Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-03-25

| LOYALTY and repuDlicanlsm. Indeed, IT there
are degrees in republican forms Of government,
their constitutions are more republican now
than when these States-four of which were
members of the original thirteen-frst became
members of the Union.
Congress does not now demand that single
provision of their constitutions be changed ex-
cept such as confue suffrage to the white popu-
lation. 1t is apparent, therefore, that these
provisions do not conform to the standard OF
republicanisn which Congress seeks to estab-
lish. That there may be no mistake, It is only
necessary that reference should be made to the
shall provide that the elective franchise shall
be enjoyed by all such persons as have the
qualifications herein stated for electors or dele
gates" What class Of persons is here meant
clearly appears in the same section. That Is to
say :-"the male citizens of said State twenty
one years old and upwards Of whatever race,
color, or previous condition, who have been
resident in said State for one year previous to
the day of such election.
Without these provisions no Constitution
which can be framed in any one of the ten
States will be Of any avail with Congress. This,
then, is the test of what the Constitution Of u
State Of this Union must contain to make it
republican. Measured by such a standard,
how few Of the States now composing the
Union have republican Constitutions Ii, in
the exercise of the constitutional guaranty that
Congress shall secure to every State q republi-
can form Of government, universal suffrage Tor
blacks as we'll as whites is sine qua non, the
work of reconstruction may as we'll begin IN
Ohio rs in Virginia, in Pennsylvania as In
North Carolina.
When I contemplate the millions of our
fellow citizens of the South, with no alterna-
tive left but to impose upon themselves this
fearful and untriel experiment OF complete
negro enfranchisement and white disfranchisc-
ment, it may be almost as complete, or submit
indefinitely to the rigor of martia al law, without
single attribute OF freemen, deprived OF all
the sacred guarantees of our Federal Constltu-
ton, and threatened with even worse wrongs,
if any worse are possible, it seems to me their
condition is the most dcporable to which any
people can be reduced. 1t is true that they
have been engaged in rebellion, and that their
object being separation of the States and
dissolution of the Union, there was an obliga-
tion resting upon every loyal citizen to treat
them as enemies and to wage war against
their cause
lnfleyibly opposed to any movement lmper-
illing the integrity of the Government, | did
not hesitate to urEe the adoption of all meas
ures necessary for the suppression of the in
surrection After long and terrible struggle
the efforts of the Government were triumph
antly successful, and the people Of the South,
submitting to the stern arbitrament, yielded
forever the issues of the contest. Hostllltles
terminated soon after it became my duty to
assume the responsibilities of the Chief Exc
eutive Officer of the Republic, and | at once
endeayored to repress and control the passions
which our civil strife had engeudered, and no
longer regarding these erring millions as enc
mics, again acknowledge them as our friends
and our countrymen. The war had accom-
plished its Objects The nation was saved,
and that seminal principle Of mischief which,
from the birth Of the Governmcnt, had
gradually but inevitably brought on the
rebellion, was totally eradicated. Then, it
seemed to me, was the ausplcious time
TO commence the work Of reconciliation
then, when the people sought once more our
friendship and protection, | considered it our
duty generously to meet them in the spirit oi
charity and forgiveness, and to conquer them
even more effectualy by the magDanlmlty OF
the nation than by the force OF its arms. lyet
believe that if the policy OF reconciliation then
ipaugurated, and which contemplated an early
restoration of these people to all their political
rights, had received the support OF Congress,
eyerv one of these ten States, and all their
people. would at this moment be fast anchored
in the Union and the great work which gave
the war all it's sanction, and made 1t just and
holy, would have been accomplished. lhen,
over all the vast and fruitful regions OF the
South peace and it's blessings would have pre-
vailed while now millions are deprived OF
rights guaranteed by the Constitution to every
citizen, and, after nearly two years Of legsla-
ton, find themselves placed under an absolute
military despotism. IA military Republic.
a Government formed on mock elections, and
supported only by the sword" was nearly
quarter of century since pronounced by Dan
iel Webster, when speaking of the South Anne
rican States, as "a movement indeed, but
retrograde and disastrous movement from the
regular and old fashioned monarchical systems,
and he added
"Ifmen should enjoy the blessings of repub-
ican government, they must govern themselves
bv reason, by mutual counsel and consultation,
by a sense and feeling Of general interest, and
by the acquiescence Of the minority in the will
of the majority, properly expressed; and
above all, the military must be kept, accord
inc to the language Of our bill OF rights, IN
strict subordinaton to the civil authority,
Wherever this lesson is not both learned and
practised, there can be no political freedom
Absurd, preposterous IS 1t, a ScO1 anu saItie
ON free forms Of constitutional liberty, tor
forms OF government to be prescribed by MIL
itary leaders, and the right of suffrage TO be
exercised at the point of the sword.
I confidently believe that time will come
when these States will again occupy their true
positions in the Union. The barriers which
now seem so obstinate must yield to the force
Of an enlightened and just public opinion, and
sooner or later unconstitutional and oppressive
legislation will be efaced from our statute
books When this shall have been consum-
mated, I pray God that the errors of the past
may be forgotten, and that once more we shall
be happy, united, and prosperous people,
and at last, after the bitter and eventtul eXper-
ience through which the nation has passed, we
shall all como to know that our oIly safety is
in the preservation of our Federal Constitu-
ton, and in according to every American cltl-
znn and to every State the rights which the