The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-05-22
TERMS. $3.50 PER AMNUM.

news their Federal relations. w hen
these organizations were complete, and
the States ready to apply to Congress for
return to the Union, the Presidents
policy was ended. His work was all done.
The rest was for Congress. So he directed
his Secretary of State to inform Governor
Sharkey, July "a, 1865, Governor Mar
vim, September II, 1865, and SO be in.
formed US in his annual message, If he
has changed his policy since then il is
hardly worth while to inquire what il is
now, for bis principles are written in water.
do not wish to disguise the fact that
while he approves the two amendments
and believes the power exists to require
tleir adoption as conditions Of return, be
thinks it unnecessary to insist upon any
terms additional to those.imposed by him
self. II is in this opinion that bis old
prosecutors, the defeated enemies of the
Unioo, the foiled plotters of his assassin
alton, have taken heart, and with cruel
malice conspired with northern sympa.
thizers to pursue him with their uure-
lenting friendship. Their last hope forthe
destruction of this country lies in the de-
s.ruction of its friends. War failed them,
they resort to diplomacy. The President
was not much moved by their threats, will
he be seduced by their fattery? If SO,
let me assure these of our friends who a.c
disposed to suppress their own convictions
ir hope to detaln him and his patronage
10 little seect court party, that they
might as well exercise reasonable lib
ersy of opinion. For If be ever determines
to trust his political future to anybody
besides the great earnest, triumphant
Uuion organization that elected him, be
will have sense enough to put them aside
as mere nobOdies in popular strength,
beartless friends and harmless enemies, as
courtiers always are, and push straight
for the southern BROTHERHOOD rebel.led
opponents of a permanent and peaceful
Union. 10 that event his children aud
friends may well rejoice that the past, ID
least, is secure. His patriotic thoughts
of the last five years will still live ,althonah
only to reprove hin. .-. ..-
Again, It is said by way Of excuse,
"Why not admit such Uuion men as Fow-
Ter, Stokes, and Maynard, of Tennessee"
Because it is not a question about men
Shall a disloyal district, while it Is still
in disloyal spirit, be declared entitlei
to representation with only half as manv
represented people iu it as we req lire for
a district in the North? That is the
question. Captain Semues ran up the
Union flag when he wished to d .coy an
nnsrued merchant vessel under the power
of his guns, but replaced it with the pi.
rate emblem when he had secured hi,
victim. The names of these patrious are
hung ont to day to secure representation
to a rebel constituency behind them, but
they will be hauled down at the f1rss
election and rebels put up in their stead
You may think you are only recogn zing
the Union flag, but when it is too late
you will fDd yourselves alongside the
Alabama and IN the power of its pirate
crew.
But it is said 10 reply, "We will MT
admit disoyal men even if elected" How
can you help yourselves 8! If whole
delegation from South Caroline, for in
stance, present themselves to the Clerk of
the last House and ask to be placed on
the roll, prior to organization, and tender
him the certificate of their election sign d
by the Governor and sealed with the great
seal of that most sovereign State, shall
the Clerk say which is loyal and whiehit
not? / suppose not. After the organ
ization, in which all have participated,
and all have been quilted and taken
their seats, will you get up an inqui ito
rial committee to explore the secret re-
cesses of their consciences and be father
confrssors to their sins 2" ''No, but the
iron-cla oath will exclude them" DO
you not know, sir, that almost every man
who is in favor of admitting these States
without conditions is also in favor OF re-
pealiDg that oath They already denou'c,
it as an odious and unconstitutional tcsf.
The Secretary of the Treasury and the
Postmaster General, backed up by mes
sage from the President, ask its repeal o
far as regards their Departments, thns
making rebels as eligible as Union sollie
to the appointments here, and uud.r suciI
lead | expect to sec it swept away, and 50
do most of the gentle nen who are nov
urging US tc lay aside real cafe gunri
and trust 10 this cobweb Of a morning. q
But suppose we could in this way c77-
trive to dictate to these people wlo they
should and who they should not elect,
what kind of representation would that
be7 We say to them, "you are tree TO
select your representatives, but mini that
YOU se!ec. such as suit US, not yourselves.
You call that representation I call it
obedience. We propose to extract the
euveuoned fang of the serpent before he
is uncaged, aud you to bind bin with