Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-09-27


repudiated nor invslidsted; and no debt in
Cured In support of the Rebellion shsllev-
or be assumed or paid by any State; nor
shall payment be made for the loss or enlan-
eination ofahy slave. -@~
". Congress shall have pbwer to enforce
these guarantees by appropriate legislation.
Such, Fellow. Citizens, are the conditions
Of reconstruction proposed by Congress and
already accepted by the loyal Legislature
Of Tennessee. Are they harsh or degrading2
Do you discern therein disposition to tram
pie on the PROSTATE or push an advantage
to the uttermostp Do they embody aught
ofvengeance, or any conhscation but that OF
Slavery? We solicit your candid, impartial
JUDGMENT. NIX .-.l.s
What is intended by the third section is |
simply to give. Loyalty fair start the re-
constr ucted States. Under the johnson |
policy, the Rebels monopolise power and |
place even in Communities where they are
decidedly outnumbered. Their Generals |
are Governors and Members elect of Con-
gress their Colonels and Majors gil the Leg.
isatures, and oficiate as Sheriffs. Not only
are the steadfastly loyal prescribed, but even
stay-at home Rebels have little chance iri
competion with those who fought to subyert
the Union. When this Rebel monopoly Of
office shall have been broken up, and loyalty
to the Union shall have become general and
hearty. Congress may remove the disability,
and will doubtless make haste to do so. =,
| We do not perceive that the justice or fit
ness of the fourth prescribing that
the Union Public Debt shall be promptly
net. hut that Of the Rebel Confederacy new
er-1is seriously contested. -,
There remains, then; but the second sec
tion. which prescribes in substance that po-
| sri i,a alon
be based only on that portion of the people
Of each State who are deemed by its Con.
stitution fl repositories of such power. In
other words A State which choosesto hold
part of Its population in ignorance and vas
ge-powerless, uneducated, unfranchis-
ed-shall not connt that portion to balance
the educated, intelligent enfranchised citi-
zers of other States. ....E q:
We do not purpose to argue the justice of
this provision. As well argue the shape Of
cuha or the correctness of the Multiplied.
ton Table. He who does not feel that this
is simply and mildly just, would not be per-
suaded though one rose from the dead to
convince him. That there are those among
us who would not have it ratified, sadly de-
monstrates that the good work Of Emanci-
patton is not yet complete.
;, "But," say some, this section is designed
to coerce the South in according Suffrage to
her Blacks" Not so, we reply; but only to
notify her ruling caste that we will ne longer
bribe them to keep their Blacks in serfdom.
> An aristocracy rarely surrenders its privil.
, eges, no matter now oppressive, from alb
stract devotion to Justice and right. 1t must
have cogent, palpabe reasons for so doing.
,, We say, therefore, to South Carolina, III
you persstently restrict all power to your
100000 Whites we must insist that these
{ shall no Longer balance, in Congress and the
, choice of President, 100000 Northern
, White freemen. but only 100000. IF you
keep your Blacks evermore is serfdom, il
! mast not be because we tempted you so te
do and rewarded you for 80 doing" ,..-
. Fellow citizens of every State but espe
> cially Of those soon to hold elections we en-
/, treat your earnest. constant heed to the
: grave questions now Mt issue, IF those whs
= SO wantenlv plunged the Union into Civi
War shall be allowed by you to dictate tbt
a terms Of Reconstruction, you will have heed
lessly sown the bitter seeds of future rebel
a threatened with recognition by the Presi
!. dent Of a sham Congress made up Of tn,
4 factions which recently coa!esced ut Phila
de|phia on platform of Johnsonism--
/. Congress constituted by nullifyiug and over
riding plain law of the land-a Congress
u wholly inspired from the White House, snt
appealing to the sword alone for support. =
So glaring an attempt at, usurpatioh wonl,
!. be- even more criminal than absurd. Har
4 PLY, the People, by electing ar. overwhelm
n ing majority of thoroughly loyal representa-
il tives. are rendering its initiation impossible
d We cannot close without most .deserve
!. tribute to the general fidelity wherewth. i
> view of the Presidents detection, the grea
il body of the People, and even of the Federa
office holders, stand fast by their convic
tions and their principles. The bouudles
y patronage of the Executive, though mos
b whose votes he owes it, has corrupted yer
, few. either of those who shared or of thos
!, who would gladly share in its enjoyment. =
A. Not one of the 90 States which voted to re
i elect Abraham Lincoln has given in it's ac
hesion to the Presidents policy; while Ne,
# Jersoy-the only Free State that vote
!. against him-has added herself to thei
10 number.
= Our great war has taught impressivel
O the peril of injustice; and the lesson ha
. sunk deep into millions of hearts. TIL
n American people, chastened by sufferins
4 are wiser and nobler than they were, with
"a quicker and more open ear for every gene
\. Gus suggestion. The fearful lessons of Men
;. phis and New Orleans have not beenlost o
Al them, as is proved by the result of the r,
= cent elections in Vermont and Maine. W
/, cherish no shadow of doubt that Pennsylv,
, mia, Ohio, Indiana and Iowa first then Me-
IT York, New Jersey. Illinois, Michigan, Wi,
consn, Kansas and Minnesota. will do like
70 WISE and that true restoration, genuin,
4 abiding Peace, will thus he secured to ou
n. oountry--a Peace that will endure, becaus
w hased on the everlasting foundations OF H,
n, manity, Justice and Freedom. NV
"A sJ Yours.
nj MARCUS L. WARD, New Jersey, Chm
ir John d. DEGREES, Indiana, .Secretosy
ir Horace Greeley. New York,
n. :. A. Purviance.. Pennsylvania,
is William Clafin.. Massachusetts,,
ls n. b. Smithers.. Delaware, -
8, II. w, Hoffman.........M Maryland,
ST n. H. Starkweatber..... Connecticut,
B. r. Cowen.. Ohio, fl.rsy
AZ John B Clark. New Hampshire
10 Samuel f. Hussey. .... Maine.
re- Abraham B. Gardner. Vermont, ID
" j, 5. Fowler. Tennessee,
d Burton @. Cook. Illinois, oroa
70 Marsh Giddings.. Michigan,
i. ID. p Stubbs. Iowa, aat
NV Ill ~