The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-06-25

pactS. raised armies, created nayles
levied taxes, import and export duties
on commerce, without the consent OF
| the Congress of the United States,
and at last made war upon the United
States, seized her ships, forts, arsenals,
mints and public property, fired upon
her flag and killed her soldiers; that,
against the persuasions of the loyal
i people, their offers of compromise,
and long suffering forbearance, such
as had never been exercised by any
other people on-eafth, towards any
other set of erring rebels, they had
persisted in making war, refusing all
overtures, compelling the Govern
\ ment either to consent to dlssOlu-
| ton of the national life or to resist
force by force, invade and con-
ouer them, and hold them
| BY force of the military until
/ they would consent to, accept terms,
and act upon them in good faith. y He
| seemed to forget thata National Dem
ocratic Supreme Court had early in
| the war decided that the rebel insur-
gents were public enemies, that the
war was a great civil war. and that the
parties thereto were entitled to the
rights of war. One of the greatest OF
these rights was for the one party to
conquer and subdue the other as speed
lily as possible, and in order to accom-
plish this end, which was so desirable
that the Constitution had conferred
the power on the Congress to define
and punish Piracies and Fellonies
committed on the high seas, and of
fences against the laws of nations. To
declare war, grant letters of marque
and reprisal, and to make rules con-
cernings captures on land and wa
ter. To raise and support Armies,
to provide a Navy. To provide for
calling forth the Militia to execute
the laws of the Union suppress
Insurrection, and repel invasion"
And he seemed to forget that the
Congress had done all these things in
the exercise of legitimate power,
and that the war was prosecuted
against these public enemies, after the
first day of JANUARY, 1863. for the ex-
press purpose of subjugation and con
quest. and for the utter overthrow of
the institution of slavery. of which
facts they were duly notified by the pro-
CARNATIONS of the President, published
ont he 22d day ofSeptember, 1862, and
the first day Of January, 18631and
which they treated with SO, much. de-
risfon. and SEQ o ,Athat these procla-
nations were made and published in
strict conformity to an act of Con-
gress, passed in July. 1862, expressly
comforting the power upon the Presi-
dent to issue them, and to conquer
the rebellion.
And now, Mr.-Editor, may we not
affirm that the war was legitimately
war of conquest and subjagation; that
what was done by the army and navy
was legally and we'll done; that they
did conquer and subdue the enemy;
that they did abolish slavery, and that
what they are now doing they are do
ing legally and well-that they are
now holding them as public enemies.
and should continue to so hold them
until Congress Shall see proper to
rehabilitate them with the rights. of
the citizen, which they rejected and
threw away when they assumed the
character of public enemy. 2YO0q
Gentleman, the negro, who was the
innocent cause of all this trouble, now
that the war has set him free, should 4
be protected by law in the rights of
person, property. and the pursuit of
happiness; and if the rebels in those 4
States where he lives are not willing
to concede him .thisA pr6tection, /
they ought not to be restored |
to power. They have no right 4
to claim power If they get it,
it is free gift undeseryed by them,
and they should be compelled to use
it-yes, that is the term-compeued |
to use it, so as to give the required |
protection. And if it be. necessary to
secure this protection to the colored |
race, despite the rebels and public
enemies of this country and that race,
to give them a .shareA in that govern
ment, who shall say that it is wrong? /
Who shall say that to secure the
rights OF persons, property and pur-
suit of happiness, the peace, prosperi-
ty, wealth and power of States, is not |
desirable? And, if the means to Sc
cure these ends, can be obtained by
giving political powerful The black |
race, why shall we not use them? |
Once the power of reconstruction
was offered to the white race alone. !
They refused 1t Ytindignantiyl s. Now
they can use the power in conf lnctioni |
with the black race. Let them do |
it, else this power may be
given to the blacbstatone. The peace
of the nation requires that these |
States shall be recognized and |
brought into their proper relations
to the .yGOvernment. The land is
ours. We hold these people by pow
Grand conquest. There is now no legal /
State governments in the seeded |
StatesQ 6. We mhstG have them. IF |
white men won't make them, black
ones must.
Rnt tho honora he snoal ar don;oA