The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-12-12
T Whole No. 1916.


tain to suffrage.
yesterday, as it were, four mill
lions were held in a condition of slave
ry that had existed for generations.
To-day they are freelHen, and are as
sumed by law to be citizens. 1t can
not be presumed, from their previous
condition Qfservitude, that as a class,
they are as well informed as to our
government, as the intelligent foreign
er who makes our land his home. In
the case of the latter, neither a resi-
dence of five years and the knowl-
edge of our institutions which it gives,
nor attachment to the principles
Of the Constitution, are the only con-
ditiOns upon which he can be admit
ted to citizenship. He must prove, in
addition, a good moral character, and
thus give reasonable ground for belief
that he will be faithful to the Obliga-
tiOns which he assumes as a citizen
Of the Republic.
"Where a people, the source Of all
| political power, speak by their suf-
frage, through the instrumentality Of
/ NAAO Dt44 DO[aF ~ 4nLL5L DG GHIElu4AI
guarded against the control of those
who are corrupt in principle, and enc
mics of free institutions for it can
only become to our political and social
| system a safe conductor of healthy
popular sentiment when kept free from
demOralizing influences. Controlled
through fraud and usurpatiOn by the de-
| signing, anarchy and despOtism must
/ inevitably follow. In the hands Of
the patriotic and worthy, our Govern
ment will be preserved upon the prin-
ciples of the Constitution inherited
from our fathers. It follows, there
fore, that in admitting to the ballot a
new class Of voters, not qualified for
the elective franchise, we weaken our
System of government, instead of add
ing to its strength and durability. I
yield to no one in attachment to that
rule Of general suffrage which distin-
gUishes our policy as a nation but
there is a limit wisely observed hith-
ertO, which makes the ballot privl-
| Iege and trust, and which requires Of
Isorne classes a time suitable for pro-
| baton and preparation. To give it
Iindiscriminately to a new class, wholly
Iunprepared by previous habits and
Opportunities to perform the trust
which it demands, is to degrade itand
finally destroy its power; for it may
| be safely assumed that no political
truth is better established than that
such indiscriminate and all-embracing
extension Of popular suffrage must end
at last in its overthrow and destruc-
tion.
IL repeat the expression Of my will
ingn5ss to join I'm any plan within the
scope of our constitutional authority,
which promises to better the condition
.Of the negroes Of the South, by encour-
aging them in industry and enlight-
eumant, the Improvement Of their
morals, and giving protection to all
thPirjust rights as freedmen. But, to
transfer our political inheritance to
them would, in my opinion, be an
abandonment Of duty which we ows
alike to the memory Of our fathers
and to the rights Of our children.
"The plan of putting the Southern
States wholly, and the Federal Gov
ernment partially, into the hands Of
the negroes, is proposed ut a time Pc
culiarly unprOpitiOus. The founda-
tiOns of society have been broken up
by the civil war. Industry must be
re3rganized, justice ro-cstablisbsd
public credit maintained and orctor
brought out Of confusion. To accom-.
plish these ends, would require all the
wisdom and virtue Of the great men
who framed our institutions originally.
I confidently believe that their de-
scendants will he equal to the arduOus
task before them But it is worse
than madness to expect that negroes
will perform it for us. Certainly,
we ought not to ask their assistance
until we despair ofour own competency
The great difference between the
two races in physical, meUtal and
moral characteristics will prevent
or fusion of them
together in one homogeneous mass
If the inferior obtains the asccndancv
over the other, it will govern with
reference only to its own interest; for
it will recognize 70 common interest,
and create such a tyranny as this
continent has never yet witnessed.
"AIreody the negroes areinfuonced
by promises Cr conHscation and blum
der. Ihet are taught toregard as an
enemy any white man who has any
respect for the rights Of his own race.
II this continues, it must become
worse until all order Will be subvert-
ed, all industry cease, and the fertile
fields OF the South grow I'D into a
wilderness. Of all the dangers which
our nation has encountered, none arc
equal TO those VIII .ch must result from
the success Of the effort now making
to Afiicanize half our country"
The President next urges the great
expense Of the reconstruction meas
ures Of Congress as an objection to
their further continuance, and saws
''it will require 4 strong standing
army, and probably more than $780,
100000 per annum TO maintain the
supremacy Of the negro governments
after they are established The sum
thus thrown away would, # pronerIv
used, form a sinking fund large
enough to pay the whole national
debt in less than fifteen years.
at is vain to hope that negroes
will maintain thcir aScendancy thcm-
selves. Without military power thew
are wholly incapable Of holding in
subiectiOn the white people of the
South"
He further urges that 'the pablo.
credit may he seriously affected bv
a system Of measures like this,
He says, "if We repudiate the Cons
titution, we will not be expected 70
care much for mere pceuniaTy oblica.
tiOns.
"Th9 violation Of such = ple5-. =,
VIC made on the 22d Of ! - Ssc, ~
will assurodIy diu;ni..,n the b|.'' No., ~,
value V Of our other promises. '0 Bosi5ss %sls
tiono1 II we II% Jobt taeh-owicdge that the ma.
LIOudl uGOl was c,.ort-l '-A-