Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-07-04
Mr.. Vests Speech.

Mr.. Vests SIP eech.
eereissss srom second r.s..
existence in the opposition. Such an
organization will be rs powerfess In
south Carolina or Georgia rs would be
n pro-slavery party in Massachusetts,
Political considerations will therefore ul-
flnately drive all parties into the sup
port OF Impartial citizenship. Negro en-
franchisemept--justi to the African
race, finding root in the soil where his
shachles fell, will sweep back with re-
Sistless force upon the border md the
No.thern States, and raise above them
one common standard Of universal man
hooA
In this direction the tide Is set. You
NAV deprecate agitation; it is but the in
yident Of accumulated opinion, as its tor
rcnt breaks through the dixie and levee
OF prejudice which in vain seek to con-
fine 1t. You may obstruct its current;
but the gathering flood will overlesp the
barriers, and sweep to its destination.
II may not be reached this year or this
decade; but 1t will be reached. Ken
sentiment of her pride; but Kentucky
will yield. Maryland may for season
continue to manifest her spiteful impor-
tnnce; but say to Maryland, Cease,
viper, Won gnaw file." Ohio may re-
nose vet longer in her obstinate inertia;
but the tide will sweep her into the wake
if she refuses to take the van. Her at
titude Is one Of profound interest and
delicate responsibility. She may, by her
action of this year, bury the African out
of sight In the bosom of imperial justice,
or she may prolong agitation by the re-
lection of his appeal. If she pronounce
L. r.. 70 xsrtl rn tho
acquiescence OF that malignant hostility
yet lingering in the South, invoking for
It's restraint the presence of military
power. If she pronounce against him,
II can but operate ms the mot vote man
or q dollar" greeting of 1.-TWO numbered
thousand Democrats to their brethren in
the South" which encouraged them to
the madness of hazarding force against
the inexorable decree Of ultimate eman-
eipation:
Will she close her eyes to those shad-
ows of the future which are the forecast
of coming events? Will she read the
handwriting on the wall and refuse to
accept its Interpretation? What can she
hope from it? She cannot long delay
their coming. She cannot forever stand
out against immutable justice, and the
fat Of destiny. She may prolong the
agitation for impartial suffrage; but she
can only suppress 1t by its triumph In
the end. She may lend the encourage
ment Of an unfortunate example, to the
ref fractory spirit of opposition In the
South, embarrassing reconstruction on
the basis of enfranchisement, and pro-
longing the necessity for its military oc-
cupati0n; but 1t will be reconstructed on
that basis. She may ALLEVIATE the affec-
ton and exasperate the recruitment OF q
race struggling up to u better fate, to
which she owes nothing but gratitude
for its past fidelity and the devotion of
allegiance to her cause but she cannot
beat it down. She may, by the fatal
mistake of attempting to ignore the logic
of events kindred to that which brought
emancipation from the baptism of fire,
subject herself TO the humillating alter
native of accepting acknowledgements In
the thrones of dissention; but she can
not defeat the results of that logic. VIII
Ohio, then, adopt a course so possible of
evil, so impossible of good? Surely, II Is
not the part of wise craftsmanship to
pursue q policy calculated to prolong agi-
tation, engender strife and endanger the
public tranquility. Better, far, conserve
the good will and friendly regard of all
the races IN all the States with which
her destiny Is linked. Better, thous-
ana times De generous Dy cnOice III tne
beginning, than reluctantly just by COM
pulson In the end.
II Ia not u question Of political strategy,
urged for the mere purpose OF partisan
success the demagOgue caters to, rather
than coInbats, popular prejudices--thee
cause of the despised Nazarene found
few supporters among the political Pa
pans OF his day. 1t Is not question of
taste; II It were, 1t might be permanent
ly put at rest by m adverse decision. 1t
Is not a question of abstract regard for
the negro, "a such, apart from his rights
as man, and his relations to government;
II it were, the judgment would be
against him.
II IL a question of immutable Justice
of public gratitude of inexorable neces-
atty, involving I'm its ultimate solution
the conservation of national tranquility,
national unity, the nations life. Choose
ye, then, the alternative.