The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-04-06

tion. A majority Of either House can con-
pei submission TO sny terms under penalty
Of Hrresting OF disorghniEing the Govern
ment.
The representatives from the Siatea lately
In rebellion win form apowerful and hostile
minority, and Il they do not find enough
enemies Of the Government from the States
now represented to give them a majority ID
Que llouse for come Of the purposes above
indicated, the near past throws no light on
the near future The prospect Of political
disorganization will present few terrors to
people still hot with rebellion efnhrtinR
with overthrow, and quite as content to ruin
as TO rule the country.
To expect them to join In eleeting Re-
publican President would he an amiahle de-
lusion which the first election would dis.
pei; Snd they might End Il acme indemnity
for emancipation IL the increased vote they
would cast in the name Of their freed slaves
should happen to decide tho contest and
elevate them to power.
II the people are ready for these conse.
quencos, then there Is no difficulty In restor.
ing political power to the Southern States.
Louisiana or Virginia will servo as models
or other forms will grow with mushroom
rapidity.
But il il bo important that the friends
and not the enemies Of the Government
shall continue to govern il, other measures
mnst be taken. a.t
The State governments in the South must
be placed in hands interested TO maintain
the authority of the United States. II is
not enough that conquered people are will.
ing to submit to entitle them to govern tis.
The United States must find friends inter.
ested and able to suppress hostility to its
authority and to discharge ell the functions
of government, State and National, in the
face of every disloyal or hostile power.
And the power OF those who rebelled must
he curbed by those who did not rebel, aid.
cd by those who joined the rebellion re-
luctautly and are anxious to atone for their
error or weakness.
This can be done only by recognizing the
negro population M an integral part Of the
people Of the Southern States aud by re-
fusing TO permit any State government 20
be organized on any other basis than uni
versal suffrage and equality before the law.
Whatever anomalies may have been wink.
ed at during the era of slavery, II may well
be doubted IT, without o serious blow at our
principles, any Government eau he recog-
nized as republican ia form which excludes
from suffrage and equal laws q majority OF
the citizens Of the States, as would be the
case in South Carolina aud Mississippi. or
half the citizens, as would be the case in
Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Virginia,
if the negro citizens he disfranchised.
1t is certain that governments which
declared them equal before the law, and
recognized universal suffrage. would be re-
publican in form and substance also. II 10
equally certain that such constitution In
the Southern States is the only one consis-
tent with the national peace and safety;
and Congress has the right, and, think,
ought TO refuse TO recognize any State gov.
ernments in those States not on that basis.
But the white people or the States which
rebelled will not organize governments on
that basis. No considerable portion Of the
white population of those States is in favor
of it. The loyal are US much against II as
the rebel leaders. ha L.s u .4. ri
Mono will adopt ii Of themselves, nor
will they adopt it on the request and under
the influence of the President. tfu LIZ
But oil will submit to 1t il exactod, and
accept II il unavoidable.
To submit the question to the loyal voters
Of the State assumes the existence Of q
State government and constitution defn.'
ing the rIght Of suffrage, and making
loyalty o condition. l..tft. ,tf,i.s.b
But there are no such constitutions in any
State that rebelled. The United States
have refused to recognize any State govern
ments in any of those States. au eaasei
There are, therefore, no State govern
msnts and no voters in any Of the rebel
States.
There are States and people Of those
States. both known TO the Constitution Of
the United States. tt... ,.s-
Aud the negroes are AZ Integral part
of the people Of the State az the whites.
Botl, are citizens neither las the right to
exclude the other neither can speak in tho
name OF the State for the other; it is the
equal right Of both to be heard and repre-
sented in constituting their common gov
ernment, and any proposal to submit the
Question of the political or civil rights Of
the negroes TO tho arbitrament of the whites
lis unjust and as absurd as 10 submit the
question of the political rights of the
whites to the arbitrsment OF the negroes
with this difference, that the negroes are
loyal everywhere. aud the great body Of
the whites disloyal everywhere.
The problem, therefore, IL solved by a
simple appeal to the people Of the State. aa
No election can he hold, no convention
assemble, no political authority be legally
exercised IN any of those States but by the
will of the United States, aud for the pres
ent till Congress speak, by the will Of.thO
President. . 80 gf.r e-.i. 81
If, therefore. the President viii declare
that no election shall be held unless the ne
gro population have free and equal voice,
that no convention shall assemble which
they have not helped to elect, that none
shall proceed to frame government unless
in the beginning universal suffrage and
equality before the law be declared its fund
amental basis, the problem is solved.
IL those conditions be accepted, the con- !
stitution viii be presented to Congress and
the government recognized which it forms,
II they be not accepted, the President viii
hold the States till Congress declare how
they shall he governed. lSna ra
II the problem be not dealt with IN this
way or in some such way, it win be solved IN
AN adverse sense.
II il be not solved rightly II thrsAtepe 10
generate barren aud bitter agitation. sure .
to result disasterously to those who pro-
pose the political acknowledgements 81 the
negroes and to consolidate the nnioao d ths
enemies Of the Government in The loyal
States into an irresponsible power. which
muat wrest the Government fr0n the hands
Of those who had saved II. The coalition
IL probable in any event; bnt on thjs question
it Is certain aud fatal.
The negro population Innst be reeog-
nized by the President and COOgFess as al
integral part of the peoPls Oi Tho State IN
the view OF the Constitution Of the United
States. without whose concurrence and full
tio,, NJ ,,over M 2fafa no arm Y.,elt