The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-05-30
RESTORATION OF THE UNION.
The Policy Of Congress and Of the Re.
EUi,iic.l Party

To the People Of the .South:-'T
preceding acts of Congress M, aning two
Reconstruction acts were designed as
measures of beniicence and restoration
and not of revenge or punishment Thev
are measure looking TO the restoration Of
the Union in the spirit Of justice and mp
! on the basis of equality. Slavery has
passed away, and it only remains to de
stroy its spirit and to crush institutions;
which it established and nurtured The
| Republican p,,.y exj,c5ts ana desires the
restoration of the Union, but upon such
terms ana conditions only a: slaal! rend :
i, iinpossib Die for it enenlies to renew the.
civil waf to involve the country in section
| al strife. Ii will be true to It's friends in
the south, without regard to c,,!ar or pre-
vious condition. The Republican party
/ Is the party OF freedom and progress It
| is its purpose to aid IN securing ior the.
south the freedom OF speech, free press,
ANA system OF free schools. Thee de-
| siralle results viii he sor!@hr thr9nch III.
action OF Congress as far as possible, but
/ our main reliance must be upon the wis
| dom aud virtue OF the peoyle of the re-
Of March and the 23d Of March, 1867.
! PIoFfS!Oi ID Haiti icI tiib citliN fuctlt bi
/ the RICH Of voting BY ali male clizens of
twenfy-one years Of age, except those
who have been convicted Of felony, and IA
small class Of rebels who are excluded
| from holding office by the proposed
amendment to the constitution OF the
United States
The negroes Of the south by the mea-
sures Of the Republican party, as expires
/ sed i'll these acts Of Congress, are eievat-
ed TO the full and equal rights of the citi-
zens % the states to which they belong,
and OF the country which hereafter will
recognize no distinctions on account of
the race or color The nation is indebted
| 10 the negro race for services rendered
during the late war the negro is in
debted to the country, controlled in It's
policy by the Republican party. for the
emancipation Of the race from slavery,
! and now by these acts Of Congress for its
elevation to a position Of equality. From
these reciproc cal services arise mutual OBJ
legations, aud the nation can no longer
hesitate. 1t will at once, and freely, con
cede to the colored race every political
and public right that is enjoyed by any
class of citizens. The negroes, on their
side, cannot hesitate 10 support The par
/ ty and principles by whose labors and
influence their redemption has been ac-
compIshed. Thus, by this natural and
necessary union of forces IN the south,
and throughout the whole country peace
progress and prosperity are secured. Nor
Is there In these suggestions any food for
hostility between the races. The wants
ct black man and the wants OF white
man are precisely the same. Their in
terest are the same. Especially this is
| true of the laboring classes The labor
| ing man. whether white or black, needs
! the protection of the law; he needs the
ballot as the means by which he secures
/ equal laws and the just administration
of them. By the ballot he rebrkes or
| rejects untalthful servants; by the ballot
I he arraigns and condemns corrupt or tyr
annical judges ; by the ballot he organic
es and malntains schools for the educa-
ton of his children, and inspires the po-
lice and magistrates with the due respect
for his personal and family rights.
While the measures of Congress extend
this great right to new and numerous
class of men. there is no invasion Of the
rights of others. The white people of
the south, with a few exceptions compar-
atively. are to enjoy the same just and
equal political rights and privileges.
Freedom has given to the north un-
exampled prosperity and constantly IN
creasing wealth aud power freedom and
free institutions will secure for the south
the same results But there must be
cooperation upon the principles which
| prevail IN the north, and to which the re-
publican party is fully committed For
more than 300 years the slaveholding ar
! istocracy of the south originated its poli-
cy and controlled its destinies. The re-
suit is seen itsexhausteda and barren fields;
in the condition Of its laboring people.
white and black; in the relative poyertv
Of the inhabitants Of II -, Classes {. in the
! absence or public schools, Of commerce,
OF manufactures, and OF an enlightened
system of agriculture. We then invite
and implore the people Of the south, OF
all classes-frst, to accept the plan of
| universal suffrage as the basis of political
| educational and industrial prosperity and
! power. The black man will soon prove
that he Is more to the state as citizen
than he was as slave The lAborer,
whether white or black, with education
aRd culture, vii! elevaN aud eprich the