The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-01-12


the Omnipotent God, force could not &C.
ment u Union made by consent, that the
Union was not restored; and now that
the entire Democratic party is where IT
has always been, and overy soldier who
fought III that war ought to come forward
and unite with that party in achieving
through the ballot the work that war
could not accomplish.
Again, did believe from the begin
ming that the war was for the abolition of
slavery, and not for the restoration Of the
Union. True, heard Abraham Lincoln
say, on the 4th Of March, 1861, that he
had neither the right nor the desire to
abolish it. Again, after the battle Of
Bull Run, / saw John j. Crittenden, pre-
sent. for the second time, resolution
which, when offered few days before
that battle, had been laughed out of the
House and saw every member of that
House vote for il. except two Republl.
cans. ! voted for it because | thought if
We were to have war, it ought TO be de.
clared. at least, only war for the su
premacy of the Constitution and the re
storation Of the Union. remember,
too, that in the several Executive orders
calling for an increase Of the army and
navy. and in the first message Of the
President to Congress. it was announced
that tho purpose Of the war was to restore
the Union. But / remembered that
Abraham Lincoln was chosen President
By sectional party-that he had avowed
the doctrine of the irrepressiblc conflict.
and declared that this Union could not
endure part slave and part FREQ AemGhl.
bering these things, how could be de-
ceiyed Knowing we'll the character Of
the Republican party, how could I be
mistaken! | remembered further, tha,
after the FIRST Monday in December. 1861
the Republican party never bad re. affirm
ed the Crittenden resolution. ! remem-
bered that in the second and third res.
sions Of the Thirty seventh Congress. and
throughout the whole ofthc Thirty eighth
| Congress, that resolution in sbne form OF
other was offered by Democrats aud mod.
crate men. and regularly laid upon the
table by RepublieIn naajoritics. | re.
meE, bered, further, that on the 22d oi
September, 1862, or about that time, the
President issued his proclamation declar.
/ ing slavery abolished in the United
States. believed. then, that the war
was not for the Union nor the Constitu.
ton, bu, for the abolition Of slavery. and
that this would lead ns to the very ques
ton which il threatening us to-day with
another civil war. Now, who was right
in all thatg Was il not for the abolition
Of slavery Has it not set free three OF
| four millions of slaves, and are we not to
day debating the status Of these slaves
now freedmen?
| But candor compels me to say that
while right on these two great questions
| Twas wrong in another did not believe
that even the whole power Of the Fedora
GoyeFument. put forth with such terrible
energy and earnestness as il was. aud me
to some extent, by corresponding energy
aud earnestness on the other side, coule
10 any reasonable period OF time, breaE
doYn the military strength of tie South
In that | was absolutely and totally wrong
But | could not foresec that the resources
of ten years would have been so wastet
away by the men in control of the Confed
crate Government, as TO become exhaust
ed in four years; but upon the main prop
ositions, that war could not restore tn
Union and that it was for the abolition 0
slavery, | was right-and so, too, as to th
other considerations. / believed tina
when the South should be broken dow
il broken down she could be--the coun,r
would be perplexed and harassed by ques
tions ten times more difficult of adjust
ment than the slavery issue itself. Thes
are the questions now aud to-day beior
US. As Mr.. Lincoln predicted. the iden
teal Old questions of terms Of intercours
arc agaig upon US.
i Now for the facts. The President. an,
with him the National Union or Johnso
party, and the whole Dcmocratic part
! proclaim that the terms OF intercourse be
tween the North and the South shall b
II the old Constitution of Madison, Washing
ton, Jefferson, jackson. Clay aud Webster
The Republican party proclaim that tn
terms of intercourse shall be the new Q
, amended Constitution of Thaddeus Ste
vcns, Charles Sumner and Benjami
r Wade. That IS the issue which is force
upon us now, directly aud plainly stateC
But behind all this lies the question
} What shall be done with the negro, no
free? First the Republican party pr,
, claim, as part of their policy, that it is til
: duty of the United States to care for til
9 black children of the nation" as the
!. are affeclionately termed; and accordingl
] we have had, for eighteen months past,
r Freedman's Bureau. 1t is still in exis
: ence. The bill, for its enlargement. W,
: in a modified form passed over the Pres
e dents head; and that Bureau has appE
r priated, for its support during the currer
Y year, seven millions of your money, an
g that by the vote of your Representatiy
j Robert G. Schenck. Seven millions
Q money! But that is not ALL They were nj
, content with the old bureau; new on
: must be provided, of rarer and more cos
5 ~ material and manufacture, u Bureau bi
3 which the President has declared, if it ha
u BECOME law, would have taxed the pc,
r pie ffty-three millions year for the SUI
E port of this black population. Now | be
i to know upon what principle of the Coz
r stitution, or of right and justice, the bIac
man or the black woman, or the blac
! child, is entitled to money out of the trea
] ury Of the United States, fer food, .lodgiu
/ and clothing, when that treasury is n,
: called upon to furnish the same for I'll
s white paupers of the United StatesY
4 -o:n f,nr I. otuS hnra 20 uvaaI- volo;,~l