Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-01-12

maintenance ola government from which
they have never received either justice OF
mercy, and wh4e um for ggperati6ns hed
only sustained 3heifoeC ress@ =, thy never
sheless became both in ppirit and condul1
not merely thatruest friends of tee Unidn
IN the South, but the only friends ftom
whose cooperation the National cause de
rived material aid in the entire region Of
the rebel States. Nor was their alliance to
our cause by any means IN uncomfortable
accession to the dispoeable power OF the
Union. In various Nays their phy sica' ef
forts, always cheerfully rendered, and their
knowledge Of the country and its lnliabi
tants, assisted in large degree in o 'ercom
ing the serious difficulties which so often
our armies through the insurgent states.
While on many a field of conflict for the
Unto their dusky battalions have dis
played steadiness, devotion and cour
% excellei only by the tried vetefans Ut
the Northern armies.
Nor is this All. Pass by the outlines
which present this war in its horrd form
If carnage snd blood, To those inpe! SCENES
Nhieh ull1hld the sublime pe6sssle Il these
black agents Of mercy lowering upon the
verge Of battle fields within range Of burst
ing shells, bearing food and water to nour
ISL the bleeding soldiers of the Union
invoke the grateful memory Of the many
tholHaAus who have been rescued from The
dead lines Of Andersonville and Libby, TO
ind sympathy and protection in the rude
cabin Of the slave. Appeal to the fathers
and mothers all over this broad land, whose
sad hearts have been relieved W the re-
turn Of some long mourned % among the
hapNss victims Of rebel cruelty!
By these numerous acts OF valuable ser
vice and their unvaveripg fidelity to the
Union, these people have placed the Coy
eminent in position towards them which
should engage the grsvcst consideration.
The act Of emancipation compelled them
to occupy All essentially new and response
BILE relation to the country While in the
condition Of slavery they neither claimed
nor received any political recognition, and,
beyond their amenability to the crimina
only law. But. transformed from slaves to
ireemen. they have become invested with
duties and rights which in their very ia
turc necessarily create political relations
between them and the Government.
Their emancipation was an emphatic as
sertion of Federal jurisdiction and author
ny over them, carrying with it by unayoid
able implication the power to guaranty all
the rights and incidents which result le-
ultimately from it, Although, in form. 3
military measure, yet its validity did not
terminate with the war Independent OF
the Constitutional amendment, we insisted
upon freedom in the Southern States " u
| condition of their return to the Union. =
| This demand could not have Leen legally
made antevior to the rebellion, but til.
power to do it now is clearly deducibt
from the position OF the Government u
the injared and prevailing party in the
late war, exercising the right to require
conditions Of security from vanquished
belliger,nt. To maintain that we now
lack the Constitutional kharity to secur,
tins freed peopli N the Gment of ali
the rights incidenU( - ew cd 6tion
! involves the incyitaIlU ~ ron Nat, on
The part of the Federal l. lent, com
| pulsoiy emancipation itself WIS usulpa
| tiUn of power.
| No large and dist met class Of citizens il
any community can long or successful
maintain their rights, deprived of
means to protect them against the grsdGa
entertainments Of power in the hands OF
Others. While suffrage may not be regard
cd as an Inherent right, yet, under popu
lar form of government, il becomes u pc
ltical right com ION to all classes from
whom the duties Of citizenship are re
| CURED This is the essential and mani
fest theory of our Republican System
We invite the foreigner to our shores
rendering him the induccmcnt Of HON,
and protection under the flag. At the end
OF five years, if he chooses TO avail himself
of the privilege, we confer upon him the
| full stature OF an American citizen. NJ
people Of any recognized nationality on the
globe are excluded from the benefits ofoui
naturalization laws. And as a bounty tol
military services, a foreignsr who has serv
ed one year in the army and received NJ
honorable discharge, may become natural
lied without any further qualification. Al
this accords with the sublime truth an
nounced in the Declaration of Indcpend
cnce that, to secure certain inalienabl,
rights, Governments arc instituted amOns
men, deriving their just powers from tn.
consent of the governed and with tina
higher declaration that God made of on,
blood all nations Of men," And by wha
authority dare We declare that the loya
citizen OF African descent, born upon ou
soil, shall, among "all men, be the solitar,
exception to this truth. lie has worn oul
uniform, fought our battles, and PROVED
true to the flag We made him freeman
an element of national power, and thereb,
citizen, and US a citizen he Obeys til,
laws, owns property, pays taxes, and will
when called upon again, cheerfully defent
the flag. Yet there are those among II
who would deny Rhm the common puliti
cal right which, more than any other, il
enjoyed by all citizens under this Govern
men. Can we satisfy ourselves tina. j
would be expedcnt or wise to inflict 5.
great wrong upon an obcdient and loya
subject. History affords no example OF
Government having prospcred, while VIC
latDg fundamental principle Of its Con
stitution. This Government was not es
tablishcd for the benefit OF any particular
nationality or complexion Of men, but wa
designed by its immortal founders as al
asyl um for all men who seek the shelter o.
its flag.
i / sneak now of national necessity
Hereafter the political power of the lat,
nsurgent States must be exercised either
by loyal citizens or traitors, or by boil
conformity. Prejudice may dictate, bu,
justice and sound policy will never sane
ton the disfranchisement Of these fou,
millions of tried people, whose loyal bal
lots, more formidable to treason than bay
onets, would hereafter constitute them al
army Of occupation to the Government il
the yet unquet regions Of the South.
shall we adhere to this fundamental ides
Of political equality incorporated with oul
very existence, or must We surrender it il
the hour of the nations triumph, to the ca
price ofmen who, by four years of desperat,
war, attempted to destroy the Constitution
thereby acknowledging that in spite Of ouI
greatness, the Government has ceased tc
contain IN itself the means of its own pres
ervation.
States in their individual capacity, mus
meet this vital issue by bold and decided
action. Indications are not wanting tina,
the DeODle Of this State will nronounc.