, 1866-01-02
S Z. G TX AW 5.

c0ntttulnre OF hJ5ll.Itio~, much lssS after
t1eIr close, would have stnc.lon. 4 aty
departure hy rhr Executive from a poll
cy winch il has 50 0nifofmIy Obtained.
Moreover, d cnuce>sion Of the elective
franchise to the freedmen, by act of The
President of The Uuitel States, must have
been extended to all colorrd mrn, wi,er-
ever found, and so must have establish
ed il change OF suffrage in he Northern.
Middle aud Western States, not less than
the Soulheru and Southwestern. Such
al. act would have created "A new class
Of voters, aud would have been an as
sumption of power by the President
which nothing in h. Constitution or laws
Of the 'UnIted States would have war
ranted.
On the other hand, every dargcr of
conflict is avoided when The SETTLEMENT
Of the question is +, frrrcd 10 the several
States. They cou, each for iscIf. de-
eide On the measure, and whether il TO
be adopted at once aud absolutely, or
introduced gradually and with comb ions.
In my judgment the freedmen, if they
show patience and manly virtues, will
sooner obtain a-parttci patton in the tlrc-
i've franchise through the States. than
through the General 4 even if
it had power To Intervene. When the
tumuIt of emotions that have been raised
by the suddruneSs Of the social cha, o..
shall have subsidized, il may proye Ma,
they will receive The kindlIe>t USAGE from
some Of th"8S on whom they have here
totore most closely depended.
But while | have n doubt that row.
after tn close of The war. il is moi com
petent for The General Government to
extend the elective frunchiSe in tie sew
er"l States, 1t IS eqnaIIy clear that good
faith requires the StcprIIy If n. freud
men IN their liberty and their nroprrfv.
their IIGht TO labor, and their ri.bi ~
claim the Just return nftheir labor cau-
not too strongly urge a di> p4s>ionare treat
menI OF tins subject, which ShOuId Ne
carefully kept aIoof from all party strife.
We must equally avoid hasty ASSUMPTIONS
OF any natural lmp"SSlhI i"y for The twn
races to live SIDE by side in = star. IF
mutual benefit and good viii. Tta =
pertinent involves us in no incnn.i,,ano".
let US then go on and make that cxn r..
ment in good faith, ana moi he too o..
di>heartentd. The country is y, nond r.
Labor, and the frt edmen are in nn.d "a
|P'J ''N'' OH'ihIf ana 3 DrnitCttOO
While their right Of vorunlary m!oraIi1n
and exptlriatlnn is not to he Questioned T
would not advise Ilrir forced remnvaI
aud cc'oniz ltion. Let us rather enronr.
agr them 10 honorable ana Us, foJ iu}ns-
try where il may be beneficial 10 thrm.
selves aud to The country and. instead
OF TASTY antIrlpHtiOnS Of the cettaintv of
tai are, let there be norhrno w,nIIu@ ~
'he tar trial Of the experiment. The
dhnnge in thsir condition IS The Subsri-
tu'lrn of labor by contract for III. states
Of slavery. The freedmen canno. f.irIv
be accuse OF unwilling e<s to work, 81
Io1g as 4 doubt renal. about his freedom
OF ch9Ice IN his PutSui $, an M c.riaiu-
~ OF rrcover'"g his >.iuulaic,l wages.
In THIS the inter- SIS ut the "]npioyer ard
the emptoged cui eide. T.r rmn'ovar
desires n his workmrrn >ptti, aud .tacri-
~ ani these ctn ne permanently secured
III n" other way. And If the one ought
to be able TO enforce the contract. so
ought the other. The public interest
VIII be best promoted. If the several
States will provide adequate protection
and remedies for the freedmen. Until