The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-04-30

and cheers. That does not look like
Unionism, or that the war is over
But appeals are made to arouse
your sympathies and excite your pas
sions over The fact that IN and
children are starving in the South.
Whose fault is that2 The Union,
party is not responsible for it. These.
people forced upon the Government a
I war whose bitter consequences they
l are now realizing. Shall they charge
their misfortunes upon the party who
did its best to prevent them from do12
ing the very thing that occasioned
these misfortunes (?
But, the awful Reconstruction poll
cyl Mr.. Brown says, had the South
ern people been treated kindly, peace
would now prevail in all our borders.
Is that true?t Let the New Orleans I
and Memphis massacres answer
Again, fault is found with the
amendment to the Constitution, the ,
18th article, in particular. Never was
a provision more misrepresented Or
less understood. That article dis q
franchises no man upon merely serv-
ing in the rebel army. 1t only dis-l'
franchises those who held Offices I'M
der the Government, and violated
their oaths TO fight against it. Could
the Government do less han prevent
these men from repeating the offenses..
He then proceeded to discuss the
other amendments to the Con-
stitution, using arguments with
which our readers are already famil-
lar. He said that Congress declared
to the rebel States that they must
allow their negroes to vote or not be 4,
represented. This was the price set
upon treason. In answer to Mr..
Browns assertion that Congress had
made a virtue of revenge, Mr.. Smith
mentioned the condition of affairs at
the close of the war. When thou
sands of officers and soldiers, who
had forfeited their lives by treason,
were captured, they were dismissed
and sent to their homes, after being
kindly treated as prisoners. If the
Government was revengeful, why
was vengeance not visited upon
the heads Of these soldiers?
eminent by a civil bond. This
set up a Military Government. This
Military Government was crushed by
the strong arm of the nation, and no.
thing was left but anarchy and confu-
sion, and this Congress regulated by
Department Commissioners.
Mr.. Smith then discussed the taxa
ton and bond question, but we have
not space to give even an epitome of
remarks on these points.
He devoted some attention to Mr..
Ritter, and congratulated him on
been kicked out of the Dem
Convention. He thought it
was greatly to that gentleman's
Upon the conclusion Of his speech,
some gentleman asked Capt. Smith
If he was in favor Of negro equality
and negro suffrage. He promptly re-
sponded, No, sir; | stand upon the
platform adopted by the Union State
John Young Brown
asked him if he was in favor of
the 18th article of the Constitution.
Capt. Smith said that he was. That
negroes were not allowed to vote
ought not to have white men
for and represent them. Ifthis
was the white mans country,
representation should be alone upon
1 white basis.
The meeting then adjourned quiet
y and 10 order. The discussion was
and ~courteously conducted, and
listened to with patient attention
throughout, if we except a few mo-
nents when Capt. Smith first COM
speaking, when several got
Up and went out of the room.