The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-11-12
The Opinion of a Prominent Northern Man

The Opinion of Prominent Northern Man.
held many positions Of honor and trust in this
try) has written letter giving his views to the
causes of the defeat of the Republican party in Ohio
and Pennsylyania. As Mr. Ewing is Northern man
of influence, make extract from his letter:
..The present tendency of the Conservatives lin
Oho is to unite with the Republican party, if that
party will. in obedience to what they now know to
be the will of the people, recall their proscriptive
mandate and leave the intelligence of the Southern
States free to act in modifying and carrying their
State governments and desist from forcing on them
negro suffrage and quasi-negro quasi-military rule.
This they will do if they read Alright and profit by
the lesson which has just been taught them.
The two propositions namely, of giving suffrage
to the blacks aud denying it to the whites pun
ishment for past political and military oences-were
for the first time submitted to the people, and their
opinion asked upon them at the late election in Ohio
Ohio selected as the most decidedly Radical
among the great States. and the questions were put
to her people, first of all, in the confident expecta
ton that their authority would be obtained for fasten
ing the reconstruction acts on the South, and
tending them the border States, under the
assumption that the government of no State be
republican that does not admit negro suffrage and
prescribe men who have been rebels. Both these
questions were involved and discussed in the Ohio
election, the Republican orators insisting that it
would be inconsistent and unjust to force negro suf
frage the South and not accept it for ourselves.
This was manifesty true; could not, with any
pretence of political justice place the whole South
under negro government by admitting all black and
excluding many white voters would give the
negroes ma jorty everywhere and at the same time
refuse to suffer 900 negroes to vote in Ohio, with
5O0,0OO white voters to control them. When the peo
pie OF Ohio refused to accept negro suffrage part
of their own system they were guilty of no incon-
sistency and no injustice-they had inflicted neither
prescription negro suffrage the South-as far
as it had been executed it by the act of their
yub1 IL nd fhpv nv
their sanction. This the response of the forty
thousand majority who voted against the consttu-
tional amendment They disapprove prescription for
past political military offences, and they dsap-
prove of the attempt to force negro suffrage upon
unwilling people.
have no doubt a large majority of the Republic
IN the two Houses of Congress are conservative
in their opinions and feelings; that, a matter of
choice they would prefer for themselves and their
neighbors white to negro rulers and would rather
soothe and heal the wounds of the Union than to ag
gravate and infame them. Fortunately for them
and for the nation, the Ohio election has shown be-
fore it was too late that it will consist with the will
of the people to act in accordance with such feelings
and convictions. l therefore most earnestly hope
that the conservative Republicans of Congress will
dethrone their despotc leaders, keep out of those
pens of political bondage called congressional
cuses and take control of the two Houses; for they
do it readily if each and all win but keep them
selves free to vote and act according to their convlc
TONS and thus represent each his district instead of
all representing caucus. And they should at once
rescind all measures which operate mere insult
and annoyance to intelligent of the South give
over the effort to establish negro government by the
disfranchsement of the whites repeal their ordi-
nances placing the Southern States under military
government, and make the military there again sub
ordinate to the civil power, and replace it where the
Constitution places thunder the control of the Ex
ecutive admit at once the loyal and legally qualified
Senators and Representatives from the ten excluded
States, not making party adhesion a test of either
qualification loyalty. They will then have the aid
20 host Of fhncn
States and reconstruction will be possible, and in
time, effectua There will still be, for while, dis
turbance, riots crimes of violence. and perhaps
local Instructions for the public mind which tended
to settle down in peace after the close of the war;
and under the Presidents plan of restoration has
been again greatly agitated, and unhappily the men
most interested in re-esablishing order, the men Of
intelligence, men of property, men who, by their
position in society," had influence over the ignorant
and unreasoning masses, are placed under the ban
of the Union, and thus rendered powerless-and all
is left in the hands of disordery multitude except
in so far they restrained by military force
There can be permanent reconstruction until
the ntelge of those States is released from po
litical bondage When the ban is removed they may
regain their influence and render efficient aid
in the restoration of order and domestic quiet and
peace and there is danger of their again exciting
countenancing secession-the terrible calamties
which it has brought upon them will be enduring
monition against it, and nothing but actual and per-
sstent oppression will again drive them to revolt.
By retracing their steps, which have been obviously
taken in wrong direction-by honest effort to
restore the Union without regard to party supremacy
by following promptly and cheerfully the late in
dications of the public WILL the Republican party
may deserve and the continuance of political
power; and they secure 1t by no other De-
nunciation now avail nothing. Our republican
institutions endangered-the people wish them
preserved-and elimination of an Executive stripped
of all power to do good evil, does not tend to
store preserve them. 1t is idle to denounce the
President usurper because he refused to sanction
a series of bills giving him unconstitutional power
and stripping him of power which the Constitution
gives him. Partisan presses may join in crusade
against him; the people will not, but rather look to
his acts and the acts of Congress, and weigh them
against each other. The public mind is prepared
for calm comparison of the temper in which each
was conceived, and the effects that each has produ
ced and is producing on the country, its prosperity
and peace.
Washington News