New-York tribune., 1867-05-17

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cOOred people OF the country under the laws and the
constitutions thereof the cornerstone OF true, be-
nefcent reconstruction. Appause.l wish to be done
with the topic at and forever wish TO have 1t
disposed OF and ont of the way, so that can go on
to other topics and other interests that demand our
attention. long to say that We have settled forever
the oueStion of Black mems rights by imbcddng
them in the Constitutions OF the states and the Ma
tion. that they cannot bo disturbed eveImore II
this had been promptly and heartily done, Two
wears ago when the Johnson Legislatures of the
South first assembled-eycly State OF the South
would have been IN the Union ere this and
every apprehension OF penalties To be inflicted on me
people of the South would have been baniShed for
But it is said that there are Republican States, or
States under Republican rnleIs, which have not
granted 10 the Blacks their full rights That IS dis
gracefully tue. The great mass OF the hepublcans
have always insisted that Black enlranchSenent was
anecessity and have uniformly insisted thatlt should
be effected. We have been resisted, and 10 some
extent OvcIborne by mere shred OF our party com
bining with the Democrats to defeat us. Stiu pup
lie sentiment has steadily improved, until nearly
every Republican in the North, with many who nave
acted with the Democrats. now heartily favor Ma,
ti0nal guaranty Of All Rights to All APPLAUSE
II there be any who thiul1 the Republican party
ought 10 be disSOycd-it there he one present WHO
desires that it should get out OF the way 80 gave room
for new cOmbinatiOnS-I say 20 him, Help MS To
finish this controversy by imbeddng in every Con-
sttutiOn State OF NatOnall q provision that every
citizen shall have all the legal rights OF every other
citizen and no more. Let us he done Wlth TINS mat
ter, and then We can moyeon 10 what may DC the
next question in order. lAppausc
/ come now to ProscriptOnas another obstacle, I'M
pcdincl, whatever YOU may choose 10 call ~, 10
the reconciliation of the Southern people TO the Ulon
II is asked aud very cOgentlY How can you expect
us to be reconcilcd 10 Gov NcrDment which denies us
the right 10 vote or To hold oiice under III :"
very fair question. in my judgment, there ls no Ic
son why any man who. Today. Is n thoroughly loyal
and faithful citizen Of the United States, shond be
restrained from voting This however. - a matter
which rests entirely with Congress ana what OF
fer my own private views. IL Is Just ana wise 10
diSfIanclisc Who are still dlsIoya ana VINO de-
sire that dslOYal men should obtain the mastery oi
this country. ] deny that those who are lnphcdbN
hostile 10 the National authority-whO are wander
ing of TO Brazil, 10 Mexico, &c.-have any natural
right to q voice in the government Ol tle country
And that there is class ~ the Sonlh VINO mercy
submit or acquiesco-Nho are It'OncIicu ,ohy
81 far that they don't choose to plt thch-
selves in the way Of puplSlmcnt-thcIe can
be very little doubt ! hope TIE number OF
This class is comparatively small now. and that
IL il tI din,i,,ish{ro Ma. moi hone thai the do
mgs in this city this week have contributed some
what TO diminish its numbers The Government
should see that these dissatisfied men have no control
in the country. The people should deny to any man
who would divide the country, Or refuses 10 DE le-
concilcd To IT, share in its government. accept
the prescription embodied IN the Military I'1Coi-
STnciOn act of Congress only asa pfccautlon AGAINST
present disiOyalty: and | believe the nation VIII n-
sst on such prescription beng removed 80 soon i'
reasonable and proper assurances aIc given thai d
loyalty has ceased 10 be powerful ana dangerous III
the Southern States.
