Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-04-12

United States ag. e. SO i op-
pressiye State ie-asss tie
Republican members o. gfess
find additional authority fo5 yeis,
lation in reference to the 81 eern
States in ''the war power" an upon
the hypothesis that these Sts Is are
conquered territory. This frIsever
is not the doctrihe of the ma; rity-
they find the power to legisl! e for
the protection of the freedmea in the
constitution itself.
That there IS need for sonsS such
legislation we might reasons Aay M
fer from the changed situstio6ap of the
various classes at the South. k.sn if
the constant reports Of thes bsttled
condition of society in thft ut of
the country did not also denid ntrste
it. The spirit of slavery d ) not
and viii not die out at once even
though the institution itself hss, in
the eye of the law, ceased to oiexist.
The character of indiyidusls and of
society can not be changed in q day,
and the late slave holders WIN uri
doubtedly, in many instance st
tempt to exercise their former power
and mastery over those whose free:
dom they only recognize because
they must But the governmsht and
the nation have, by an ameEdment
to the constitution, abolished be in
stitution of slavery, have gwen to
four millions of blacks their freedom,
and by these acts have virtually
pliehted to them their faith, .thast they
shall be protected in those rights OF
person and property to which their
new condition entities them-J And
it is obvious that in the present state
OF feeling existing in the SoutA this
can be done only by nstional segisla-
ton. There is need of positive Law,
faithfully enforced, for several Fears
at least, to make those rights secure,
and to protect the freedmen against
oppressive State and m anicipal lsws,
as well as against the individuzlvio
lence and wrongs to which they will
undoubtedly be often subjected.
Believing therefore such legisla-
ton to be necessary, and also ing
credit to the Presidents avowsn de.
sire and purpose that the freedmen
shall be legally protected agair It the
the injustice and wrongs to which in
the nature Of things they must'be ex.
posed, it is the obvious duty IF his
friends in Congress to consult. with
him and with the members Of bis
cabinet, and frame bill that Will sc.
complish the desired object, and YET
one that will not be exposed to those
constitutional objections, which ths
President felt and urged again 4 the
Freedmen's Bureau Bill and the
Civil Rights Bill. The prejudice ex
isting at the South against the black.
as race is so strong and SO deeply
rooted, that in all probability itKil
be many years before their State gov
ernments adopt liberal course! .
legislation towards the freedmen, L
is evident therefore that some inter
position on the part of the genera
government is called for, and it viii
be national loss and dishonor, If i
is not given. And as the Presideh
has rejected the two great measure
devised by Congress for that pur
pose, it now fairly devolyes upon MN
to say, through his friends in Con
gress, what measure he can and vii
approve. He must now, to that ex
: tent, take the initiative, or the re
sponsibility of leaving the freed.nel
exposed TO violence and injustic
will rest upon him and his friends.