the ballot, be i.
| consequently eligible to Office No mar
should have the ballot unless he is legal,
!, and constitutionally entitled to it. And
/ then he is sovereign in this country
! When the people, who are thus qualified
F.! to vote, elect a man to an office, there i:
! no power in this country to set that off
! Ger aside, except it be by his misconduc
/ rrhiTa in hold that