Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-08-12
An Eloquent speech.

One evening last week, General CARL
SECURE spoke 10 his German friends at
indianapolis, Indiana, and the follow
ing is q very readable synopsis Of that
interesting and eloquent speech:
Gen. Schurz remarked that in his
opinion both Republicans and Demo
Gratis wanted peace; permanent peace,
most heartily. Both parties were tired
of political excitement; to both it was
desirable that quiet should be restored. i.
The question was, how it could and
should be done.
The causes of the late war are well
known. 1t was the South that caused
it by adhering to principles conflicting
with the interests of the country, and
principally with the intentions of the
Constitution. The principal cause of
the late war had been the institution
of slavery, which created on the one
side an overbearing aristocracy; on
the other side an oullawed majority
the slave population. Such q combi-
nation was not admissible according to
the principles of our Constitution.
The South attempted coup fetat by
arming and creating a civil war. The
North was thereby compelled to eradi-
cate, with the rebellion, the cause
thereof, and give free labor at the
South its proper rights. A war to put
down the rebellion meant to eradicate
aristocracy and harmonic the state of
things In this country upon constitu-
tiOnal principles. But putting down
rebellion in America is TO be done in
different way from that in Europe.
There, despotisms are customary on
such occasions; but here. with US
Americans, despotism is out of the
question. The chief aim of putting
down the rebellion was 10 restore the
status quo What elements of popula-
tion had We to deal with at the South?
There were three different elements
constituting the population-the ma
jority of whites as rebels, very small
Of loyal whites. and the
the latter ones ardent friends
of tie Union. Now, after the war was
ended and the South subdued, arose
the question, who of those Southerners
are to be clothed with political power
Not the men who had rebelled against
4 loyal government for four syears.-
General Schurz mentioned the recon
struction scheme proposed in 1865 by
General Sherman, when the rebel Gen.
Johnston surrendered, and remarked
that General Sherman was a brave
soldier, but he made foolish mistake
on that occasion, by treating rebels il
such a mild, indulgent manner after
such war.
To men of such stamp as Johnston
and his followers, the political power
Of the South could not possibly be
but it must be to the loyal
whites and the negroes. We shall give
10 the negro the right of suffrage, not
because he is our pet for a moment, as
'ome may say. No, the negro shall
have 1t from mere necessity; from
principle /; and because there is but
1ne alternative, either to make exclu-
lively whites the masters of the situa-
lion as before, or TO do justice to a
neglected race. Applause.
1t is consequence of fair common
Iense TO invest the negro, now free
sborer, with the right of suffrage. The
party has commenced and |
nearly completed great work, in
handling the negro question. In what
manner are the Democrats looking at |
his great work? What grounds and |
arguments are they bringing up against
&?
First, they would say: granted your
york Is q good one, there is one flaw in
&; it is not in accordance with our
Constitution. Democrats, in order to
give an example of their inconsistency,
aid when the war broke out that reb
sls had no right to make war upon the
Government, but this very Government
aad, in its turn, no right to subdue the
'ebellion. Supposing now our Govern
nent had not nerVed up itself at that
critical period, what would have be-
,ome of the Republic? Slavery was
he base, the source of Southern pros
,erity, and Democrats would say that
lsFery was above the provisions of the
Constitution. Whist would have be-
,ome Of the Republic, if our Govern
nent had acted in accordance with
hat reasonable doctrine? We would
ave been the laughing-stock of the
Vhole world for all time to come.
Democrats say that, according to the