Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-07-20
j. M. B0TTs on THE SITUATION.

J0nn Minor bOttS, OF y lfglnla, cODSerF-
ative Unionist, made aspeech in the city
of Baltimore on the 4th of July. 1t is a
searching and able discussion of the lead
ing political questions now at issue, and Il
scathing rebuke to those who now, and
during the war, betrayed the best interests
of the country and the sacred cause of
liberty. John Minor Bolts is the acknowl-
edged head Of the Union party in Virgin
ia. Had loyalty been encouraged and
treason punished in the South by Presi-
dent Johnson, such men as Bolts would
have exercised the controlling influence
in the politics of the state. AS it lie, re-
bells only are allowed position aud power,
and the Unionists are in the same unsafe
and embarrassed, position as during the
rebellion. He stated that he knew from
actual contact. with the rebels in Virginia
and throughout the South that their feel
ings at present towards the loyal people of
the North, were more hostile and bitter
than during the rebellion. ,saaa -
In speaking of the duty of the Govern
ment at the close of the rebellion, Mr..
Bolts said -
Among the first questions that arise is,
what we should have done after this rebel
lion was at an end? In my opinion the
first duty of the President of the United
States was to have had every prominent
leading rebel in the South instantaneously
arrested. Immense applause. If l had
been in the exercise Of that power Il can
only say what + would have done) | would
have had every prominent and leading re-
bel in the State arrested. Great Applause
And would have had them convicted Of
treason enthusiastic applause] and con-
demned to death under the Constitution
and laws of the country. Tremendous
cheering. And if Mr.. johnson had done
this, and then chosen to pardon all, l
should not have complained. If he had
chosen to Danish all, l should not have
gone into mourning. Laughter and APP
plause. If he had chosen to pardon all
| should have been content l have no
personal feeling of animosity toward these
people. -. aae93a r
But, instead of that, Mr.. johnson, com
menced a system Of indiscriminate par
doning. When he first started went.
with him, and perhaps / spent more time,
more labor, and more money in procuring
the pardon of rebels than any other man
in the United States, who never received
dime in return. 1expected him to car
ry out that portion of hispoliey which de-
clares that treason shall be made odious,
and that The governments of the States
we're to be placed in the hands of Union
men. But no sooner had these pardons
been attained than these gentlemen, who
were suppliants for favor, crawling to the
foot-stool of power, asking pardon for
what they had done, taking the oath of
amnesty and of allegiance to the Govern
ment Of the United States, Instantly be-
cause more bold, more insolent and more
defiant than they had ever been before
And when l found that and found that
no steps were to be taken to put the
States into the hands Of loyal men, and
to crush disloyalty out of the country,
l ceased to give any further support to the
policy of Mr.. johnson, Great applause. I
And yet, gentlemen, | am this day as good
johnson man as lives in the United
States. We are all johnson men, to GER
tain extent. The only difference between
us is this-that one party Of the country
goes for what he says, and the other
party goes for what he does, Applause
and laughter] It's simply like the En-
glishmans grog, .alf.and-alfp Now, if
there isany portion of that disloyal ele-
ment in this assemblage; that processes to
be better Johnson man than | am, l
would ask him in what particularl Does
he 90 forJohnson's whole policy, for max
ing treason odious, for pronouncing it a
crime, and putting the States inthe hands
of the loyal men of the country! Or
does he 60 solely and exclusively for that.
portion of lis policy which allows the re-
bels to run the machine all the time 2 s.a
THE REBELLION INExeUsABLE.s -aea .ln
|. Mr. Bolts then reviewed the history of
the country from 1901 to 1861, showing
that the Democracy had scontrolof affairs
during nearly all that time, and that the
South gained all that they demanded
In spite Of this, for thirty years before the
outbreak of the rebellion the Southern
leader were plotting the disruption of the
Union. The first part of the programme
was to unite the people of The South on
the slavery question. The election of Mr..
Lincoln precipitated the action, and in some
measure modified the plan The speaker
then explained the manner in which Fir-
ginia was hurried out of the Union, as
follows; [ ISSI J)/1E t)iE ,
During the session of the Virginia Con-
.yehtion there was an outside Convention
called by a secret circular, signed by Wise
and seventeen others, who was one of
those gentlemen that were for fighting in
the Union and not out of the Union; but
who, ! believe, took very good care to do
very little fightingin any case. The con-
vention was to meet in Richmond on the
10th of April. They came there with
the determination TO demand of the legi-
innate GogerpmepE the passage OF the Or
dinance of secession, aud upon their refu-
sal to do it, at the head of an infuriated
mob, they were. to drive the legitimate
Convention out Of doors, and te assume
their places, GEN, James Wilson, now of
California, and formerly member of the.
House of Representatives from the State
of New Hampshire-as respectable
gentleman as any in the coVptvy-came
to me to let lpe know the facts that had
reached him from confidential source,
that there was great political organization
gotten up that extended from New York
consisting of all the rewdies, plug uglies
and bloody thugs sgdown through Balti-
more into Virginia and Norfolk, Richmond :
and Petersburg, the Northern portion of
which was to be led on by Ben. McCul-
loHch, and the Southern portion by Hen
ry A. Wise-par Of the scheme Of Che
18th of April He told me, moreover,
that the determination was to march hpr-
riedIy upon Washington, take possession