The Plymouth weekly Democrat., 1867-07-25


the passions of the times direct.
They desire also to introduce a new po4
litical element into our system, and to hand
over the absolute control Of six States.
the largest, wealthiest and most productive
of the South to the lately enfranchised ne
gro. 1t is not question of negro voting
only. 1t is the absolute surrender of these
States to the control Of the government of
negroes 1t is the transfer of political
power to them 1t is the substitution of
their ignorance and incapacity and inexpc-
rience and passions for the discipline and
experience OF white mcn 1t is the deg
radiation of the Government to the level
Of these voters, ana the destruction of the
value and purity of the ballot by confer
ring it SO lavishly on all sides 1t is the
exacerbaiion and embitterng Of the spirit
Of races by subyerting their normal and
accustomed positions, and placing the in
telligence and superiority of the one under
the control OF members of the other.
In one word, the whole system of recon-
struction advocated by tie Republican
party-the test they have set up of loyal
solidation Of the government. the confer
ring Of suffrage on the negro in all the
States and the absolute transfer to him of
all the political power of six States
Is this wise? Is It statcsmanlike p
Shall it be adopted? Will it restore peace
and order and iraternal feeling and stiiiiu-
late industry to repair the ravages of war?
Will it conduce to that stability in legisa-
ton, that harmony in society, that hope
fulaess of the future which are essential
to prosperous community?
L address you for a moment simply as
Northern men, as Northern community.
| leave out Of view the feelings, and
wishes, and interests of the South. |
make no appeal to your sense of justice or
your fraternal affection for men of our
own lineage and race.
[ address the question to your immedi-
ate and personal and material interests
Will this policy conduce to your interests?
/ viii it tend to increase the prosperity aud
happiness of this community? VIII Min
nesota, will the North, be made stronger
or frcer, or more contcnted by pursuing
TO the very end this change Of our govern
menta! and political system? Cries Of
"No, no.
have said this policy subjects six
States to the domination Of the negroes
They will have Immediately the right of
suffrage; they will have inevitably and
necessarily the right to hold Office they
will have greater political privileges than
you confer upon women, upon your sons
who are twenty years of age, upon intclli-
gent and educated residents Of foreign
birth they will have majority of voters.
viii the laws of the Federal Government
affecting this community be more benef-
cent when they are subjected to the inhu-
enccs Of such voters. Will the presence
of fifty members Of the House and twelve
Senators elected by such constituencies,
inspire you with more confidence in the
wisdom cf the laws or the purity of the
government?
You are an agricultural people. Your
products are bulky; they follow naturally
the channel Of cheap freights; your best
markets are OD the bank an6 at the mouth
of the Mississippi river; your interests
require that the communities whom you
feed should be rich and prosperous and
populous, and that their policy should be
peaceful and stable and wisc-that their
industry should be activc-thcr civiliza-
ton advanced-their laws effective. Your
advantage is to be found, not only in sell
ing for money, but in making exchanges
for the products of their industry. VIII
the value or the pleasure Of your intercourse
be enhanced by this substitution of the
negroes for the whites in political power !?
We are told that the interests OF the
North require harmony and reposc and
that to secure these, We must have guar
antees against another rebellion Win
this change afford any guarantee? VIII
the negroes be always quiet and submiss-
i've, and self-restraining ? Will they pos
sess always reverence for Federal law?
Has there there Deen no rebellion, no rev.
olution in IIayt? Has England had no
trouble in Jamaica? Or is it part of this
plan of peace that they shall restrain the
turbulence of the white race, and be to
them perpetual menace? Guarantee of
peace President Arista, in the height of
his power, at the head Of the Republic,
exclaimed, "Unhappy Mexico-she is
doomed to the agony of perpetual anarchy
by the conflict of her races
There can be no guarantee except just
ice, good government: absence of all causes
of discontent-aye, even of discomfort it
self. And in the many wrecks which are
strewn along the pathway of history, there
is melancholy proof that even these will
not suffice. Eternal activity of the hui
man intellect is the condition of Its vicor
liepoSe is tagnation-stagnation is death.
We need not wonder that its ceaSelcss mo-
ton fails sometimes in an upward aud on
ward step. Its efforts are the parent Of
all progress. Its struggles put all things
IN the crucial test Its touch is the great
dIssovant of comminglcd truth aud error,
ana that it should sometimes stimulate
10 acts of apparent or even real evils, TO
causeesS rebellion against our good and
wise government is but the badge of its
human infrmi;y.
But suppose the work fully accomplish
ed suppose the Government thoroughly
consolidated; suppose the constitutional
amendments adopted aud reconstruction
perfected on the basis proposed. 1t will
be strong enough to execute the Civil
Rights Bill, strong enough to execute the
duties assumed to themselves now by the
military commanders. 1t will have a large
army and a large navy The number of
civil employees will be increased, and they
will be spread over and throughout the
country Ms we'll as COLLECTED at W. .h;nr