The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-11-10

does any candid man doubt that he
would be high in favor with the party
which now so bitterly denounccs him ?
Last Spring Senator Stewart offered in
the Senate II proposition for universal
amnesty and universal suffrage as the
best adjustment of all existing difficult
ties. 1t was eagerly accepted and advo-
Gated as the grand panacen of all our
politic9l woes by Messrs. Sumner, Will .
son, and the leading Radical Senators. |
There was no longer any wish express |
ed TO make treason Odious. If the |
States could be coerCed to bcstow the |
right of suffrage upon the negroes, all |
opposition to the re-enrranchisemcnt of |
traitors who had fought TO destroy the !
with the blood of our sons and broth
ers,o was to be withdrawn, and they |
were at once to be rcadmittod to the full !
enjoyment of all the rights they had
everpossessed. There were to be no more
tcSt-oaths, no more military commits
sions, no more indictments for treason,
no more horror OF the Dissertation of the
halls OF Congress by the presence OF
unwashcd and unrepentant traitors"
| do not complain of this. | do not say
that the mon who advocated themeasurc
did not believe it to be the best and
quickest means Of restoring peace, fra
ternity, and prosperity. l do not say
they We're not thoroughly honest, con-
scientious, and patriotic in their cOnvic-
tions. / am willing to believe they
were. But ] mention it only to show
/ that negro suffrage is the real and only
substantial cause Of controversy be-
tween the executive and legislative
branches of the Government, and to
ask in the most solemn terms, and inn
pioro my fellow-citizens to give il the
most earnest and dispaSsionatec consider
alton, whether upon such an issue we
are to be plunged into another fratrici-
dial war, and imperil all there is of our
country sacred in the past, grand and
valuable in the present, and hopeful
and glorious in the future. Had the
President consented 10 join Congress in
forcing negro suffrage ON the South, all
WOuld have been fair and smooth, and
instead OF being denounced as tiend,
he would now be worshipped as an idol
by those who so bitterly and unrelent-
ingly assail him.
Those who are sincerely desirous of
seeing paciiCatiOn of the country, and
II restoration OF the integrity of the
| Union, ought to feel assured of the
: purely patriotic and sincere intentions
of the President, when they remember
that he is, in good faith, carrying for
, ward the policy inaugurated by Prcsi-
, dent Lincoln, and that the only two
men who went into the administration
[ with Mr.. Lincoln at the beginning of
| his first term (thc Secretary Of State and
l of the Navy, and the only two who
, were trusted and Confided in by him
: through his entire official career, and to
= the end Of his lifc--who stood by, ell.
couraged, and sustained him when the
: storm and tempest of rebellion was
+ beating most fierccly upon him, and tho
5 ship of State was tossing upon tho
waves Of IA turbulent sea, with broken
| masts ard shattered sails, and whl
= knew his most secret thoughts rs to the
: best measures to be adopted to bring hcl
) into pOrt-are standing by President
t johnson, with Il courage and herOisn
+ equally sublime, and cheering him OF
= in his heroic efforts to achieve the Sam
= ends. They We're villiiicd and dcnouncet
Z then; and by the same men, are villiiiCC
s and denounced now. They did no
J. quail before the storm that beat upoI
h them then--thcy do not quail bcfor
4 the tempest that RACES around then
>. now. Mr.. Lincoln was heroic then, an
l. Mr.. johnson is heroic now. | am sur
c no man can be sincrrcr in his purpose
q to preserve the Constitution and say
ii the country than he is. No man ca
-e be actuated by a purer patriotism, or b
1t more aVcrse 10 usurpation of power
n lie has not violated the Constitution il
y the past; he intends no iniraction Of
1t in the future; but he does intend tirl
Is and faithful performance of all tn
10 trusts Which that sac.el instrumer
Y has dovOlved upon him. With ever
le disposition to be charitable towar
O. those who differ from me in opinion,
N is difficult to believe them sincere j
l. charging the President with intcntic
= of violently forcing rebels into Congrc
ID and giving them the control of the Go,
st ernment. What act has he ever doi
or that gives the slightest sanction to sue
n Il charge? Nutonocan bospcciilcd.
IL has neither transcribed his own poWc
lc nor invaded those Of the cO-urdinutcd Il
ne partments; and the only protest fort
IL charge is, not what he has d0ac, but VIII
IL he has Soid, In declaring again Al
lie again his conviction that it was Il
L. duty of Congress to obey plain const
yh tutionul provision, and each House i
ly itScJ to judge Of the elections, return
he and qualifications Of each indiVidu
he presenting himself as member.
he Our country is in peril--in very gre
rs pcril-not from public enemy, b
he from the violence of our own passion
M safety Is to bc found only in a strict Il
lr. hcraco to the Constitution and laW
ter As long as they are obcycd no evil {,
m como upon Us. We are in danger on
ny wheu We attempt something they ,
ac- not sanction. / trust it will -he {
ne pride and glory Of the friends Of
ar- Administration, in the threatening 60
lu- lest. through which we are passing,