Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-24

unfit to be represented in the Congress of
| the United States. Sir, If these people are
not vet loyal, please inform me how many
wears it will require of such legislation as
has been favored by the majority on this
floor during this session OF Congress to
make them loyal. And what new argu-
ments do you propose in order to convert
them? Isit by excluding them from rep
resentation In these Halls, and Imposing up
on them the burdens of taxation?
| Sir in this connection / wish to read
few brief extracts from a speech delivered
| by Alexander II. Stephens, before the
| Legislature of Georgia, on the 22d OF last
month. He says: ...
| "Whatever differences Of opinion heretofore ex.
listed as to where allegiance was due during the
late state Of things none for any practical purpose
her convention Of 1851 was ever rghttnly 9utot the
Union not there can be no question tdt shS Is roo %
80 r as DEPENDS SpoSs as t' ana ,a,tho aeSa ons 1s
tion our country. to be ehertshed and deendeGI as
such by all our hearts. and by all our arms. The
Constitution Of the United States. and the treaties
| and laws mado in pursuance thereof, are now, aG-
knowleig to be the paramount law in this whole
country"
Again.
let old issues. old questions. old differences and
old feuds be regarded as fossils of another epoch
They belong to what may be considered the Siluran
period of our history. Great, new, living questions
are before u.s. Let it not be said of US in this day.
yet RstsiS Ssrs 9 ST nr.y @
| POmpey, and party for Brutus, but no party Tor
Rome but let all patriots, by whatever distinctive
name heretofore styled, rally in all elections every
| where to the support Of him. be he whom he may
who bears the standard with Constitutional U Mon
emblazOned on its folds, President johnson is now.
| in my Judgment the chief great standard-bea Of
these principles, and in his efforts at restoration
should receive the cordial support Of every well
wisher Of his country"
And in speaking OF the duty of the peo-
pie of Georgia in relation to the colOred
people of that State, he uses the following
language:
"In legislation therefore under the new system,
you should look to the best interests OF all classes
their protection sec urity, advancement and improve
| ment, physically, intel ectually and NOR lily. All
obstacles if there should be any, should heremoved
which can pos ssiby hinder retard the improvement
OF the blacks to the extent Of their capacity. All
proper aid should be given to their own efforts
| Channels Of education should be opened up to them.
Schools and the usual means of moral and intel
lee ual training should be encouraged among them,
This is the dictate, not only OF WhGt Is rlght gbt
prOmptngs Of the highest considera ions OF interest
1t is difficult to conceive greater OWL or curse that
could befall our country stricken and distressed as
it now is than for so large portion of its population
as this class will quite probably constitute among US
hereafter to reared in ignorance. depravity and
| vice."
TheLegislature of the State of Louisiana,
|
recently passed the following preamble and
resolution:
WHEREAS, In the debates upln the question of re-
construction in the national Congress- the enemies OF
the policy of President johnson a endeavOring to
misead public opinion by the grosest msrepre' enta,
ons OF the opinions and sentiments of the people Ot
this and other Southern States therefore,
"Be 1 res0Lged By the Senate dnt House OF Repre-
sentdtiUe8 Of the state of LOWisiGnG IN G'Rerdt As
Sen,JLy conUened, That, representatives recently
elected by the people OF this State and being fully
conversant with their opinions and sentiments we
do declare that they have with unparalleled unan'
im y accepted the results Of the war as fha set
ement Of the questions at issue thereln that there
does not exist an intention or desire to reopen tnC
agitation of those questions; that they acquiesce II
the abolition Of slavery as an acc mpished TACT, anC
they are ready to extend to the late slaves the pro
to tOn of the laws in the enjoyment OF their rights
that instead OF entertaining any hostility to the ne
gro in the Southern States they hold Tor then
the kindly feelings which grew out OF their forme
relation to the white race, and recognize it as thel
interest as well as duty to do what ever is proper t
advance them in intelligence mora lty and religion
That the professions OF the people OF louisa ina
they willing to subscribe TO the national author
itY and constitutional Government of the United
States are sincere and unqualified, and that any &C
clsatons made in contradiction OF the a6ov stale
ment, from whatever source or on whatever authOrl
ty, we pronounce to be without foundation in fact
and are infamous attacks upon the honor, courage
and good faith of the people Of Louisiana"
Sir, this Government is certainly no
what | supposed it to be, If, after the war
to their allegiance to the Constitution, they
cannot be intrusted with the full exercise
of the rights which belong to them under
} the Constitution.
After the rebellion has been overthrown
it is too late to speak of an entire people a
| rebels and traitors. The war has done it.
work most etfectually. Let us now hav,
peace, and the return of all the Legitimate
relations of peace.
Have we indeed degenerated? Are W,
less patriotic, less magnanimous, less merci
full, and controlled more by the base pas
sions of hate and revenge, than were tn
statesmen of Rome two thousand years ago
| trust not.
, In reading a speech delivered on the Stl
of January last, by distinguished citizel
of Ohio, once a leading member of tn
Senate of the United States, and who re
gret Is not now in the councils of the ma
,, ton, was reminded of an event in th
history of the Roman people which
would be we'll for us not to forget.
Nearly hundred years before the Christ
ian era there was an attempt made by som
, of the Roman States to Secede from tn
Italian Union. A war ensued like ou
own, most bloody and destructive, ant
lasting about the same period of time. Blu
the COnfederates then, as now, were utter
ly and completely defeated. How, let m
inquire, did the great men of Rome, ol
, whose minds no ray had yet been shed o
that divine religion which our Savio
, came upon earth nearly century later t,
establish, treat the conquered people o
those States? Did Roman Senators, lik
American Representatives, propose to holt
{ those States as subjugated territories ant
: deny to their people the rights of citizens
! No, sir; no such unwise counsels prevailed
in the Roman Senate; but with true wis
dom and magnanimity, which even at thi
day must command our warm admiration
they generously conceded to the people O
, the insurgent States the full rights of Ro
man citizens, and merged the remnant o
the armies of the late Confederates witt
, the legions of the republic, marching then
together under the Roman eagle to recove
, the territories which had been overrun an,
occupied by a foreign enemy during tn
social war, thus preserving the power, anC
strength, and glory, of the republic.
Cicero, in one OF his beautiful orations
speaks in terms of the most eloquent prais
OF the custom which had prevailed amon
the Roman people of granting the rights Q
citizens to conquered enemies. Other in
stances of the exercise of the same wise an,
liberal policy might be cited from Romal
history. -
And now l may be allowed to inquir
whether it is possible that the Congress O
the United States at this day, in the full
blaze ofChristian civilization, will be les
magnanimOus to our brethren of the Sout
: than were the Roman people two thousan
J years ago to their conquered enemies?