Then rs to the question of Coniscatlon what Is
10 be said What j. the truth about Conliscaloh I
have been told since came heri that the cUlored
people Of this city and iiie state were refusing TO
buy for themselves homes, because they wcic nm
bucd with the belief that Congress would very soon
oOniiscato and di,trllGtc the lands OF the
Rebels ot this state and gave each oi
10 believe that yOu are mOlp likely To
earn home than get ono by any form
of coni>caton. / have no right 10 speak ior Con-
gTCSs, and cannot say what It VIII do; hut have
light TO say what Congress hGs done. Now we have
had, since tho war closed two yeas OF Iolent po'
litica contest. Acts have been done aud feelings
a th. ttt him ttTra
strongly calculated to iTitate the overwhelming
majority iu Congress. Then there has been at the
hoad-pcrhaps ! should Soy the head aud foot--ot
we'll ~ the oldest member Of Congress, lhaddcuS
Stevens of Pcu>ylN lNania. one Of ia" strongest men
who has been seen n C"nEic,, al any lhie' h """
has aChcN ed great influence az The Nolih bN Io4tA
wears If unCOmprOm>ing rtTlgTr aeiitNb every rpr-
dies of human boiidaoc lie a, bccu the recognized
Mr.. Stevens La, made speeches Tor cohhacdioll hiN'
10 his constituents; next. IA Congies- ana ne mas
are pcddlng ont amnesty and uhIsiing upon con
tiscaton. But = any other member OF Congress mas
naNcly proposed any measure ol cohli,,loii az ~
don't remember the fact: aud II any Coihni'I'e :"
either House has reported amy scheme oi tohl''"-
tion since the close OF the WaI, am not aware oi ~
~iy no bill has been even reported winch proposed
take away the property O persons merely 1rciuN'
they have been Rebels and give III 10 0lItls oc''u'o
they were loyal These are the facts n the pa>i.
You can iudge OF the future ~ well as can don
mean 10 say that Congress could not De poNoArh !"
decree cOnisCatlon by mcnacc> ol violence ahn 3''S
ol outrage at tie South. ] don't pretend 10 know
what Congress may dO under some cphc'lNip 'll-
cumStancrS: | STATE what II has done aud has ih'i-
mated lis purpose to d0. ~ lar as can sp.di. Ii1M
knowledge and rccOiicciiuit
Let me speak for myself only rs 10 the general
policy of ConiiscatiOn. II half the vacant. waste
lands of the South could he instantly ditiuhntci
among the landlcas, have 40 dOubt mat ne riert
wOuld be bcncicent. think that such an ailolhrt
oi small farm To- every poor Iuan would do good 40
the many and no real harm iO the lew But when A0u
come to the practical work al tOutiscailOn II VIII be
f,lrpH NpTNr l.tt
required to cOnsummate. And meantime, Whai IS q"
become of those who must i've by ihclr dJilI labor
Who is TO fence and cultivate the lana Nhai }. 10
become of the great mass OF the poor VINO mrsl Hhe
by cultiyating The earth When We reflect upon Inc
general devastation of the South. bN reason "i inc
turmoil and rayaEc oi War, aud consider now an IN
dustry wOud be paTalyZcd by The ptoepcCi ana the
process of cOniiscatOn, We snail leall/e mat
inevitable evils Of COniscatiOn are too great 10 lN-
tify an experiment of this character ia my Judg,
mcnt any general cUuilScliOn VIII produce gcicl'I
bankruptcy aud dc>Oatng famine. lndge thai the
evils Of such coniiscaion exceed All th3i nave ncti'
experienced 10y the country ln al u ia7l col hl'los
Again: Mr. Stevens proposes 10 pay hNc lluhufcu
million dollars into the Treasury by mild process
of cunlscatiOn." | do not know what could l,c d"he
i'm this way; hat am very confident that AL the con
iiscations that have ever taken place since men I,rNt
went 10 have not altogether resulted III putting
<JOOOOOGJ0 into the pusllc treasures ol nations
do not speak Of those conliscaions whereby some
great cOnquerOIs seized and appropriated the treas
urcs and Jewels of an oriental kihg speak oil ihS
cOniscatiOn of individual property IN the shape Oi
lands and houses. individuals have grown Snor-
mously rich by coniiscltOn-have secured 10 them
selves duleedOns and prIncliiicS hut thty were ne
men who worked the machinery applause and!angh-
teri the great mass derived no benefit very little
from their plundcr. How much better are our tunc-
tIOnaucs today
Now as to providing poor men with lands by any
such process this. admit the premise ihai he poor
should have lands have for many Year, advocated
the policy Of allowing every poor man 10 help hnsei
to portion Of the pubc land, upon the easiest terms.
There are hundreds OF millions of acres still belong
ing TO the Republic IN the SOnth well III the
North and Wesi-n Louisiana Alabama. Mississippi.
Arkansas a. well as in States further North. These
lands are public property, and 100 acres of them