The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-11
DAY WITH BEN. WADE.

n DAf WITH BEN. WADE.
What HI q Thinks of M en- and NJ Measures
His Views of Negro Suffrage, I'm
parchment, Grant, Chase, &c.
From the Cincinnati Commercial
JEFFERSON, AsurABuLA COUNTY, ONO, }
November Q, 1867.
| saluted the old gentleman in the Ian
guage of Artemus Ward: Chow do you
like it as far as you've got %
It's the fate of war;" said he "wc're
ID badly whipped, but it can't be help
ed. We must get ready for another round
at 'em.''
THE CAUSE OF THE DEFEAT.
"The niger whipped u.s." said Mr..
Wade. awe went in on principle, and got
whipped. We should have carried the
State by good majority if it hadn't been
for the suffrage issue. Still, am not sorry
we made the issue. If it was to do over
again, I'd be for putting it again, and I'll be
for keeping it up until we do win; for, by
the eternal God, they can't beat us all the
time on q question like that. l had no
idea that there were SO many Republicans
in Ohio who were willing to see negro sut-
frage in the South, but wouldn't let the
few niggers of Ohio vote. That's what got
me. They all seemed to be in favor OF 1t
| us measure of reconstruction just as
much as | was. didn't dream that they'd
be mean enough to vote against it here"
In answer 10 q question as to whether ne
thought the greenblck issue had anything
to do with the defeat, Mr.. Wade said he
"didnt think it had. 1t was nothing but
the nigger. The greenback issue was not
fairly before the people; for when you
come to Sift the matter, the Democratic
speakers made very little Of an issue on
tic greenbacks. The niger was the only
strong point they had, and they beat US on
that fair and square but they'll have to
keep on beating US, for we'll give them no
peace till we beat them."
TIE RESULT.
"Now," said Mr.. Wade, +" because we've
been whipped on the first trial, l suppose
some of the weak-kneed brothers will be
for backing out on that question. But |
won't back q ID inch. rm for it now as
strong I was before the election, and
stronger, too, because there is more need
of being strong for it to conquer mean
prejudice. But you'll see men trying to
hush the thing up, and to smother it and
to dodge it in every way they can,
and men who call themselves Radicals
too. HELPS full of such Radicals as We'll
have now. I'm for it because / think it's
right. and I know it's right; and if a thing
is right, the only way is to keep at it till
it wins, for it's sure to win sometime or
another. There is not great reform in
tho history of the world that wasn't un-
popular at first. And not one OF them was
ever carried by dropping it, and Running
| like scared hounds from 1t at:er 1t was
| beaten once. No, sir: We are committed
10 the doctrine of universal suffrage, ana
no man is Republican who would desert
it now. But although that's my belief,
mari, my word, there'll be the damnedest
crawishing YOU ever saw from this time
forward. Well, let them GO. We can win
without them: and We will win, too, just
as sure as the Almighty is just and Hea-
ven above us. 1t will become harder
every year for the copperheads to beat US
on that issue; and they won't beat us very
often, either, il we only make bold front
and go at 'em with fixed bayoncts every
time"
$50 far as my vote goes, we will never
abandon anything we've done there, but
will 20 further, and make 1t worse for the
rebels if they don't behave themselves
better. 1t is simply absurd to talk OF
making States without the negro vote In
the South. You can't do it. You might as
well let them secede at once and set up
for themselves, as to let the white rebels
get control of everything down there, as
they would do under Johnson's policy.
We couldn't 20 back on the negroes II we
would. and / wouldn't If could. They
talk about a war Of races. 1t will never
come unless the rebels bring it about; and
if it does come, let them fight it out be-
tween them, and let one drive the other
ont if they can. That's none of my busi-
ness. AS a senator, l am bound to see
that there is republican governments 10
these States. That's all I've got to 90
with it. If they can't agree among them
selves, so much the worse for the SIDE
that gets whippcd-that's all. Bat we'll
give them a republican form OF govern
ment in spite of the devil and all his
angels, including :AndyJohnsoh."
SUMMERS SUFFRAGE BILL.
Referring to this measure, Mr.. Wade
said he had not made up his mind exactly
whether he ought to vote for 1t or not:
he believed that under the last clause OF
the thirteenth amendment, giving Congress
mower to enforce the abolition OF slavery
by appropriate legislation, there was am
| ple authority for the passage OF the Dill,
for no man was really free in this country
unless he had the right to vote. But he
was believer in State rights in proper
and legitimate way, and did not know but
that this bill was in violation of the right
of each State to regulate suffrage. Some
of his party, he said, were in favor OF what
they called consolidation, but he never was.
HE PITCHES INTO GRANT.
"The trouble with Grant is, said ne,
"you don't know where he stands. IT
seems very singular that man could
have lived through this terrible war with
ont identifying himself with any party,
and that men pretending to be Republl-
cans should try to rush him into the White
House without asking him single ques-
tion as to where ne stands on the great
issues now before the country. Stlll, l
have felt it in my bones that they would
do that very thing"
| asked Mr.. Wade if he had ever con,
versed with General Grant on polltlcal
topics. :,h ahnt 7
! ,oror coulJ hiring him out. When l saw