The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1866-09-12


poor. The population of the North is
nearly double hat of the South. The in
dustfy Of the North, in diversity in pro.
duetiyeness and forwardness, in all the
machinery and education required for
manufacturing, is half a century in ad-
! vance OF the South. Churchesin The North
crown every hill, and tho schools swarm
in every neighborhood; while the South
has but scattered lights, at long distances,
lighthouses .twinkling along the edge Of a
continent Of darkness In the presence
Of such a contrast, how mean and craven
ia the fear that tho South will rule the
policy of the land That 1t will have an
influence, that it will contribute in time,
most important influences or restraints,
We arc glad to believe. But, if it rises at
once to the control of the Government,
it will DO because the North, demoralized
by prosperity and besottcd by groyeling
interests, refuses to discharge its share
political duty, In such case, the South
not only will control the Government but
it ought to do it.
II is feared, with more reason, that the
restoration Of the South to her fdll indie
pendence will be detrimental TO the freed.
men. The seoner We dismiss from our
. minds the idea that the freedmen can be
classified, and separated from the white
population, and nursed and defended BY
themselves, the better it be for them and
us. The negro is part and parcel of
Southern society. She cannot be proper.
GUS while it is unprospered. Its evils will
rebound upon her. Its happiness and ro.
vigoration cannot be kept from his partic.
ipation. Tho restoration Of the South to
amicable relations with the north, tho re.
a organization of its industry, the reinspira.
ton Of its enterprise and thrift, will all
rebound to the freedmen's benefit. Moth.
Ing is 80 dangerous to the freedmen as an
unsettleded state Of society in the South.
On him comes all the spite, and anger,
and caprice, and revenge. He will be
made the scapegoat of lawless and heart.
less men Unless we turn the Govern
meut into q vest military machine, there
b cannot be armies enough to protect the
freedmen while Southern society remains
b insurrectionary. If Southern society is
!. calmed, settled, and occupied and sOothed
with new hopes and prosperous industries,
no armies will DO needed. Riots will sub
side, lawless hangers on will be driven off
or better governed, and a way will be
gradually opened up to the freedmen,
through education and industry, to full
citizenship with oil its honors and duties.
Civilization is growth. None can es.
cape that forty years in the wilderness
who travel from the Egypt of ignorance
to the promised land of civilization. The
freedmen must take their march. have
full faith inthe results. n they have the
stamina to undergo the hardships which
every uncivilized people has undergone
in their upward progress, they will in due
time take their place among us. That
place cannot be bought, nor bequeathed,
nor gained by sleight of hand. 1t will
come by sobriaty, virtue, industry, and
p frugality. As the nation cannot be sound
until the South is prosperous, SO, on the
other extreme, a wealthy condition Of civ
II society in the South is indispensable to
the welfare Of the freedmen.
Refusing TO admit loyal Senators and
Representatives from the South to Con.
gress will not help the freedmen. 1t will
not secure for them the vote. 1t will not
protect them. 1t will not secure any
amendment of our Constitution. 1t will
only increase the dangers and complicate
the difficulties. Whether we regard the
the whole nation or any section Of it or
class in it, the first demand of our time
is entire Union.
Once united, we can, byschools, church
es, a free press and increasing free speech,
attack each evil and secure every good.
Meanwhile, the great chasm which re-
bellion made is not filed up. II grows
deeper and stretches wider. Out Of it
rise dread specters and threatening sounds
4 Let that gulf be closed, and bury in it,
slavery, sectional animosity, and all strifes
, and hatreds.
1t is fit that the brave men who on sea
aud land, faced death to save the nation
should now, by their voice and vote, con.
sumate what their swords rendered posi-
bic. ..It
ISL Fer the sake Of the freedmen, for tho
sake Of the South and its millions of oul
fellow countrymen, for ourown sake, anG
for the great cause OIL freedom and c~iviliza
tion, / urge the immediate reunion Of al
the parts which rebellion and war have
shattered. I am truly yours,
HENRY WARD BEEcHER.