The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-04-06

interest, i'm restoring their officers to the army
and navy, i'm placing their wounded on the
pension roll in indemniiyinS their friends Tor
losses by war OF coniiscationor forced tax s'cs,
in restoring slavery under tho forms oi apprcn.
ticeship or fixed wages, and compulsory service
aud discriminating and oppressive legislation.
The effort has already been made in Tennessee,
and the spirit which dictated it peryades the
whole South, and will find statutes ready to its
hand in every State. In Congress minority
can arrest legislation. a majority OF either
II ,use can compel submission to any terms, un'
der penalty of arresting or disorganiSing the
Government.
The representatives from the States lately in
rebellion will form a powerful and hostile mi.
nority, and if they do not find enough enemies
of the Government from the States now repre-
ented to give them IN jority in one House
tor some ut the purposes above indicated, the
near past throws no light on the near future.
The prospect of political disorganizaton will
pc sent few terrOrs to people still hot with re-.
bell,on, smarling under the overthrow, and
quite as content to ruin as TO rule the coun.
try.
To expect them to Join in elccting Repub-
lican President would be an amiable delusion
which the first election would dispel; and
they might find tsome indemnity for emanci-
patton IL the increased vote they would cast in
the name Of their freed slaves should happen
to decide the contest and elevate them to pow
If the people are ready for these consequent
ces then there is no difficulty in restoring poit.
ical power to the Southern States. louisiana
or Virginia will serve us models; or other forms
will grow with mushroom rapidity.
d.. "a H.. kb (.,o IL, onI
not the enemies Ot tho Government shall con-
tinuc to govern it, othor measures must be ta-
ken.
Tho State Governments in the South must
be laced i'm hands interested to maintain the
authority of the United States. And the pow.
or OF those who rebellcd must be curbed by
those who did not rebel, aide by those who
joined the rebellion reluctantly and are rnxlous
to atone for their rrorand weakness.
This can b. done only by recognizing the me-
gro population Us an integral part of the people
Octke Southern Sdies: and by refusing 10 per-
nit any State Government 10 b. organised on
any Other basis than uniUsrSai suffrage and
equality before Me ia,c.
Whatever anomalies may have been winked
ut during the era OF slavery, il may well be
doubted ir, without serious blow at our prin.
Republican in form which excludes from suiT-
rage and equal laws u nm jority Of tho citizens
of the States. rs would bc the case in South
Carolina and Mississippi, or half tho citizens,
M would b. the case in Alabama, G,orgia,
Louisiana, and Virginia, ir tho negro citizens
be DISTINGUISHED.
Ii is certain that governments which declar-
cd them equal before tho law, and recognized
universal suffrage, would b. republican in form
and substance also. Ii is equally certain that
such constitution in the Southern States is
the only one consistent with the national peace
and safety: and Congress has tho right and
think, ought to refuse to recognise any State
government in those States not on that basis.
But the white people Of the States which 70
bcllcd will not organize governments on that
bisis. No considerable portion Of the white
population OF those States is in favor OF it. The
loyal are as much against 1t as the Rebel lead.
ers.
None will adopt il OF themselves, nor will
they adopt IL on the request and under tho intu'
enceof the President.
But all will submit to it il ezacted, and ac
cept it il unavoidable.
10 submit the question to thu loyal voters
OF the State assumes the existence OF q State
government and a Constitution defining the
right Of suffrage, and making loyalty cond'
tUn.
But there are M such Constitutions in any
State which rebelled. The United States have
refused to recognize any State Government in
any Of those States.
There ure, therefore, no State governments
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.
And the negroes are as integral part of the
PEOPLE OF the state rs the whites. Both are
citizens; neither has a right IN exclude the
other; neither can speak in the name Of the
State for the other; il is the equal right Of
both to he heard and represented in conSttut.
ing their common government, and any propo-
sal to submit the question OF the political or
civil rights Of the negroes to :he orbitrament
OF the whites il as unjust and as absurd as 10
submi. the question Of the political rights Of
the whites to the arbitnment Of the negroes
with this difference, that the negroes are loyal
everywhere and the great body Of tho whites
dislOyal everywhere.
The probem. therefore, is solved by simple
appeal to the people of the State.
No election can be held. no convention as.
scmble. no political authority bs legally exer-
eised in any of tho'e States but by tho will OF
the United States, and for tho present, till Con-
grcss speaks, by the will of the President.
II, therefore, the President will declare that
no elections shall be held unless tho negro pop
ulation have FREQ 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 fundamental basis, the problem
is solved.
II those conditions bc accepted, the c0ustitu-
ton will DO presented to Congress, and the
government reco osnizcd which it t,rms.
If they bo not accepted, tho President will
hold the State till Congress declare how they
shall be- governed.
Ii the problem b. not dealt with in this way,
or some such way,'it will bc solved in an ad.
verse sense.
II /, be mt solved rightly it threatens to do
generate into a barren and bitter agitation.
sure to result disastrously to thOsa who propose
the political cninnchiSemrnt OF the negroes,
and to consolid,tc the union ot the enemies vt
the Government in tho loyal and tho rebel
States into an irresistible power, which must
wrest the Government from the hands Of those
who have saved il. This coalition is probable
in any event; but on this question it is certain
and fatal.
The negro population must bo recognized by
the President and Congress as an integral part
of the people of the State, in the view OF the
Constitution of tho United States, without
whose concurrence and full participation in
power no State government will be recognized
In any State which rcbcllcd, or it will remain
ostraciscd and outcists for another generation,
and the enemies of the Government will wrcst
il from those who saved il.