The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-10-20


old party principles which he has always
advocated. A moment OF calm reflection
will convince any man who can well remem-
Der but for q single year, that, id common
with The great mass efthe p1ople; thought
that Mr.. johnson was then acting wisely nd
well, and, as he supposed and believed, in
accordance with the views Of the party Fho
elected him, and certainly in continuation
of the policy of his lamented predecessor-
Had Mr.. Lincoln lived to carry out his policy
himself, God only knows whether the leaders
OF his party would have sprung upon him
these new issues. and endeavored to compel
him to sacrifice his pledges, and dishonor the
man and the president, and, Il lie refused to
bend TO their behests, by everysrt and vile,
not to use stronger terms, endeavored to
ALLEVIATE the people from him, and persuade
them that he had deserted his party, and was
even traitor to his country. Perhaps the
hold which he deservedly had upon the affec
tions of his countrymen might have protec>
ted him against the Vaccinations o! ambi
ton, although all know that, i'll the midst of
his greatest trials, he was not exempt from
attacks by his own party friends, as severe
and documentary as those of them who are
now living have been able to heap on the
head of Mr. johnson.
But | have no fear. of the result if The
people will but calmly reflect aud form their
own judgments as to what the best interest
OF the country demand at their hands. II !
they will but tor moment resist the torrent
with which parts aus are endeayorIng to Hood
the land, aud calmly contemplate the awful
abyss towards which it is sweeping them and
the country they will turn aside and follow
that path which alone can lead US safely
through this great danger,-a danger the
real extent of which fear but few plainly
perceive. Almost anything were better than
this conflict. which rises higher and higher,
aud is becoming more and more threatening
every day and the only hope is, that the
deliberate. and dispassionate judgment of
the people will put end to it be fore it is
too late.
The only possible way. so far as can see,
to do this, is to return co lgress that will
recognize the rights of these southern
states. as they are clearly guaranteed to them
by the constitution. have already shown
that the president canEot recede if he would;
and you cannot, If you would, reach him by
yonr votes before the terrible crisis shall
arrive, which, AS | have before said, wall
endager our government vastly more than
did the rebellion itself | say again. then
that the only possible way for you tor eacn
the evil aid avert the dangeris to return
congress which will respect the binding force
and legal obligations of the constitution
! cannot avoid cne word about the unfair
mode-more unfair to the people than to Mr.
Johns0u--in which | see the canvass is con
ducted Public speakers and the party press
repea. the Questions almost every day. DO
you wish to see red handed traitors admitted
to congress? Do you wish to see the gov
ernment delivered into the hands Of those
who tiled for four wears TO destroy It?"-
These e estions inip,y the assertion Ina;
such Is the policy of the president. ard such
the purposes OF those who support his policy.
Aud vet such assertions are an Insult TO the
intelligence OF any one to whom thev are
addressed. Every one W ho Is capable Of
reading, and who has real toe occurrence of
the last year, knows that Mr. Johnson has
never "a sked that auy bat of the most un>
questioned loyalty should be admitted to
congress. To the congressional oath, com>
monty called the rTOn-clad oath, he has
never breathed an objection; but be has
ever been the strictest to insist upon the
purest loyal'y He has no, asked that anv
. ,rticnlar man or class OF men should De
admitted 10 congress, but only that the rights
o the states to be represented in congress bv
loyal men be recognized, leaving to each
house the right to Judge of til ir loyalty and
other qualifications, as the constitution
directs Congress has never refused air1 is
sion to southern members because they were
dlsloyal representatives, but because those
states were not entitled to te Represented by
anybody. Such hagrant misrepresentation
OF the policy and Purposes of Mr.. johnson
and those who support his policy become not
only unj ust, but even criminal, when they
put forth to deceive the pc pie Look
at all Mr.. Johnson has ever written look at
the resolutions of the Philadelphia conver-
ton; look everywhere that can throw ! Cht
upon the policy and purposes of Mr.. Johnson
and Of the conservative union parry, and you
.ill find that We insist upon the purest lOy>
aliy and the most absolute submission 10 the
authority of the constitution. But, " hIle
believe that the constitution is, and always
has been binding upon the southern states ard
people, SO also do We believe that the north>
ern states and people, whether in or out o!
congress, also bound by IT.. They have
no more right to violate 1t than had the rebels
of the soutn. The constitutional amendments
are not in issue in that election. Ifthe pres
ident did not approve of passing the amend.
ments through. congress while eleven states
designed most OF all To be affected by them
were denied representation, he made no issue
upon the merits OF the amiend,iients. And
the same may be said of the Philadelphia
convention. lt may be that large numbers
Of both parties are in favor of the substance
of these anne dments aud others are, no
doubt opposed TO them and still others, and
probably ihe largest proportion, have not
studied them with that Care and consideration
which should always be observed IN matters
of such grave import. Many. no doubt,
think that high party excitement is not favor
able to the iudicIous cor oLsideration OF am, nd
mems To- the constitution. which is designed
to ou,ive all political parties and party
Vaccinations, aud TO be permanent rule of
government for many generations to come.
1t is Indeed lanentable that, amid all the
other dangers Which lower around US, the
constitution itself should be mace the sport
IF p lticians, and banded about merely Tor
the purpose OF maintaining party asdendency.
One hing is manifest, and that is that the
party leaders do not desire to have these
amendments adopted, at least for the present.
else they would have hastene1 To secure
theft approval in the northern states, where
they have legislative ma; ;or:ties; as they did
the amendment abci,shin slavery. But this
embarrasses them To much in the execution Of
their purpose to keep out the southern states
till after the presidential election. This is
app ,rent from the manifest alarm created by
a mere Sc se1sa,ion rumor, which somehow got
afloat, t,at the president was about to recon-
mend the adoption of these amendments by
the southern states.
These amendments, l know, are put for
ward as the congressional plan of tconstruc-
ton, which is mantes'ly a mere lpretenca :;
and, were disposed to use strong express
ions, should say that it is but an elections
eering subterfuge, designed to beeuile the peo-
pie cat of their votes on a false prerence. |
must confess that this assertion stagSers my
judgment more, in the good faith of those
who make it, han almost anything else which
have observed during this canvass. Every
body knows that congress has nowhere SAID
or intimated that the southern states should
be admitted into the union, either when they