Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-08-17


tense desire upon the part of the members
of Congress, that no difficulty should transpire
between that body and the Executive.
There were great differences of opinion in
regard to the course which he would probably
pursue. While some few expressed openly a
great want of confidence in the President, q
large majority still hoped that all things would
| vet turn out for the best, and that he would
prove true to the great loyal constituency who
placed him in his position; and it was on this
account that the people saw, perhaps, some hes
itation on the part of members OF Congress, in
taking ground on some questions which were
agitated in Congress.
We desired, il possible, to go shape legisla-
tion as TO secure the great Objects without cre-
ating any unnecessary difficulty with the Ex-
ecutive. This state of things Of course bro t
1 about disagreements among members of Con-
gress themselves. Some of them thought that
a certain set of measures, certain courses of
policy, would secure the appreciation of the
President; others thought that no matter what
we did, unless we showed ourselves entirely
subservient to his will, he would not go with
u.s. There was, therefore, much impatience,
even among members themselves, as well as
among the people, because Congress did not
act more speedily than they did upon the ques-
tions of Reconstruction.
l must confess that had myself, sometimes,
felt some impatience on the subject The way,
to me, appeared perfectly clear. 1t was my
opinion that Congress ought at once to proceed
to legislate upon these questions without any
reference TO what the opinion Of the President
might be-without paying any attention fur
ther than the attention which is always rightly
due to the advice of the President. believed
that we ought not to throw any membranes
or difficulties in the way of the President; but,
at the came time, that we should straightway
determine upon our measures and pursue them
steadily, firmly and unswerviDgly, without re-
ference to him.
Other distinguished members of Congress
early showed want of confidence in the Ex-
ecutive, and they took it upon themselves to
say SO in their places, which l considered not
yery good p5licy Although at no time did l
concur with the Presidents ideas upon the i'm
portant subject of reconstruction, l did
not deem it essential for me or proper for menu
bers of Congress to use any disrespectful Ian
| guase towards the occupant of that honorable
position, until he had done something in his
official capacity which would warrant them in
so doing.
| In speech which made on the oath day of
March, enlarged upon these matters: That
the power of determining these questions be-
longed solely and wholly to the Congress of the
United States-the Legislative power ofthe Gov
| ernment l denied that the President had any
thing more to do with it than the right to ad-
wise, which the Constitution gives him. and the
alternative of disappearing such measures as did
not meet his ideas of right, leaving the question,
finally, Tor the action of Congress by two
thirds majority. There are certain things, my
fellow citizens, which l hold this Government
was bound to do and perform in this emergency.
do not care so much about the punishment
to e-meted out, the infiiction of extreme pen
alties upon conquered rebels, as / do for fixing
the foundations of our Government upon sub
stantial basis for the future, as to prevent the
remotest possibility of recurrence of another
such civil war. l was, therefore, in favor of
insisting upon such amendments TO the Consti-
tuition as would place the Government upon
strong and sound Republican principles, recog-
nizing the rights of all Den, every where, with
out distinction of color or Of race; and the pro-
lection of every citizen in the Union, wherever
he may be located in his own Just and national
rights. [Applause.1
And, to this end, l insisted that Congress
ought 20 proceed without delay, to do these
things, without regard to the ideas or opinions
of the President adversely thereto, and to COM
plete the work calmly, firmly and independent
! ly: [ApPlause
| recognized, fellow citizens, as did every
other member, the responsibility of the Govern
ment for the accomplishment of this end.
recognized as did all of my cotemporaries, the
great obligations of the Government to protect
all of its citizens; and especially, to protect all
and every one of the loyal citizens located in
the rebellious States-whoeve. had stood by the
Government during its hours of terrible peril
nc matter what the sacrifice should be, no mat
ter how much it might cost. | took the pos
ition that the Government was bound to do this;
and if the power did not already exist in the
Constitution that the Constitution should be
so amended while we hadthe power and right
to dictate terms, as to secure that obligation
forever hereafter. Loud Cheering
l denied II e right of those so lately in open
rebellion TO dictate terms to and make demands
of the Government. 1 took the position further,
that they had no rights; (applause;) that by
unwarranted rebellion against the government,
and the taking up of arms to destroy it, these
people had absolutely forfeited all of their for
mer rights of life, liberty and property Zap
plause1 and that the only question for us to con-
slider, was the question Of policy for the govern
ment, and for the body of loyal people in deter
mining what should now be the conditions to
be imposed upon the rebellious States. They
have no rights; they have nothing to say, ex-
cent to appeal to the government, and to the
loyal people of the country, in behalf of human.
ity and mercy, for that pardon which msgnani-
nifty accords TO the erriDg members of the hu-
man family.
But they, on the other hand, commenced with
demanding their rights--demanding things as
their rights which did not belong to them; and
l am sorry to say that think they were induc'
ed to do this by the course which the President
took, as against the measures proposed by Con.
press, They were encouraged to do it. There
was a time when, with the consent of the Pres
ident. they would have accepted any conditions
which would have permitted them to live, with.
out any other rights. But that time was frit.
tered away by the course which the President
thought proper to take.
OBJECTS OF REBELLION.
This warwas commenced for the purpose o
extending the institution of slavery; for the
purpose Of increasing its power in the Govern
ment; and after rebels failed to do that-to es'
tablish an independent government, the corner
stone of which should be slavery, they involved
, themselves in the position of people who haC
forfeited all their rights under the Constitution
1t then became question, what should be re-
ouired of them, before the process of their re-
construction to former privileges and rights be-
came legitimate. All that asked of them was
that the Constitution should be SO amended a;
to put it forever out of the power of this, any
) other set of people, or States, 10 oppress any
other particular section or portion Of our Re
public; that this amendment shonld place then
simply on an equality with ourselves thus rec
oenizing the great principle of human rights
as set forth in the Declaration of independence
and guaranteed to citizens everywhere, that al
men are entitled to the enjoyment of the ina
lenable rights of life liberty and the pursuit o
+ happiness. This we must do in order 10 protec
the real friends of the Government 1t would
be sin for which this nation would be surely
punished, as she has been punished for pas
} crimes, if the Government, after this war; fails
to protect those'who stood by them in the houl
when ruin and overthrow was threatened.
| THE FIRST sTEP.
Therefore the first thing which the legisla.
ture of the nation sought to do was to provide
measures for protecting the loyal people of the
South When these measures were first insti-
tuted, it was believed and understood that the
President favored all the measures necessarily
tending to that purpose; but when the first
Freedman's Bureau Bill was passed, having fol