The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-08-16
DespOtisni.

EDS. JEFF: Judge Thurman, in
his late speech, says that a despotism
exists in one-third part of the Union.
If despotism means q government
coming from another source than the
consent of the governed, then the
governments of the South are des-
potic so far as unwashed rebels are
concerned. But they are not so to
the Union men of the South, to Gen,
Longstreet, nor to any really sub
missive rebels, for they consent 10
those governments. If despotism
implies the submission of the rights
Of the governed 10 the arbitrary will
of the governor, then Thurman's
statement is false.
When the rebels could fight no
more they promised obedience to law,
and that for the future they would
conform to the principle of universal
liberty which the government had es-
tablished while they were in arms.
This promise was made not as con-
dition of their becoming an integral
part of the government again, but as
q condition of life, Or in other words,
of cessation of hostilities. Upon
the close of the war johnson told
them they might organize provision
al governments as experiments, to
test the sincerity Of their promises.
They did so, and in every case re
established in a different form their
old system of oppression to the ne
gro, and in every case they excluded
from power their true Union men,
Then, encouraged by the President,
they carried on All indiscriminate
system of murders. They would
not let a negro testify and his mur-
derer was awarded with appreciation.
The crime of self defence in negro
was rigidly punished with death
Had Congress recognized those Or
ganizations as States, they would
have become partakers Of the crime
of murder, and would have been gull
ty of such base ingratltude to the
loSal men of the South as would
have branded the nation with that
infamy which rightfully belongs to
the Democratic party.
Even then Congress could not see
what to Inc seemed obvious before
the war closed that no State govern
ment could be established iu rebel
dom except on the broad ground of
equal rights. They passed the Civil
Rights bill. Still the South would
not take warning,-riot succeeded
to riot, bad went to worse till I'm
ion mans life was as much in dan
ger as in time OF war.
Atlast Congress said to the Union
men of the South, 60, organize State
governments on the principle of
equal rights, and till you get them
organized we shall restrain your reb-
el enemies by military power. And
to- day Sheridan's authority, land /
mention him as \ representatives.
the noblest Roman of them all is
merely restraint upon rebel crime.
II takes from them no right, with
holds no iberty,-they still enjoy
their rights under their own tempo
rary form of government but it
does prevent them from burning
school houses, from stabbing and
shooting Union men, and like amuse-
ments. That is the extent of the
despotism 1t is trne that under tho
act of Congress men who have COM
mitted certain crimes are not allow
cd to vote; but that is the case in
all just governments. Rebels, riot
ers and murderers should not make
la rs for honest men.
1t may afford a wanton child great
to pluck out your beard,
but it is not very despotic to prevent
him, and Thurman and Ranney could
hardly convince us of his constitu
tional right to do SO. If it is des-
potic to keep rebels from crime, Sher-
idan is q first class despot, as he is
q warrior. And if to support rebels
in war with sympathy and counsel,
and to plead the sacred obligations
of the constitution in favor of riot
and murder, and to lead party by
their basest prejudices into infamy,
be not cowardice, nor demagoguism
nor despotism, it is THuRMANIsM.
Yours,
j. B. DUNN.