Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-10-18
The Elsction-Its Results.

and Iowa have gallantly ranged
themselves side by side with Yer
mont and Maine in an emphatic en-
dorsement of the reconstruction
policy of Congress. The desperate
effort of the opposition to break the
ranks of the grand old Union party,
have signaIly failed. Executive pat
fonage, bribes and promises, threats
of renewed civil war and revolution,
were used freely and without stint,
but each and all failed to intimidate
the free voters of the North. They
stood firmly by the principles upon
which they fought the war, and on
the second Tuesday of October.
without fear or favor, exercised at
the polls that independent right of
suffrage guaranteed to them by the
Constitution and laws of the land.
The importance of this election
and Union triumph cannot be over
rated, nor can its meaning be misun-
derstood. The people, the soTer-
eign source of all power and the
sole arbiters of all questions of poll
cy touching the interests and welfare
ef the country, have spoken in tones
that cannot be misunderstood. The
issue before the people was plain
and simple one, and that issue they
have decided. By large maiorities
they have declared, that my policy"
is not the true policy of reconstruc-
ton, not the policy which they can
approve. They have further declar'
ed that it is not the province of the
mere executive officer Of the govern
ment to assume the exclusive right
Of settling all those great questions
which arise out of the reorganization
of civil government in the South,
and that in assuming so to do, he has
usurped power which really belong
ed to another branch Of the govern
ment. They have further declared,
that Andy johnson, by his apostacy
from the great principles Of the
party which elected him, has forfeit
ed the respect and confidence Of all
good citizens, and is no longer
worthy of the sufrages of free and
intelligent people. They have furth-
er declared themselves opposed to
the Presidents policy Of immediate
and unconditional restoration of reb-
els and traitors to political power,
that the administration of the gov
ernmeat is safer in the hands of the
loyal men who fought to sustain the
government, than in the hands of
disloyal men who fought to destroy
it, they have further declared, that
men eftalent and of high position in
the government, who went into the
rebellion in violation of the solemn
oath they had taken to support the
Constitution and laws of the country,
that such men at least fol the pres
ent cannot safely be trusted with
Office and power. They have furth-
er declared. that Vallandigham,
Pendleton, Wood, and all that class
ofmen who denounced the war as a
failure and opposed it throughout as
unconstitutional and unjust, are net
safe guides for the people in the
present political crisis. They have
further declared that while in spirit
of magnanimity and kindness they
freely forego the execution of the
law against the great mass of the
Southern people who by their rebel
lion subjected themselves to all the
pains AMI penalties Of treason, yet
on the other hand they have the
right to demand and will demand
sure guarantees for the further peace
and security Of the nation They
have further declared themselves in
favor Of equal representation, in
other words that the white man of
the South shall have the same, but
Z. no more political power than the
white man at the North. In o word
the people of these four great States
have emphatically declared them
selves in favor of the policy of Con
gress as embodied in the Constitution
; al Amendment now before the
people fer ratification. 1t will be
well irthe President and his party
: recognize this voice of the people,
and at once submit to the will of the
majority thus plainly expressed at
the ballot-box. We have every rea-
son to anticipate, that the Noyem
be- elections will result as those just
held. If so, the President must he
convinced that the sentiment of the
people is overwhelmingly against
the policy which he has assumed to
dictate fer the country. He will do
well therefore to acquiesee in the de
cision of the people, and cease his
vain efforts to force my policy" up
on the country against the country's s
will.
Er- Miss cr.n. R.prox ~