The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-11-14

euCt anu pressure on u Iolce adequate 10
coerce obedience. The adoption of this
amendment viii involve the necessity of
minimizing an army to enforce it, which of
itst II would be dangerous to liberty and
add greatly to the burdens of taxation al
ready PrieNOuS. | can ser no good to result
from the proposed amendments. / see
much evil. We had better adhere to the
form OF government which cur fathers gave
US 1t is in my Judgment the most perfect
polltltal production of human wisdom and
patriotism. For three quarters of centdry
1t secured us unexamplcd prosperity, and at
the end Of that time enabled us to meet
and overcome the most stupendous rebellion
in the history of nations. Why change it?
For seventy five years we have hardly known
it, We knewit only by its benifcence and it
has shown itself as Strong as benefcent, ca
pahle Of successful resistance of the fercest
and most desperate assaults that it is posi-
b to make upon a government Why
change it lust as it has vindicated its pow
er, and lifted us to an eminence among the
nations Oi the earth we never till now at
taincd? We have 'ried the old Constitution
and know its capabilities. We have not
tried the new, as proposed, but can readily
see the confusion and disaster which it would
bring. We had better let well enough
alone; but if we should change it at all, we
should not change it now. The public ten
per Was never less auspicious to calm, con
scientions, wise considerations OF great
questions of State Passion and prejudice
should never lay rude hands upon iunda
mental and organic laws. In day they
may do mischief which years of repcntant
patriotic labor will not repair. In day
they may open Pandora box which the
patriotism and the craftsmanship of cen
tull may dot lie able TO shut. do not re
gard the rec mt and pending elections as in.
dicative of the judgment Of the people Of
the Northern States upon tho constitution
al amendments. They are really not the
issues presented tcpand considered by the
people. They have not been calmly and
disras> innately discussed and reflected up.
on The people have had their fears alarm
ed aud their passions aud prejudices arous-
ed, and perhaps never formed under snore
delusive ideas, as to the character of the is
been assured thlt President johnson is a
power; when the insurrectionarv govern
ments were overthrown and expelled, the
States were left with Constitutions which,
|
the Federal Constitution, had been declared
republican in form, and under which those
| States had, for many years, maintained their
place as constituent mentbers of the Union,
but they had no organizations under their
Constitutions. The President, therefore,
deeming it what was his imperative duty,
as Commander Chief to do, and what
he would have been most cul pahle for not
7 l.. Il -l>,, L.,
temporary Provisional Governors, un Ter
whose advice the people brought their reg
ular Governments again into operation utl-
der their CONSTITUTIONS. This was a thing
with which Congress had nothing to do 1t
was a matter purely of military cognizance
The public enemy had Just been expelled
Iy r'ilitary force, and it was the duty ofthe
Commander in. Chief to see to it that an
arcly and confusion did not cnsue, and that
the machinery of the legitimate Govern
ment was again put in operation for the
pres, ryation of order and the protection of
life, liberty and property from lawcSs vim
lence. 1t was the duty of the President,
too, as the executive head of the nation to
see to it that the national laws were execu-
ted. and that the relations between the
STATES and the Federal Government we.e
restored. President Lincoln had taken
peci-ely this ac ion IN respect to Virginia,
Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas, for
which he was appIauded and indorsed by
Congress during the first three years Of the
war. and thereafter vehemently denounc
President johnson for precisely the same
reasons A protest was issued by The Rad
icals against Mr.. Lncoln's denomination
to the Presidency, and Convention called
| Ia m thn nl,-
date for resolutely adherlng to his restora.
ton policy, which both houses of Congress
had repeatedly indorsed during the first
half of The war. In the appeal then made
by the Radicals from President Lincoln to
the war party, they were Overwhelmingly
def a'cd and his policy ind red by the
party and the country President johnson
strictly adhered to the policy Of Mr., Lin
coin, and it was not till long after the gov
ernments of all the Southern States had
been reorganized that any noticeable, objec,
ton was made to his action. In fact, il
seemed to meet the hearty approval or all
sections and parties until last December,
when Congress assembled, when the old is.
sue made against Mr.. Lincoln, and decided
by the people then, vas revived against
: him. If President johnson had, in all 9th
er respects pursued precisely the course he
has, but insisted on negro suffrage as con
dition precedent to restoratlon, does any
candid man doubt that he would be in high
favor with the party which so bitterly de-
nounces him?
Last spring Senator Stewart offered in
the Senate proposition or universal am
nesty and universal suffrage as the best ad-
iustment of all existing difficulties Ii was
, | Il nI Il trl IL
panacea of all our political woes by Messrs.
) Sumner, Wilson and the leading Radical
} Senators. There was no longer any wish
expressed tosmake treason "di us. II the
States could be coerced to bestow the right
Of suffrage upon the negroes, all opposition
TO the rcinfianchi,ement of traitors who
} had fought to d, stmy the Government, and
, whose hands are red with the blood of our
, sons and brothers. was to be withdrawn,
and they were at once to be resdnitted to
the full enjoyment OF all the rights they
had ever possessed. There were to be nc
; sions, no more indictments for treason nc
I more horror of the desecration of the halls
of Ccn,rs by the presence of unwi sh d and
of this. do not say that the men who ad
yocated the measures did not teieve it ia
be the best and quickest means Of restoring
. ea,e, fraternity dnl prosp' rity. | do moi
say they were not thoroughly honest, con
s,ienliou and patriotic in their conv .ctions
, am wiling to believe they were. But
mention it only to show that negro suffrage
is the real and only sui stantial cause oil con.
trovcrsy between the executive and legisla
| tive branches of the GoAernment, and to
; ak in the most solemn terms and imp ore
' my fellow citizens TO give it the most earn.
, est and di, pass onate consi Grafton, wheth
9 er upon such an issue W. are to be plunged
D into another iratriCidal war, and imperil all
: there is Of our country sacred in the past
: grand an valuabein the present, and hone.
t full and glorious IN the future. Had The
President consented 10 ioin Congress- in Gnr.