Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-03-15

'SdunSe. nhi Ah Joht hohuoi Jill pNs
will carry out no terms you dictate" On
The contrary, Con. Lee inquired; "What
Terms will you give me ~ Gen. Grant in
formed him substantially that he must take
a parole to abandon the cause for which he
had fought 30 CALAMITY, and swear never
again to take up arms against the Govern
ment Of the United States, which he had for
The last four years attempted to destroy in
The Southern States. When the terms were
offered, Gen. Lee and his gallant veterans
accepted them and acted upon them, as the
best they could do under the circumstances.
Gen. Lees course then was not consistent |
with his former course. Had he stood upon
the consistency, and refused to act or sign |
the parole, he and his gallant comrades must
have gone to military prison and been
tried for treason. What he did was humilia-
ting TO his pride. But the condition Of the
conquered is always humiliatlng. Did any
one say that Gen. Lee, by acting upon the
terms, had degraded himself or forfeited
the respect of othersa How much more
degrading it is for you to accept the act
upon the best terms you can get as a con-
quered peoplef Suppose you refuse to
accept the terms of this bill, will you get
any better? When Congress presented to
us the Constitutional Amendment which
DISTINGUISHED but small class, and we re-
jected it, did it present to us the same mea-
sures alone a second time ? No But they
said you have refused this measure, and
now you shall accept it and universal suf-
frage too. Suppose. now, you refuse to act
upon the present offer. What may we ex-
pect but general Acknowledgement of all
who engaged in the Rebellion, and gener-
al confiscation act But 1t is said that the
bill DISTINGUISHES large class of our fellow
citizens. True, it disfranchises highly in
tellgent class. Who are theyS 1t disiran
chises all who were members of Congress,
or ofllcers of the United States, who had TIA
ken an oath to support the Constitution OF
the United States, and afterward engaged
in the Rebellion. There were few United
States officers in Georgia prior to the war,
except postmasters. But it disfrcnchises
every member of the Executive, Legislative
and judicial departments ofthe State Gov
eminent who had taken the oath to support
the Constitution of the United States and
engaged in the Rebellion. But there is
large class of officers who are not disfran
chised, although their offices required them
to take an oath to support the Constitution
of the United States. No man under 81
years of age is DISTINGUISHED; because man
had to be 81 years old to hold an office that
required him to take the oath to support
the Constitution, and it has now been six
years since the war began. Neither militia
officers, nor county officers, not judicial, are
disfranchised, as sheriffs, clerks, tax collec-
tors, and receivers, county treasures, CON
stables, coroners, road commissioners, nota
rvs public, &c. Is it not better that the
classes embraced IN the disqualification, sub
nit to it than that the whole mass of white
men who aided in the Rebellion be added to
the excluded class, and the property of the
whole people confiscated l do not feel
that it is degrading to submit to the terms
of the conqueror. If 30, all who hear me
are already degraded. You all took the am
nesty oath, when so required, to save your
property and avoid punishment. Why did
YOU not then discover the degradation, and
adopt the do nothing, dignity policy, which
gentlemen now talk so eloquently about
Those who acted then should have little
more charity for those who propose to &C
now. Why did not gentlemen put them
: ..t.,aa ,,.,,,, .hoir d;ou;fu nd mn nhood Vhef
required TO abolish slavery, repudiate thu
war debt, and shrogate the ordinance of Sc
cessIon which we had passed with SO mucl
defancef If we could take all that AM
maintain our "self-respeci, think we mo.
take the balance of the dose, which we ar
informed shall be the last, without maxim
as ugly faces as some of US now make. lie
us put little sugar coating around it, an
swallow the pill at once and be done wit
it-waiving the "dignitY'' for time, as W
have 80 often been compelled to do
Those who have takon the amnesty oath an
voted for all these measures, now claim tht
they have done enough. Sow all thought, b'
the couquerors say not, and it is our misfOrtur
that they are in position to decide that quesiic
for US without consulting US. AT the close
the war part Of us were arrested, and for
, time we had not tho option Of leaving the cou
5 try. But all of you, gentlemen. who were n
= under arrest, had that opportunity. The wi
I was open to Mexico, Brazil, Canada, or Europ
or to any other part Of the world. Why did y
c not all go9 suppose you stayed either fro
t choice or necessity. We then chose this as o
y Government and again placed ourselves und
it's protection. What follows 1t is our il
y perative duty to give it our allegiance, and
n support it's Gag wherever it rcy wave, agaii
l. every enemy. foreign or domestic. There
l. neither manliness, dignity nor good faith in a
If other course. A new era has dawned upon
II and whether for veal or Wo, we must act Z
1t part, and make the best We oan Of the situate
,e We must accommodate ourselves to sircu
rs stances God has given us a magnificent COL
70 ,rv. Il needs development. We lack labor.
n lack capital. Let US invite both. Aud wi
I, Northern and Western men come nmong US,
81: us treat them as friendp. In war we were o
ne mics. The war has ended, and we are ag
n. under the same government. Our ancestors W
D. the same. Our blood tho same Thsu let
do all in our power to heal the wounds opel
re by the war, and as little as possible to irrit'
ID This is the only way to advance our own pI
nj perity. The more population we have, and
n more thrifty, the more valuable is the farm
ef. land, the better the merchants trade, the m
of patients the doctor has, the more cases for
Ier lawyer, the better the freigh,s on the rairc
IN and, indeed, the better for every interest Of