The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-12-24
Removal of Disabilities-Hope-
full Indications.

| Ao1 lhuICdOkoASs
! Our latest dispatches from the
Carolinas furnish indications of a
growing desire for. the removal of
whatever disabilities still remain in
operation there The Governor of
South Carolina renews a recon-
: mendation to the Legislature for
the adoption Of a liberal policy on
the subject; and the North Caro-
lima Legislature has before it, with
many. evidences of approval, pro
posal to petition Congress for the
abrogation of the only remaining
form Of prescription which affects
citizens of that State. ..-....
! With couple of exceptions, the
Constitutions Of the reconstructed
States, together with the legislation
had under, them, may be claimed as
proofs of the rare moderation and
unappreciated liberality of the
Southern Republicans. They en-
tered upon the possession of power
amid strong temptations to abuse
it, The majority Of them were
objects of Democratic persecution,
and the whole of them must have
felt that they were engaged in
contest, failure in which would be
followed by wholesale disfranchise-
ment. So far as they were con
cerned it was not a struggle for
partisan advantages it was battle
involving their own rights, with a
consciousness that defeat would
entail odious and humiliating pro-
scription. A certaiG bitterness
would be natural, and even excusa-
BILE, in the circumstances; for it
would be the product of long con-
tinued injustice, and an apprehen-
sion of further wrong. And yet,
aside from Arkansas and Louisiana,
we search in vain for the enactments
which Democratic majoritles would
most assuredly infllct upon colored
Republicans. The Constitutions fran
ed by the Republicans of North and
+Sonth Carolina, Georgia and Flor
ida, and made valid by Republican
votes, are marvels of magnanimity !;
and the Constitution of Alabama
has, by subsequent legislation, been
divested Of the illiberality which in
the first instance crept into it.
And now leading Southern Re
publicans advocate the abolition Of
remaining disabilities, over which
Congress alone has control. Meth
er in South nor North Carolina is
;, there any disfranchisement. The
only disability existing in either is
the exclusion from Federal office
provided by the Fourteenth Amend
ment, which Congress may, by a
two thirds vote at any time remove.
1t is with a view to the removal Of
this disability that. Gov. Scott in
vokes the co=O1rruti01r e Il. s vre4r
Carolina Legislature. The ground
on which he places his recommen
dation shows, moreover, how
promptly an abatement of Demo
cratic hostility is appreciated by the
Republicans. The fact that, since
the election, Wade Hampton and
his South Carolina associates have
evinced disposition to accept the
new order Of things is the basis of
the plea on which. Gov. Scott is
prepared to ask for Congressional
interposition. In this respect, per
haps, he does but apply the recon-
mendation of the Chicago Conven
ton, one of whose resolutions was
declaration in favor of ''the re-
moval of the disqualifications and
restrictions imposed upon the late
rebels in the same measure as their
spirit Of loyalty will direct, and as
may be consistent with the safety
Of the loyal people" But it is a
good sign that the men who most
promptly desire the execution Of
this idea, are Southern Republicans,
to whom tue Demo ocratic Press
persistentlv imputes spirit of ha
tired and uncharitableness. How
unjust is the allegation, these ex-
pressions of current opinion from
Charleston and Raleigh sufficiently
tprove. e.--------~--.-~-.- -.----
The convictions in which they
originate are not confiled to the
Carolinas Both in Tennessee and
4 Missouri the subject of disfranchise
ment, as the result of local law,
engages increasing attention. In
both, too, influential exponents of
Republicans opinion are found on
3 the side ofliberality, and as Friends
of speedy amendment Of the ex-
: isting Franchise laws. Senator
Fowler and a defeated Republican
candidate for Congress are among
the friends of a concfliatory policy
in Tennessee and even Gov.
Brownlow is not averse to par
tial abatement of disfranchisement
The discussion in Missouri has
brought out similar expressions Of
/ opinion, and there, as in Tennessee,
the more enlightened policy of toll
Grafton must ultimately prevail, AS
the excitement Of the rebellion, and
of the political struggles Which
have succeeded it, dies away, we
confidently believe that the Repuh-
lican Party everywhere will be al
most unit in favor of the course
| suggested at Chicago, and now
echoed back from Charleston
/ N. z Times -
| George A. Stuart, formerly Pres
ident of the Christian Commission