The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-10-03


From the Western Christian Advocate.
Christians and the Constitutional
Amendment.
Mr. Lincoln, who has been 30 COM
monty deemed coarse in his sty'e, has,
nevertheless, written many things that
will stand forever as models of rheto-
rical beauty. Among these we will
number the following, from his second
inaugural:
The Almighty has his own purposes. Woe
unto the world because Of Ofenses for 1t must
needs be that ofenses come, but voc to that
man by whom the offense cOmelh." If We shall
suppose that American slavery Is one of those
ofienses which, in the providence Of God, must
needs come, but which, having continued through
his appointed time, he now wills to remove, and
that he gives TO both North and South this terri
bic war as the woe due to those by whom the of
fense come, shall we discern therein any depar-
tuTe from those Divine attributes which the be-
levers in loving God always ascribe to him2
Fondly do we hope, fervcntly do we pray, that
this mighty scourgc of war may speedily pass
away Yet II God wills that II continue till all
the wealth piled by the boadsman'S two hundred
and fifty years of uureQuited toll shall be sunk,
aud till every drop of blood drawn with the lash
shall be paid by another drawn with the sword,
as was said three thousand years ago, SO still it
must be must said, The judgements of tue Lord
are tue and righteous altogether.
The martyred President, penetrated
by firm faith in Divine Providence,
had closely studied the course Of events,
and clearly perceived that God was on
the side Of the negro. He is always on
the side OF the weak, the defenceless,
the poor, the outraged, the oppressed,
and does not forsake his policy tor Jew
or Gentle.
We read the signs of the times as
did Mr.. Lincoln, and expect tumult and
perplexity, aud perhaps further blood
shed, and heavier burdens, unless the
American people will hear the voice OF
God, and give the wronged African
his rights We as a people are as re-
luctant and resisting as was Pharaoh,
and the Egyptians of old God forbid
that we should persevere like them to
our own complete destruction.
In few days the people Of the great
free State of Ohio are to decide wheth-
er they will continue this controversy
with the Almighty, whether or not
they will strike the abomination of caste
from the fundamental law of the Com
monwealth, by adopting the following
as the first article OF section fifth of the
Constitution of the State:
Every male citizen of the United States of the
age of twenty-One years who shall have been a
resident of the State one year next preceding the
election, and Of the county, township, or ward,
In which he resides such time as may be provided
by law, except such persons as have borne arms
In support Of any lusurrectlOn Orrebelllon against
the Government of the United states, or have
fed from their places Of residence to avoid being
drafted Into the military service thereof, or have
deserted the military or naval services of said
Government in time of war, and had not subse-
quently been honorably discharged from the
same, shall have the qualifications of an eector
and be entitled To vote az all elections.
AS will be perceived, this will simply
enfranchise all citizens without respect
to color, and distranchise all rebels,
traitors, and deserters. The latter
clause was at first liable to one serious
objection; namely, that certain soldiers
who had fought through the war, i'm
patient for home-God bless them
having left the ranks without their pa
pers of discharge, were therefore tech
nically deserters, and obnoxious TO this
proposed amendment. The last Con-
gress, however, fully remedied this by
the following provision:
Re It enacted, ETC., That no soldier or sailor
shall be taken or held as dcsertcr from the army
or navy, who faithfully served, according to his
enlistment till the 10Th day Of April, 1865 and
who, without proper authority or leave first OBJ
talned, did quit his command, or refuse to serve
after said date.
Now all is clear. The amendment,
with this paramount qualification, will
admit to the ballot every loyal black,
aud exclude only the real rebel or de-
serter, be be white or black.
We owe it to ourselves to pass the
amendment, as we would not be guilty
of ingratitude to our dusky companions
in arms as we would be true to oul
principles that governments derive
their Just powers from the consent o.
the governed" and that "taxation with.
out representation is tyranny" and
neither govern nor tax the negro citi
zen till he is enfranchisedi as we would
also not demand Of the South, in recon
struction, what wo will not bear our
selves; but above all, as we would obey
the great law of reciprocity by which
we are forbidden to do even the mean
est of men, otherwise than we woulC
have them do to us.
Let us not be turned aside from duty
by mere prejudice against color. |
will be as easy to vote by the side o
most black men as by the side Of SOM
| uhita man Az lnnCy an wa mako N,