The Evansville journal., 1866-06-27

the Freedmen's Bureau by the side of
every negro in the South, but by Sc
curing to the freedmen those rights
which freedom, according to the
American idea of Government, always
confers on men as well as on women,
on natives as well as on foreigners,
and in Ohio ever since 1S49, on whites
as well as on blacks. If we want the
negro to live honestly, peaceably and
industriously, he must have the right
to make contracts for his labor, and to
enforce their performance; to acquire
and to dispose of property, to sue and
to be sued; to invoke the protection
of courts of justice, in case he should
be outraged in his person or property,
and to attend to his lawful business
without let or hindrance. This is moth
ing but fair, and fairness has always
been one of the principal features of
American character. / have no OBJ
lection to individual State action in
The premises. | welcome the Civil
Rights bill passed by the Georgia Leg
islature, as preliminary step In the
right direction. But, sir, the enjoy
ment of a mans inalienable and fun
damental rights must not be left to
the discretion or caprice of either the
individual States or the Federal Gov
-ernrnoaat- It ought to be a necessary
incident to the simple fact of inhabit-
ing American soil. Hence, because
we hear doubts expressed if Congress,
has the power to secure civil rights by
lac, let us secure them by incorporat-
ing them in the Constitution. Our
Democratic fellow citizens object to
civil rights because they are not in the
Constitution. Well, then, let us put
them there, so as to place them be-
yond the reach of State as well as
Federal interference. Is.
III. Our second obligation is one of
good faith to the national creditors.
What the people of the United States
have promised before the civilized
world, must and will be fulfilled The
debt incurred for the preservation of
our national existence must be paid to
the last dollar and the last cent The
stain of dishonest reputation shall
never disgrace the United States
Not farthing of what we owe will be
left unpaid. This is the expression
of the moral sentiment of the Ameri-
can people. 1t is the solemn pledge
of the, Union organization. The
Democratic party, however, is silent
with reference to our national obliga-
tons. 1t sneers at them through its
public organs, Not single Demo
cratic State Convention has declared
in favor of honestly paying the national
debt. This silence becomes ominous
when considered in connection with
the repudiating antecedents of that
party. 1t betokens evil intentions. 1t
might be the silence of guilty con-
science, if there were such a term as
conscience in the political vocabulary
of our opponents. ii -ela II
/ am justified, then, in what | said
S&spteedh & tes and aces not @ recognize the re-
suits of the war. ~ ~ ~ f..
1t does not recognize our existence
as nation, but still clings to the an
archical notion that we are nothing
but a partnership of separate soyer-
eign states. ~ aaf ,.f. vsf AR.
1t does not recognize the integrity.
of the national territory. aiar a.~e4I
1t has not recognized freedom as o
national American institution.
1t will not protect the. inalienable
rights of man against the tyranny and
cruelty of vindictiye local majorities.
1t will not redeem the solemn
pledges of the nation.
1t will not protect the freedman
against the rebel whom he fought un-
der our flag; and it does not recog-
nize our sacred obligation to pay the
national creditors.
1t has not even denied after the war
what Its Southern allies claimed be-
fore the war--the pretended ri1ht of
secession Its platform has but one
to its Southern
masters. When the rebels attempted
to break up our country, the Demo-
cratic leaders insisted that we should
let them go out Now that the South,
erns wish to regain political power.
and will condesend to rule us again. |
the Democracy insists that we must /
let them come mi Yesterday, the re-
bells wanted to go out; hence. yester-
day the Democratic platform was.
: You haze no right to keep them IN
To-day, the rebels want to come in
again to rule the country which thev
could not destroy. Hence, to-day the
Democratic platform is: /" You hare
40 right to keep them out. Yester-
lay, the children of Vallandigham
'wore that the rebels should 90 ont:
,o-day, they swear that they shall
'on1e IN. Thus, regina, guild optics et
ot0rare tdbr nsihi jassa capesseye fast
st The South commands. and the
Democratic party obeys 1t has no
'ther principleSor sentiments but the
vhims or wishes of its rebel masters.
Such a party cannot be entrusted
Elth political power in a time like
his, AS long as the results of the
var have not henn fully sennrnd &c II