Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-03-16


fully to acouiesce in the extension Of suf
frage to colored men in the rebel States.
Tens of thousands of the most progress
sive and liberal men Of. the Democratic par
ty-ninety-five of every hundred who in
November, 1854, thronged to the polls,
and consecrated their treasure, blood, and
lives to the unity of the Republic and the
liberties of the people-believed with
Andrew johnson that
ssAIl men should have an equal start and a
fair chance in the race Of life and that merit
should be rewarded without any regard to
color"
end in the immortal words of Abraham
Lincoln, that
aThe ballot of the black man in some trying
time to come may keep the jewel Of liberty IN
the family of freedom"
Thoughtful men, anxious to heal the
wounds of civil war and bury In forget
fulness the memories of old contests, were
speaking for universal amnesty and uni
versal suffrage; for forgiving and restor-
ing all.
If the President of the United States
had seized that golden moment, that grand
opportunity then vouchsafed by Provi-
dence to weapon the hand of the new
made freeman with the ballot, these sec
tional controversies would have perished
forever, the representatives of the rebel
lious States would ere this have filed these
vacant chairs, and the heavens would be
raining thier choicest blessings upon the
nation for IA deed so wise and SO just
But the President though frankly avow-
ing himself in favor of qualified suffrage,
declined to assume the responsibility which
the condition of the country imposed up
on him, and the great opportunity God
gave the nation to destroy caste, to clothe
the emaucipated race with power to guard
their own Liberties, rights, and interests
without a struggle, passed by-perhaps
forever.
The President began the work Of reor-
ganization by the appointment of Governor
Holden in North Carolina, and the ap-
pointment of provisional governors for
other States soon followed. Many of the
most eminent men of the country doubted
the wisdom of the Presidents policy
The President, to allay the doubt and dis
trust of the people, declared that his pol
icy was an experiment, that final action
was reserved to the Government, and that
if these States were not properly organ
lied, the Executive aud Congress could
change, correct, or set aside the action of
the reconstructed State governments; but
the work went on, conventions were held,
the old rebel journals were revived and
began to fire again the Southern heart and
to delude and deceive people who had
once been so deluded and deceived as to
plunge into civil war. These rebel joum-
ais, while praising the President, bitterly
denounced the leading men of the party
of the Administration. Presses in the
North echoed their utteraDces and male
dictions, and oft-baffied politicians began
to gather about and denounce the Senate
and House of Representatives even before
Congress assembled. The history of the
world records nothing more wicked than
the attacks that have been made upon the
Senate and House of Representatives since
they assembled in December last
When Congress assembled, the demand
was made for the immediate admission of
Senators and Representatives from these
reconstructed States, nearly all of whom
are unrepentant rebels-men who cannot
take the oath unless they are as false as
were the Senators and Representatives
who left these Chambers in 1851. Con-
gress, to secure unity of purpose and ac-
ton between the two Houses, promptly
appointed joint committee of fifteen to
inquire into the condition of the States
lately in rebellion. The committee, repre-
senting fourteen States, is composed of
men of known and recognized capacity
and character. The President, nearly two
months ago, was called upon to furnish the
papers relating to the reorganization of
these insurrectionary States, but he has
thought proper, doubtless for sufficient
reasons, to withhold these papers. Posi-
bly,, those papers might satisfy Congress
that these reconstructed States are prepar-
ed to take part in the government of the
country. 1t is understood that the COM
mittee are proceeding to take testimony,
and it is hoped that the testimony will
soon be reported to the country, and that
it will satisfy all fair minded men that
these States will soon be prepared for PAL
ticipation in the legislation of Congress.
The loyal people of the United States who
have poured out so much blood, and given
90 much treasure for its preservation, are
in favor of fully protecting the people of
the reDellious States, white and black, 10y
al and disloyal, but they have the right to
demand, and they should demand, before
intrusting the Legislation of the country to
the trainers and administrators of confed- |
crate governments, and to the soldiers who |
have met their sons on bloody battle-felds,
ample security for the tights of loyal men
of every race, and for the money loaned
the country in her hour of need to arm,
clothe, feed, equip, and pay the defenders
of the Republic
Sir, politicians and presses are fippant-
ly denouncing the Congress of the United
States, and branding nine-tenths of the
men who placed the present Administra-
ton in power as radicals. For more than
thirty years there has been class Of men
in our country who have instinctively clung
to every lingering wrong and walled over
every rotten institution as it fell Have
these political Bourbons yet to learn that
for the PAST thirty years, the patriotism,
justice, humanity, and the pro
gressive developement of the Republic,
have been represented by the radicals 2"
Have they forgotten that for thirty years,
on every issue before the country, the rad
cals have been vindicated by events and
by the verdict of historyl Surely gentle
who pirate of their conservatism cannot
have forgotten the glorious facts that the
radicals never plotted; never betrayed the
cause of freedom; never fired upon the
lag Of their country; never murdered the
defenders. Have these conser-
rative gentlemen forgotten what the world
vii lever remember, that the radicals ,,
lever imprisoned women for teaching lit |
lie children how to read Gods Holy Word;