The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-12-19
@he gsnushA Telegrap =
nr1-1snAY- pEcEMBER 10,
Military DespOtisms.

Ono Of the chief burdens of complain ,
which the Democratic papers are contlnu-
ouv narading before the people is that
conoress has established military Des'
,o,;s,os,, in the States lately in rebellion
and deprived the people of the right Of self
,,overnment. The Constitution OF the Uni
I'd States as amended, declares the equality
IF all men before the courts. The Legisla'
trrea of the rebel States, attempted to make
void this provision, by the passage oil laws
which reduced the freedmen to condition
If serf,lom. and subject to the unjust e1ac-
t;ons of their former masters. Congress
then provided for the appointment OF agents
to protect this class Of citizens III the'r 'uS'
rights. This the Democratic party Calls
military Despotism'"
All through the rebelIious states reign
of terror and barbarism was sought 70 oe
established. Black men were murdered Win
IMMUNITY, loyal meetings were broken up
and their participators assassinated stat
utes were enacted forbidding freedmen from
moving from place to place, and exercising
a tvranous control Congress directed the
military power should be employed TO pre-
vent such gross outrages This the Demo-
cratic party calls military Despotisrn."
fair and liberal basis Of restoration
was offered to those who had been IN re-
belIion, by which they might speedily have
the enjoyment of citizenship, and exercise
the rights of Sovereign States. This they
refused to accept and insisted on MAINTAIN
ing State governments, erected by rebels
and administered by rebels. Congress In
sisted that inasmuch as the rebellion hat
been subdued, at an immense cost OF lii
and treasure. rebels should not be contin
ued in power, but that loyal men should
have control. This the Democratic party
calls military Despotism.'
The necessity for the organization OF sal'
governments being acknowledged, Congress
sought that they should be confded to 10y
al men, excluding only temporarily non
the ballot box, those who had been RIOS
conspicuous in aiding treason. This
called military Despotism."
For the purpose of organizing civil gov
ernments in the revolted States. Congress
provided for the election of delegates t
conventions to frame State constitutions
The registration of all entitled to vote wa
required; the whites, although largely i
the majority, refused to register, or to pal
ticipate in the call for loyal convention
The coIored men very generally registere
and voted Because the whites of th
south, deliberately stood aloof and decline
to vote, the Democratic party charges Con
gress with attempting to force eight mi
lions of white people to be ruled by ha
that number of black people
During the entire years Of the continu
ance of the war every advance movement
for the sUbjugation of the rebel states. wa
denounced by the majority of the Demo
cratic party, as military cruelty and del
potisnl. and ever since the rebellion he
been overpowered, every attempt to recor
struct the southern States on a Toys
basis, and to protect the loyal whites an
the freedmen against rebel outrage, he
been characterized by the Democracy {
unconstitutional and oppressive. Whate,
er is calculated to work advantage to tn
rebel element of the South, and disadyal
tage to the loyal population, either white {
black, is all right and proper. But wha
ever interference by the government,
protect loyalty against insult and wrong
and obstruct the purposes of the dsloyal,
according to the standing denuncation
the Democratic party" military despotism