Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-11-22
The Eew scheme 90 Destroy the
Republican Party--Sunrage
and Amnesty.


and Amnesty.
Mr.. Il ID. Manifold, writes or follows, TO
tho Cincinnati Gazette, concerning the
latest attempt of tho Rebels to get control
of the country. We commend this article
to thoughtful reading at the hands Of our
people. These are tremendous questions
They should be investigated and discussed
and fully understood by the people. Mr..
Manifold has stated the new danger very
ters,ly. lie says:
The new scheme of adopting negro suf.
frage, proposed by the Chicago Times, is Of
no importance on account OF the paper but
like the vane ofa weather cock, is signifi
cant Of the current wind Of doctrine. We
have never doubted that the rebel States
lin the South) would coDcede negro suf
irage if it would restore their power, nor
ever doubted that the Democratic party
would adopt it for the same reason. We
are opposed to restoring either to power by
any extraordinary means, and are, there
fore, opposed to forcing negro suffrage on
the South, when the only effect of it will be
to increase tie number of their Representa-
tires and furnish ne,o material for tie ploy
Of denagogues. We say force it, for if it
comes as a concession of the Southern
States themselves, and under the hereto.
fore conceded right of all States to define
their own right of suffrage, we have neither
the constitutional nor the moral right to OBJ
ject, nor would we desire to, for it would
be another concession to the equality of the
human race before the law. with us a fun
damental principle. But if this measure is
ever proposed by the President or adopted
by the Democratic party, it will be from no
motives Of humanity or regard to human
rights, but only for the purpose of regain
ing power. The scheme is dangerous,
which the willy politicians who propose it
know; chiefly, because there is a section of
the Republican party urging what they call
amnesty and impartial suffrage" Bat
what is to be the effect oft? 1t is to de-
stroy the Amendments to the Constitution
just proposed by Congress, and adopted in
the recent elections by an immense major
ity.. Will the people undo their own work
And undo it for no earthly purpose but to
give power to rebels? No. The American
people are incapable of ficklcness and per-
versty like that. Happily, the elections
have settled the political power of the coun.
try for four years. Let II remain settled
The Amendments to the Constitution have
been presented to the South as the plat
form of fair and moderate men. There is
no proposition to hang, burn or destroy
rebels, to confscate their property. or dis
franchise their votes. On the contrary. it
is proposed to admit them at n,e to their
share in the Government, on assent to three
principles: |. The equal rights of all men
before the law; 2. That no perJured rebels
shall hold any office whatever; and, 3.
Equal representation. This is fair and just.
1t leaves the question of suffrage open to
the States themselves. The bitter part to
the South-that for which they propose to
reject the amendments-is, that perjured
rebels shall not hold Office This they con-
slider degrading. Why? Simply because
these PICTURED men make up the greater
part OF the able and influential rebels -
Without these the people cannot be con-
trolled. and the political rebellion made sue
ces 'ul. Amnesty. if we understand it,
pr"poses TO set up these ilustrious villains,
and attempt to control them by the impair.
that may do for some political Utopia,
whose people have no common sense, or for
the millennium. when no voting will be ne.
cessary. But If We expect to suppress the
political villany and corruption, which we
have seen rampant in this country for TWEEN.
ty years, both North and South, we must
take the bull by the horns and chain him 10
the post. And if we don't misunderstood
the times, that is what the Western people
mean to do. The Amendments to the Con.
sttution by Congress are just They vio-
late no State rights, and they will multiply
the power of the leading rebels. They
know this, and therefore propose, through
their Northern organs, scheme which, il
adopted. will give them the fruits Of VIC
tory, while protesting to adopt Republican
principles. This is not the first time such
scheme was proposed. When Satan
whispered in the ears OF Elv, he said she
should not surely die, but be like the gods
knowing good from evil.
Congress has but one thing to do-and
that is the voice of the peope-St stand on
the platform they hare made; and the Pres
idsnt and the South must come to their
feet. Let the members of Congress, es-
pecally from the West, guard against the
schemes, however plausible, which are pre-
sented with view to destroying their plan
or dividing their counsels. 1t is said the
South will reject the amendments. Very
well-what is the harm done? What
would be the practical effect of that? Sim
ply to keep them out till after the Presiden.
tial election. What of that? Will that
help their cause? So far from it that they
will certainly adopt the amendments as soon
as they see chat Congress remains firm. -
And if they do not, what of it? The world
lived long after Caesar died-and improved.
1t may possibly survive the loss of rebel
votes. Negro suffrage will also surely come;
and what harm will they or anybody suffer
for wasting three or four years? Is voting
panacea for all evils2 Then why not con
fer it on women? Had New Yolk City any
better candidate for Congress than Mrs
Elizabeth Cady Stanton? No. Let us
lock before we leap. When the Democrat
ic party eats up its words and nui6es its
conduct Of thirty years, it is simply the old
cat under The meal No justice requires US
TO be in any haste to force suffrage ON any
State, and if, as Mr.. johnson and the Dem.
ocrats have constantly asserted, the rebel
States are still States, then we cannot,
without absolute annhiation of all State
rights, force any kind of suffrage upon
them. But sufficient for the day is the evil
Let us stand where we are, in the strength
OF right and justice and victory. E. d. NJ.
NOVEMBER Is, 1865.