Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-08-15

grayate the antagonisms, and wha
are the measures which diminisl
and prevent them, ought to b.
equally familiar. Under the par
tial and unjust laws Of the nation,
I Of the Old World men of one ma
tionality were allowed to oppres.
those Of another. Men Of one faitf
had rights which were denied to
men Of a different faith. Men Of
one rank or caste enjoyed special
privileges which were not granted
to men Of another. Under these
systems peace was impossible and
strife perpetual. But under Just and
equal laws in the United States,
Jewes, Protestants, and the Catho,
lies, Englishmen and Irishmen, the
former aristocrat and the masses of
the people, dwell and mingle har.
moniously together. The uniform
lessons Of history is that unjust
and partial laws increase and ere
ate antagonism, while justice and
equality are the sure foundation OF
prosperity and peace.
Impartial suffrage secures also
popular education. Nothing has
given the careful observer of events
in the South more qualification than
the progress which is there going on
in the establishment of schools
The colored people who, as slaves,
were debarred from education, re-
gard the right to learn as one of
the highest privileges of freemen.-
The ballot gives them the power to
secure that privilege. All parties
and all public men in the South
agree that, if colored men vote,
ample provision must be made in
the reorganization of every State
for free schools. The ignorance Of
the masses, whites as well as blacks
IS one of the most discouraging fea-
lures of Southern society. icon
gressional reconstruction succeeds,
there will be free schools for all
The colored people will see that
their children attend them. We.
need indulge in no fears that the
white people will be left behind
Impartial suffrage, then, means pop
ular intelligence, it means progress,
it means loyalty, it means harmo
ny between the North and the
South, and between the whites and
the colored people.
The Union party believes that the
welfare requires that meas
ures should be adopted which will
work greater changes in the South.
Our adversaries are accustomed to
talk Of the rebellion as an affair
which began when the rebels attack
ed Fort Sumter in 1861, and which |
ended when Lee surrendered to
Grant in 1865. 1t is true that the
attempt by force ofarms to destroy
the United States began and ended
during the Administration of Mr. |
Lincoln. But the causes, the prin-
ciples, and the motives which pro-
duced the rebellion are of an older
date than the generation which suf- /
fered from the fruit they bore, and
their influence and power are likely
to last long after that generation
passes away. Ever since armed re-
bellion failed, large party in the
South have struggled to make par
in the rebellion honorable, |
dloyaltv to the Union Clishonora-
bic. The lost cause with them is
,he honored cause. In society. in
and in politics, devotion
% treason is the test of merit, the
passport to preferment. They
wish to return to the old state of
.hings-an oligarchy of race, and
he sovereignty of States.
To defeat this purpose, to secure
he rights of man, and to perpetu-
tie the national Union, are the OBJ
eets of the Congressional plan of
reconstruction, That plan has the
learty support of the great gener-
Is $50 far as their opinions are
.nown)-of Grant, Of Thomas, Of
sheridan, of Rosecrans, of How
rd-who led the armies of the
Jnion which conquered the rebel
on. The statesmen most trusted
y Mr. Lincoln and by the loyal
eople of the country during the
rar also support it. The Supreme
'ourt of the United States, upon
ormal application and solemn ar
refuse to interfere with its
xecution. The loyal press of the
ountry, which did so much in the
ime of need to uphold the patriot
ause, without exception, are in ia
or of the plan.
In the South, as we have seen, the
essons of the war, and the events
ccurring since the war, have made
onverts of thousands of the bra
est and of the ablest of those who
pposed the national cause. Gen
,al Longstreet, a soldier second to
0 living corps commander of the
abel army, calls it ga peace off
ing" and advises the South in !
bod faith to organize under it
nrepentant rebels and unconvert- !
| Peace Democrats oppose it, just
J they opposed the measures which
slavery and saved the
alton.
Opposition to whatever the ma
on approves seems to be the poll
Z Of the representative men of the f
eace Democracy. Defeat and fail