Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-04-02
which were members of the original thirteen
first became members of the Union.

congress does not now demand that a Sin-
gle provision oftheir Constitutions be changed,
except such as confne suffrage to the white
population: 1t is apparent, therefore, that
these provisions do not conform to the stand
ard Of republicanism which Congress seeks to
establish. That there may be no mistake it
is only necessary that reference should be
made to the original act, which declares "such
Constitution shall provide that the elective
franchise shall be enjoyed by all such persons
as have the qualifications herein stated for
electors of delegates" What class of persons
is here meant clearly appears inthe same Sec
ton. That is to say: ''the male citizens of
said State twenty one years old and upward,
OF whatever race, color, or previous condition,
who lave been resident in said State for one
year previous to the day Of such election
Without these provisions no Constitution
which can be framed in any one of the ten
States will be of any avail with Congress =
This, then, is the test of what the Constitu>
ton of State of this Union must contain to
make it republican. Measured by such a
standard, how few of the States now COM
posing the Union have republican Constitu-
tlons If, i'll the exercise of the constitu-
tional guaranty, that Congress shall secure to
every State republican form of government,
universal! suffrage for blacks as well as whites
is St"c qua non, the work of reconstruction
may as we'll begin in Ohio as in Virginia, in
Pennsylvania as in North Carolina.
when L contemplate tho millions of our
tellow-cltizens Of the South, with no alterna>
tive left but to impose upon themselves this
fearful and untred experiment of complete
negro en:rauchisememt and white dislranA
chlscment, 1t may be almost as complete or
submit indefinitely TO the rigor of martial law.
without single attribute of freedom, de,
privcd of all the sacred guarantees Of our
Federal Constitution, and threatened with
even worse wEongs, if any worse are possible,
1t seems to me their condition is the most de-
plorable to which any people can be reduced.
1t is true that they have been engaged in re-
beIllon, and that their object being scpara-
tlon OF the States and dissolution of the
Union, there was an obligation resting upon
every loyal citizen to treat them as enemies,
and to wage war against their cause.
lnflexibly opposed to any movement i'm
perilling the integrity of the government. |
did not hesitate to urge the adoption of all
measures necessary for the suppression ofthc
lnsurrection. Attera long and terrible strug-
gle the efforts Of the government were tri
umphantly successful, and the people of the
South, submitting to the stern arjitrament,
yielded forever The issues of the contest
llostilitics terminated soon after it became nv
duty to assume the responsibilities of the
Chief Executive Officer Of the Republic and
l at once endcavored to reprcss and control
the passions which our civil strife had en-
gendetcd, and, no longer regarding these err
ing millions as enemies, again acknowledged
them as our friends and cOuntrymcn. The
war had accomplished it's objects. The ma
tioR was saved, and that seminal principle of
mischief which, from the birth of the govern
ment, la gradually but inevitably brought
on the rebellion, was totally crIdicated.-
Then, 1t seemed to me, was the auspicious
time to commence the work Of reconciliation;
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 forgiv eness, and to conquer them
even more etfectually by the maguanimily of
the nation than by the force of its arms. |
yet believe that if the policy of rcconcilia-
ton then inaugurated, and which contempla>
ted an ear y restoration OF these people TO all
their political rights had received the support
OF Congress. 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 sanction, and made
1t just and holy, would have been accom-
p!lshed. Then, over all the vast and fruit
1ul 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 themselves placed
under an absolute military despotism. "a mill
tary Republic, Government formed on mock
elections, and supported only by the sword"
was nearly quarter of century since pro
nounced by Daniel Webster, when speaking
OF the South American States as "a moves
ment indeed, but retrogade and disastrous
movement, from the regular and old fashioned
monarchical systems" and he added:
"lf men would enjoy the blessings of re-
Pubhc9a government, they must govern them
selves by reason, by mutual counsel aud con-
suItation, by sense and feeling of general
interest, and by the acquiesccnce of the mi
norlty in the will of the majority, properly
expressed; and, above all, the military must
be kept, according to the language of our
bill OF rights, in strict subordination to the
civil authority. Wherever this lesson is rot
both learned and practiced, there can be no
political freedom. Absurd, preposterous is
1t, scott and satire On free forms of con-
stltutonal liberty, for forms Of government
to be prescribed by military leaders, and the
right OF suffrage to be exercised at the point
of the sword.'
l confidently believe that time will come
when these States will again occupy their true
positions in the Union. The barriers which
now seem SO obstinate must yield to the force
of an enlightened and just public opinion, and
sooner or later unconstitutional and oppressive
legislation will be effacod from statue books.
When this shall have beenEconsummated,
pray God that the errors of the past may be
forgotten, and that once more We shall be a
happy, united and prosperous people, and
that at last, after the bitter and eventful ex-
pcrience through which the nation has rass
ed, we shall all come to know that our only
safely is in the preservation of our Federal
Constitution, and in according to every Amer
ican ciLizau n..a To o.. -