The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-08-23

III anu )drtlCipatS III tuS SOueioi VI
our Government
What interest of the negro in Ohio
requires this change? Has the white
race oppressed him? His life, his
liberty, his property are subjected to
and protected by the same law as
yours. He is taxed in the same
manner. His rights are protected
by the same courts, the same judges,
the same jurors, the same witnesses,
the same rules of evidence. Inever
knew, l never heard, of a case i'm
which injustice was done TO suitor
that was a negro.
But this amendment not only ad-
mits the negro, but it excludes the
, white man. 1t excludes not only
those who have participated IN the
rebellion, but those who have desert
ed or avoided the draft. By its
terms, it would have excluded all
those who, having served till the war
was over, left their ranks without
permission, and were technically de-
serters. Here was dilemma. Ma
ny honest men, especially many hon.
est Republicans, would have been
thus excluded. There was not time
to amend the proposition. so the aid
or Congress was invoked, and it
passed bill which was called the
"Ohio Deserters' Bill" 1t provides
that men who have left the service
as have described, shall be consid-
cred deserters so far as to deprive
them Of pay and emolument, but not
80 far as to deprive them of suffrage
That is to say, IN the opinion Of
Congress, they performed their duty
as soldiers too badly to entitle them
to pay, but well enough to be good
Republican voters.
But passing this view, is the prop
osition wise and benefcent :? Shall
we exclude any of our white citizens
for 4 political offense? Shall we
put such exclusion in our Constitu-
ton, when we do not put there ex-
clusion for any other crime? Shall
we say that the boy who was just
coming of age, who was too honest
to lie, and too conscientious to bribe,
and too poor to buy q substitute,
shall be forever excluded because he
avoided the draft in order that he
might support his mother, or sister,
or, perchance, orphans younger than
himself?
Shall we say to the men of Virgin
ia-that Virginia which gave these
five Northwestern States to the Un-
ion that those who obeyed the
teaching of a political philosophy
which was universal among them, or
yielded TO State pride, or sectional
feeling, or foolish prejudice, shall be
forever excluded from the suffrage,
but that the thief, the murderer, the
robber, the forger, the perjurer, the
burner, may come and be welcome
to enjoy it?
The tendency Of the world is to
treat leniently political offenses.--
Shall we here reverse the order, and
add the vindictiveness of vengeance
to the severity OF punishment Shall
we repel the intelligence and wealth
and energy OF the white man, and
invite the ignorance and incapacity
of the negro?
The Old World shames US by its
evomple-... Tho Eaaferor of AastriSA
has paciiied Hungary: he has put on
the crown Of st. Stephen. On that
day he granted amnesty for all polit-
ical ofenses. And the last steamer
announces that Kossuth-the arch
traitor. the great rebel, the consplra-
tor against the life of the Govern
ment-is elected to a seat in the very
first Parliam ent.
An astute observer, and q great
historian, has said "The wise ruler
never treats the ulScontents of q
great party as he treats the conduct
of mob which destroys mills and
powder rooms. The neglect of this
distinction has been fatal to Govern
ments, strong even in the power OF
the sword"