The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-02-15

J
stroy people, when war power, after
four years gallant struggle for seperate in
dependence. had been completely broken,
In order to obtain other or further guaran-
tees that New England bravery and valor
may never again be tested In the arena of
arms to maintain the federal authority in
| the southern states, or to reasSert and up
hold at that distance from home, the political
equality of the negro race in those contu-
niacious communities.
They would send the artillery for the
lives, the torch for the Dwellings and mer-
cenery horde of adventures for the planta-
tons and property Of those who were guilty
of the crime OF having been born masters of
/ the descendants of negroes purchased with
New England rum and Yankee notions
from the moors of Africa or wrested from
Portuguese pirates, and transported thither,
and exchanged for cotton and tobacco by
New England seamen for New England
merchants. Such a reconstruction OF So
ciety and governments in the south, form
ed and controlled by these adyenturers and
the freedmen, it IS contended by our pro
gressive and enlightened humanitarlans,
would establish justice, promote tranquility
and secure the blessings OF peace III our
country for all time!
Either of these modes of procedure pro-
posed by different factions of the republican
party is embraced in the present plans of
congress to force upon the south impartial
suffrage without distinction of race or color,
as affording the only sure guaranty of the
restoration of the Union on the basis ofloy-
atty and freedom This plan has within
the past week been endorsed by the Union
national Commute, and it remains to be
seen in what way or by what instrumental
ity it is to be carried into effect and what
will be the cost to the people of this other
contest, claimed to be necessary to secure
all the legitimate fruits of the late brilliant
victories Of our army in the field of civil
war.
The constitutional rule, heretofore rec0g
nized as binding upon the action OF con
greSs, requires that Its legislation be direct
ed to the promotion Of the best interests
and greatest good of the whole country as
far as the same can be done under general
laws, and it has not the right or power to
discriminate between sections. except thro
general acts. whose operations may prove
beneficial to one state and oppressive to
another.
The present plan Of congress on the re-
construction Of the southern states seeks to
enforce upon this people the adoption of
rule OF action, as test OF loyalty to the
government, that is not made applicable to
the people of most CT the northern states.
i If it is to be taken as evidence Of disloy
atty on the part Of the southern people to
refuse to enfranchise their ignorant and de-
pendent blacks Just emerged from slavery
to freedom how does the fact that the PEG
pie of Illinois, Indiana, Chic and Pennsyl
wanna and other northern states, have refus-
ed a like privilege to the seIf-sustaining and
tax paying population Of blacks in those
states effect the question of their loyalty to
the government.
Why by act or plan Of congress require of
South Carolina what is not exacted of Hi
nois? or of Georgia, North Carolina and
other southern states to do what is not like
demanded of Indiana, Ohio and of other
northern states?
Why this enforced congressional expert
ment upon the south of the removal of all
distinctions between the races in the i'll
vestment of civil and political rights, that
it may well be feared will prove dangerous
to the lives and Obstructive to the interests
Of both whites and blacks, without offer to
subject the people of these northern staters
to the same trial, when it is known or gen
orally admitted that it would prove safe and
harmless, if not beneficial to the interests Of
both races?
Isit because majority Of the people of
these northern states who vote the rcpubi
can ticket are opposed to negro suffrage,
and from fear that the southern people
may vote against the party that demand Of
the south what the north will not submit to
that the southern whites are to be excluded
from all participation in national affairs,
| until the republican party shall have manu-
/ featured sufficient number of negro votes
to secure its own safety IN an election Of the
/ south tor representatives in congress Is il
/ that they mag secure sure transfer OF the
! allegiance of the blacks from their old mas
ters who used them to raise cotton and to
! feed and grow fat and lazy on the corn and
pork they raised, and laugh and make mer-
ry, to their congressional friends to be used
to manufacture or keep in power radical re-
publican politicians and to feed and starve
on the honors Of the right to the ballot?
Here, Mr.. President, in considering CHS
subject, and before sustaining the extreme
severity of the congressional sentence of os-
tracism of all political rights against the
most enlightened portion of the people of
the south Ter their action in the late rebel
hon it might prove profitable for the people
| of Wisconsin, and more especially the lead
ing republicans to hesitate and inquire what
they would have done under Ike circum-
| stances
In order the better to give satisfactory
answer to this question, may be well to re-
cur to and remind each other of certain fact
that occurred in the legislative history of
Wisconsin When under the control Of the
republican party. The republican party
adopted into their platform of principles the
doctrine of state rights or state sovereignty
as board in its meaning, scope and tendency
as was ever asserted for it by any rarity or
individual in Massad husetts, South Carolina
or Georgia, and that the legislature in re-
lation to the judicial determination of the
state and federal courts in case of Sherman
NJ. Booth of resistance to the fugitive slave
law affirmed by resolutions the doctrine of
the right on the part of the STATE to deter
mine for it self the mode and measure of
redress in cases of alleged usurpations of
power by either of the three departments of
the federal government over the liberty or
property of the citizens Of the states, and to
positiUe defiance of all unauthorized acts
done or attempted to be done, under color
of the constitution, by congress, or the su-