The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-02-15

II
] might 60 down here to tho ballot.
box tomorrow and vote directly for
universal suffrage; but ifa great ma.
jority Of this people said no, | should
consider it would be tyrannical and ar
bitrary in me to attempt to force it up.
on them without their will It is a
fundamental text in my creed that the
will ofthe people must be obeycd when
fairly expressed. Is there any thing
wrong or unfair in that? 10
"Mr. Douglas. smiling "a great
deal wrong, Mr.. President, with all re.
spect." r
The Prcsident--"The people must
determine that for themselves. ! do
not want to be engaged in a work that
will commence a war OF the races. In
each community, if man shows that
the new state Of affairs will operate
well, he will be protected in all his
rights and given every possible advan.
tage by that community. When they
have become reconciIcd socially and
politically to certain things, then will
this new order of affairs work harmo-
niousIy. Bnt, forced upon the people.
before they are prepared for it, it will
be resisted. ,.t.
i feel a conviction that forcing that
matter upon the people will result in
the injury Of both races, aud tho ruin
of one or the other God knows, l have
no desire but tho good of the whole
human race would il were SO that
all you advocate could be done in the
twinkling ofan eye. But it is not in
the nature of things, and do not as
sumo or pretend to be wiser than Pro-
videncc, or stronger than the laws of
nature Let US now seek to discover
the laws governing this question. There
is a great law controlling it. Let us
endeavor to find out what that law is
and conform our action to it, All the
details will then properly ad just them
selves and work well in the end God
knows that any thing | can do in the
process by which the great end
is to be reached, any thing | can do to
elevate the races, to soften and ameio-
rate their condition, | will do, and to
be able TO do so is the sincere desire of
my heart. | am glad l have met you,
and | thank you for the compliment
you have paid mo-" w
Mr. Douglass--''I have TO return you
our thanks, Mr.. President, for so kind
ly granting us this interview. We did
not come here expecting to argue this
question with your Exccllency, but
simply to state what were our views
and wishes in the premises. If we
were disposed to argue the question,
and you would grant US permission, Of
course, we would endcavor to contro.
vert somc of the positions you have
assumed.
Mr.. Downing-Mr. Douglass, I take
it that the President, by his kind ex
pressions and his very full treatment
of the subject, must have contemplat-
ed some reply to the views which he
has advanced, and in which we cer-
tainly do not concur, and say this
with due respect. ..t...
The President-"I thought you ex-
pccted me to indicate to some extent
what my views were on the subjects
touched in your statement"
Mr.. Downing-"We are very happy
indeed to havo heard Them
Mr.. Douglass.-"If the President will
allow me. would like to say one or
two words in reply"
The President-'All l have done is
simply to indicate what my views are,
as supposed you expected me to, from
your address
Mr.. Douglass-"My own impression
is, that the very thing your excellency
would avoid in the Southern States
can only be avoided BY the very meas
uros that we propose, and would
state to my brother delegates that be.
cause L perceive the President has Ia
ken strong grounds in favor of a given
policy, and distrusting my own ability
to remove any of these impressions
which he has expressed l thought
we had better end the interview with
the expression ofthanks," addressing
the Prcsident,) :.but if your ExceIlen.
cy will be pleased to hear, l would
like to say a word or two in regard to
that one matter, of the onfranchise-
ment Of the blacks rs means of pre-
venting the very thing which your Ex-
cellcncy sccrns to apprehend-that is,
q conflict of races ... ..
The Presideet-"I repeat that |
merely want to indicate my views in
reply to your address, and not TO enter
into any general controversy, and /
could not we'll do so under the circum-
stances. Your statement was a very
frank one, | thought it was due to
you to meet it in the same spirit"
Mr.. Douglas-"Thank you, sir" r.
Tho President-I think you will
find, so far as the South is concerned,
that ifall will inculcate t ho idea, in
connection with the one you urge, that
the colored people can live and ad.
vance in civilization to better advan-
tagc elsewhere than crowded together
in the South, and itwould bc bettcr for
them" ... d. aH..
Mr.. Douglass-"But the masters
have the making of the laws, and we
can not get them away from the plan
tations." l.-
The Presidcnt--"what prevents
you" 7.a
Mr.. DougIas-"We have not the
simple right of locomotion through the
Southern States" r..
H rst. ~ II. Al