The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-26
Impartial Suffrage Recommended IN
all the States.
From de CHICAGO Tribune.

affairs. This speech has peculiar Sig
nificance. General Rawltns is Inc
Chief of Staff to General Grant. he
was General Grants personal friend,
and Chief of Staff during the entire war.
He shares the confidence of the General
| of the army more than any other man
| in the country, and he merits that con-
| fidence because OF his great personal
integrity and patriotism, and for his
ability as a soldier and an executive
officer. The speech OF Gen. Rawlins SIS Is
a careful and deliberate review OF the
political history of the last six years,
and, while it will excite especial inter
est as coming from gentleman OF his
standing and attachments, II will not
be less Interesting when accepted by the
public as an exposition, to some ex-
tent, of the views and opinions OF Gen.
Grant.
General RawlIns' speech will be well
coined by every Republican and Union
man, North and South, who wishes
order and peace restored on right Prtn-
ciples, the Union once more in harmo-
nious operation, and civil and political
equality enjoyed by the whole people
freely and without Partially or OBJ
calling for that peace and union which
lis yalor conquered, and for the extinc-
ton of every trace of the rebellion
whose armed force 1t subdued. II
affirms:
l. The power and duty of Congress
and the President as the law-making
power TO protect and guard the Amerl-
can Union, and TO preserves lnVlolate
the repu biican form of the National
and State Governments, and the rights,
liberties and property OF the ~whole
people.
2. Thatthe condition of the country
after the close of the war, and the re-
lusal of the provisional or temporary
governments to secure and protect the
rights and liberties Of the freedmen, de-
manded of Congress the enactment of
the Civil Rights Bill without which
these people would have remained sub
ject to all the disabilities, with none of
the projections of slavery.
3. That the rebellion was undertaken
to establish a Government having as its
basis the perpetuity OF human slavery.
That in dealing with the rebellion the
United States, with great forbearance,
during nearly three years, ommitted to
and that when it did SO, 1t destroyed
the chattel character OF the slave, made
him full freeman, and as such, en-
titled to an equality in political and
civil rights with all other freemen. To
have given the negroes freedom, with
out political equality, would have ex-
hibited the anomaly of four millions of
subject to the laws and yet not entitled
10 their full protection.
i. That the governments instituted
by the President in the rebel States,
having failed in almost every essen
tial to adapt their Constitutions to the
republican form made necessary by the
change in the political character of so
many millions OF the people of those
States, 1t was the duty of Congress to
Inquire into these organizations and,
finding them both illegal and anti re-
publican, TO refuse them representa-
ton. That it was in the power and it
was the duty of Congress to sweep from
existence any and all governments in
any States which were anti-republicHn,
as these governments in the rebel States
were, and to provide for the establish
ment OF other governments therein, on
the basis of republican equality.
5. That Congress was correct in its
decision that any governments in these
States denying suffrage to all freemen
without distinction of race or color,
were illegal and anti-republican, and
is justified in denying representation
to those States until they do grant suE-
frage to the people without such dis
tinCtions.
9. The right of suffrage is the only
secure means by which any person can
protect his liberty, and that 1t cannot
be denied to the colored people, who,
in most of the States, ifnot all, constI-
tute the majority of those who proved
steadfast to the Union, and fought in
the ranks of 1t armies, without denial
of the republican principles upon
which the Government is founded.
Z. That the Constitutional Amend
ment proposed by the last Congress,
was an Indispensable necessity created
by the war; that Congress did right in
proposing it, and in making its ratiti-
cation u prereQ uisite of the recognition
of any Government in the rebel States.
That the amennment in all its parts
the declaration of citizenship, the limi-
tation OF representation to those adj
mitted to suffrage, the inviOlability OF
the national debt, the reputation of
the rebel debt, the disfranchisem9nt of
tQose rebels who had added official per
jury to treason,-was wise and just,
and of its necessity there can be no
doubt.
8. That the Reconstruction Acts OF
the last Congress were the result of a
wise exercise of the unquestionable
power of the law-making branch of the
Government; that the military pro-
visions of the acts are no more VIOLA
lions of liberty than the employment
of the army Tor the suppression of the
rebellion, and that the south must ac-
cept the situation fully and unreserv-
| eddy.
9. That reconstruction and reStOrn-
ton of the whole Union are eminently
desirable; that 1t must be accomplished
before there can be u full return 10 all
the blessings of wise and economical
administration OF the affairs OF the
Government; that there is no portion of
the people who more earnestly desire
such restoration than the army general
ly, or the five commanders of the mill
tary districts; that the Union thus re-
stored upon the broad and enduring
basis of the political equality of all
freemen, the future glory and safety of
the nation will be secured beyond all
danger. 49,
10. That all Northern States which
have not established impartial suffrage
should do so without delay.
This is the comprehensive platform
embodied in the able speech of General
Rawlins. It will meet with a hearty
response from the whole American peo-
pie. 1t is not open to doubt; each point
Is clearly stated and fortified with i'm
pregnable arguments. 1t Is the plat
form of the army, it is the platform of
the Republican party, 1t is, emphati-
cally, the platform of the country, and
1t is, unquestionably, the platform of
GENERAL GRANT.
vAIbANDIeHAat is out in letter in
which he denies that the South had his
sympathies during the rebellion. It
may be very. easy for his conscience to
atretch itself tn Rnch n denial but it