Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-27

resident in said State for one year previous
to the day Of such election. without these
provisions, no Constitution which can be
formed in any one of the ten States will be
of any avail with Congress. Thls, then, is
the test which the Constitution of State
of this Union must cor tain to make, it re-
publican? Measured by such standard,
how few of the States now composing the
Union have republican Constitutions? If,
in the exercise of the constitutional guar
antee, that Congress shall secure to every
State a republican form OF 'GoVerement.
universal suffrage, for blacks as well as
whites, as a sine qua non, the work OF re-
construction may as well begin in Ohio as
in Virginia, in Pennsylvania AS In North
Carolina. q, a.rf IL 5i .f.a-9 5.t n 80
When I contemplate the millions of our
fellow -citizens of the South, with no alter
native left but to impose upon themselves
this fearful and untried experiment of COM
plete negro enfranchisement, and white
disfranehisement, it may be almost as COM
plete, or submit indefinitely to the rigor of
martial law, without a single attribute of
freemen, deprived of all the sacred guaran-
tees of our Federal Constitution, and
threatened with even worse wrongs, it
seems to me their condition is the most de-
plorable to which any people can be re-
duced. It is true that they have been en-
gagged in rebellion, and that In their object
to bring about separation of the States
and a dissolution of the Union there was
an obligation resting upon every loyal cit
iZen to treat them as enemies, and to wage
war against their cause. .lntieXiblY op-
posed to any movement importing the in
tegrity OF the Government, / did not hest
tate to urge the adoption of all
measures necessary for the suppression
of the insurrection. After q long and
terrible struggle, the efforts OF i the
Government were triumphantly success
/ ful; and the people of the South, submit
( ting to the stern arbitrament, yielded for
ever the issues of the contest. HOstilities
terminated; soon after it became my duty
to assume the responsibilities of the Chief
Executive officer of the Republic, and / at
once endeavored to repreSS and control the
passion which civil strife had engendered,
and no longer regarding these erring mil
lions as enemies, again acknowledged them
as our friends and our countrymen. The
war had accomplished its objects, the ma
tion was saved, and that cardinal principle
of mischief, which, from the birth of the
Government, had gradually but inevitably
brought on the rebellion, was total
ly eradicated. Then, it seemed to
me, was the auspicious time to COM
mence the work of reconstruction. Then,
when the people sought once more our
friendship and protection, considered it
our duty generously to meet them in the
spirit of charity and forgiveness, and to
conquer them even more effectually by the
magnanimity Of the nation than by the
force of its arms. yet believe that if the
policy of reconstruction then inaugurated,
and which contemplated an early reStOra-
tion OF this people to all their political
rights, had received the support of Con-
gress, every one of these ten States and all
their people would at this moment be fast
anchored in the Union, and the great work
which gave the war all its action, and made
it Just and holy, would have been accom-
nj oil no oct nd
full regions OF the South peace and its bless
ings would have prevailed; while now mil
lions are deprived of rights guaranteed by
the Constitution to every citizen. and after
nearly two years of legislation, find them
selves placed under all absolute military
despotism." A military republic, 9 gov
ernment formed on mock elections, and
supported only by the sword, was nearly a
quarter of century since pronounced by
Daniel Webster, when speaking of the
South American States. as - a movement
indeed, but a retrograde and disastrous
movement, from the regular and old-fash-
ioned monarchcal system - and added,
If men would enjoy the blessings
of republican government, by mutual
counsel and consultation, by a sense
and feeling of general interest, and by
the acquiescence Of the minority in the will
of the majority, properly expressed. and
above all the military must be kept, accord
Ing TO Cne language OF our Dill OF hlGnIS,
in strict subordination to the civil authori-
ty. Whenever this lesson is not both learn
ed and practiced. there can be no political
free dom. Absurd and preposterous, it is a
scoff and satire on free forms of constitu-
tional liberty for forms of government to
be prescribed by military leaders, and the
right of suffrage to be expressed at the
point of the sword. ,..
1 confidently believe that time will
come when these States will again occupy
their true position in the Union. The bar
riers which now seem so obstinate must
yield to tine force OF an enlightened and
just public opinion, and sooner or later un-
constitutional and oppressive legislation
VIII be effaced from our statute books.
When this shall have been consummated, L
pray God that the errors of the past may
be forgotten. and that once more we shall
be happy, united and prosperous people,
and that at last, after the bitter and event.
full experience through which the nation
has passed, we shall all come to know that
our only strife is in the preservation of our
Federal Constitution, and an accordance to
every American citizen and to every State
the rights which that Constitution secures.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHTNGTON March o. 1897