, 1867-12-20
NUMBER L.

10 ADDITION, good moral character aud thus
give ressopAble ground for the belief that be
will be faithful TO the obligation which be as
sumes As citizen Of The republic.
where's people, the source Of all political
power,~Bpeak BY their tudrageS, through the
fundamentally Of the ballot boz, it must be
carefully guarded sgaust the control OF thoss
who are corrupt 10 principle aud the enemies Of
free institutions, Tor Il eau only become To our
political aud social system a safe conductor Of
healthy, popular 'eutimsut, wheu kept tree from
demorGliEiog influences. Controlled through
fraud and usurpation by the deSgning, anarchy
and despouSm must ineviIably follow. 10 the
hands OF the patriotic and worthy, our govtrn>
ment will be preserved upon the princi2lsa Of
the constitution Inherited from our fathers IL
tollows, therefore, that In admitting to the bat.
lot boz = new clSss Of voters, not qualified for
the exercise Of the elective franchise, We
weaken our system of government, instead Of
adding to its strength and durability.
yield to no one in attachment to that rule OF
general suffrage, which distinguishes our policy
as a nation, out there is II limit observed hith.
erto, which makes the ballot a PRIV lrge and a
trust, and which requires of some classes time
suitable for probation and preparation. To give
it indiscrimiuately to a new class, who may not
comprehend how, BY previous habits and oppor.
tunitIes, to perform the trust which it demands,
is to degrade it, and finally to destroy its power,
for 1t may safely be assumed that no political
truth Is better established than that such indus.
crminate and all embtsring extension of popu,
lar suffrage must end at last in its overthrow
and destruction. repeSt the eIhortation Of nv
willingness to join 10 any plan within the scope
OF our constitutional authority, which promises
to better the condition Of the negroes in The
South, by encouraging them in industry, en-
liehteniug their morals and giving protection TO
all their just rights As freedmen, but the trans.
fer of our political inheritance to them would,
in my opinion, be a 'andonmrnt of a duty
which we owe alike to the memory Of our faith.
ers and the rights of our children.
The plan of putting the Southern States
wholly and the general government partially
into the hands Of negroes is proposed at =
time peculiarly unprupitious. The founda-
tions of society have been broken up by civil
war, industry must he reorgunIzed, justice
re established, public credit maintained aud
order brought out Of Confusion. t. accom-.
pish thrse ends would qrire all the wisdom
and virtue OF the great men who formed oar
institutions originally.
believe that their descendants will be
equal TO the arduOuS task before them, but
it is more TO expect that negroes will Der.
form it for u. Certainly we on1ht not to
ask their assistance, until We despair of our
own competency. The great difference be-
tween the two races in physical, mental, and
moral characteristics will prevent an ANAL.
gBmation of them together in une- mas. IL
the inferior obtniu thr s>cendrucy over the
other, it will go ever xiIh RETIRE nee only 10
its own interests, for it will recognize no
common interest. and will create such tyr
amy as this continent has never Yet wit.
messed. Already the negroes are Influenced
by promises of cuu6scsrion and plunder.
They are taught to regar as an enemy every
white man who has any respect for the rights
OF bis own race. IF this continues, it must
become worse aud worse, until all order will
be subvered. and all industry, and the fertile
fields Of the South will grow up into q viii.
derness
Of all the dangers which our nation has
yet encountered, none are equal to those
which must result from the success Of the
effort now making to AlricaniEe the half Of
our country.
l would not put considerations Of money
iu competition with justice and right but
the expenses incident To reconstruction under
the system adopted by Congress aegrsvste
what regard as the intrinsic wrong Of tho
m' azure iuself 1t hiss Cost uncouut. d mill
ions already, and if persisted in will add largo
ly to the list Of taxation, already too oppress.
i've TO be borne without just complaint, and
may 6nully reduce the treasury of the nation
to a condition OF bankrup cy.
We must not delud ourselves. 1t will re-
qure strong standing army, and probably
more Than two hundred million dollars per
annum, to maintain the supremacy of ne>
gro government. After they sre est,bli-hed
the sum thus thrown away would. If proper
ly used form a sinking fund large enough
IN pay the whole national debt in less than
Is years 1t is vain to hope That negroes
will maintain their ascendancy themselves
Without military power they are wholly in.
capable of holding in suhjection the white
people of the South. submit tn the judge
ment Of Congress, whether the public credit
may not be injuriousIy affected by a system
Of measures like this With our debt aud
The vast private interests which are compli-
Gated with it, we cannot be tho cautious ofa
policy which might by possibility impair the
COZ 6dence or the world in our government.
That confidence cau only be retained by
carefully inculcaiing the priu' iples Of justice
WI
most scrupulous fidelity to sll our engage,
ments Of every sort Any serious breach OF
the organic law, persisted in for consider
able time, caunot but create fears for the
stability of free institutions IIabi'G:l ylola|
lions Of prescribed rules. Whirh We bind odri
selves to observe, must deDors!ize the Peo'
pic. Our only standard of civil duty being
e, at paught. the sheet anchor OF our Politr
ical morality is list, the public copsc'ence
wings from its mornings, and yields to ev'
ery impulse Of stiou and interest.
five repudiate the Constitution, we will
not be expected to care much for mere pecu-
MARY obligations. The violation Of sUch a
pledge as we made on the 22nd day ol July
1861, will assuredly diminish the market
value of our or other promises Besides, If
we now acknowledge tiat the national debt
was created not 10 hold the States 10 the
Union, as the tax payers we're led tn sup
pose, but to exprI th-m from and hand
them over to the Negroes. the duty to psy It