The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-08-30

adoption OF the ameDdmcnL TO tho
Constitution abolisbiDg slavery; third,
the reputation of the debts incurred
by the South in prosecuting the war
against the Government; fourth, equal
protection by law for the civil and
personal rights Of the freedmen. By
the proclamation Of amnesty large
classes Of persons whose responsibility
for the rebellion was supposed to be
greatest, were left under the penalties
Of the law, and were not relieved of
any Of the disabilities they had incur.
led. 1t is a noteworthy fact that the
President demanded also the accept.
ance of these conditions in the form
which was at that time the strongest
that could be prescribed; namely, by
the change of the Federal Constitution
so far as preliminary steps bad then
been taken by Congress for its amend.
ment, and in the other cases by the
change Of the constitutions of the
several States themselves. In short,
the doctrine was distinctly and en-
phatically recognized that "irrevers.
bio guarantees" should bo given for the
observance OF the terms imposed -
Had the Thirty eighth Congress EN-.
bodied all these propositions in an
amendment to the United States Con-
stitutiou as they did that of the abol.
tion of Slavery, it is impossible to en-.
tertain doubt that the President
would have insisted upon that form OF
ratHying and guaranteeing the whole.
1t is moreover notorious, and believe
it is not questioned, that the admins
tration plan involved the probable de-
mand, through the legal forms, OF the
equitable adjustment of the represen-
tation of the several States in Con-
gress. These two other propositions,
viz: continuing disabilities for leading
rebels, and equalization of representa-
tion, properly make part of the ad-
minslration programme of restoration.
! and may therefore be numbered as
the fifth and sixth in the series.
five turn to the plan and policy a.
doptcd by the Union party of Ohio in
its State Convention we shall find, Ito
the astonshment of some perhaps)
that those Identical terms are embod-
led in it and constitute its essence.-
If there is any difference whatever it
is in form and not in substance. The
whole six may be thus enumerated in
order: |, submission to law; 2, aboli.
tion of slavery; 3, reputation of rebel
debt; 4. protection of freedmen; 5, dis
qualification of rebel leaders, and 6,
equalization of representation. The
tally is complete! Ard not only are
they all there but they are all that are
there. Will it be objected that these
terms are embodied in the form of an
amendment to the federal constitu-
ton? The answer is plain and con-
elusive that if the Southern States in
good faith are willing 10 accept such
terms as fnality they cannot object
to placing their acceptance beyond the
reach OF their own recall, and where
our con,olt must also be had to any
future change in them. To higgle
upon that question would raise reason
able doubts as to the good faith of the
acceptance. They would have reason
to be offended if we should assume that
they could do so. We simply carry
out more perfectly the original idea or
the Administration programme that
the guarantees should be as far as pos
sible irrevcrsiblc.
But it may be urged that some Of
these terms are varied in form from
the Presidents propositions. Let us
see how far that is valid objection
Take the dsqualifying clause. ltcan.
not be denied that the classes excepted
from the amnesty proclamation are in
comparably larger than the one desciib
ed in the amendment. If those reach
ed by the one may be pardoDed by the
President in detail, those included ir
the other may be relieved by vote o
Congress, and once let the country be
assured of the sincerity Of the Southern
communities in returning to loyalty
and l would pledge my life that the
amnesty would be voted not by two.
thirds vote merely, but by one absolute,
ly unanimous, For my own part | have
looked upon the terrible experience ol
the war itself as the best possible safe
guard against future rebellions, and as
| hold the protection of the communi.
ty to be the chief object in Furnishing
i political offenses, | have regarded in
hictions of any sort upon whole classes
of citizens AZ unnecessary and there
fore unadvisable. l remember that
Hallam, u high authority in the phi
losophy of history, has declared that
clemency is the standing policy of con
stitutional governments, as severity i:
} of despotism," and that the great Lore
Chatham adopted the "bold, yet, as il
t proved, most safe and wise policy o.
raising Highland regiments from The
, lately disaffected clans" soon after tht
, last effort of the Stuarts to recover thu
8 English throne. Rebellion had become
+ chronic in the mountains of Scotland
: and through three generations th'
1 Highlandmen had lost no opportunity
! of disturbance. The fathers fought un
r der Montrose fer the dethroned family
? and tho grandsons were out under thu
9 remanticChevaolier,y yet as soon as they
{; had learned the lesson that the govern
t ment was too strong for them, Chatham
trusted them, and more than twenty
+. years af(erward, when oar revolution
again brought up the question how
I rebels should be dealt with, the ole
statesman, who was our advocate, re
/. ferred with pride to his policy in re
. gard to the cllns, exclaiming "they