Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-09-29
COLUMBUS U.s. OHIO TUESDAY MORNING,

ter, harass, oppress, and repress. Our
Constitution, so matchless for its re-
served powers, and so wonderful in the
division and checks upon its granted
powers, has been utterly set at naught
in war and peace by the dominant party
That party cannot reconcile the sections,
i States, or races in the Union It is
not in harmony with our organization as
IA Government. To perceive why the
Radical policy has failed, and why it
will fail when completed, involves
an inquiry into the nature and
character of our Union As by the vio-
lation of these laws war came, so by
their observance, and by that alone, will
peace come. As the immediate cause of
the war was the assertion of a wright to
throw off the paramount Federal author
ity and withdraw States, SO the cause of
the present discomfort is the practical
assertion of the right of Congress para
mount to the organic law, to keep States
out, to regulate the conditions of their
pretended admission, to intermeddle in
their suffrage, and to carry on what leg
islation they require by citizens of 9TH
er States, not familiar with their needs.
Here Mr.. Cox discussed at length the
relations Of the States to the Federal
Government, and illustrated the Radi-
cal revolutionary policy by the ere
construction acts" These acts give all
control over the States to Congress, and
create military power as its instrument.
The construction and execution of
these laws is not confded to the proper
civil officers or those trained in the law.
The will of any petty officer or soldier
who chooses to set up his Interpretation,
! is made to express enactment, judicial,
executive, and legislative. Of course
the officer plays fantastic tricks, which
are only relieved from the ridiculous by
the terrible consequences in which they
involve all that is dear in life and prec7
ious in liberty. To compass this kind
ofprecarious reconstruction, upon which
the Republican platform congratulates
us, Congress subverts the original plan
of the Government. The division of
power, State and Federal, is obliterated.
! The distribution of powers among the
Federal departments is wiped out. The
trinity of coequal departments, check
ing each other, is transformed into a
; unity of despotism. The Executive is
hobbled. The veto power is assassina-
ted by the partisan removal of enough
members to make the minority less than
one-third. The pardoning power of the
President is usurped. His power of
appointing officers and commanding the
army is destroyed. He is only saved
from decapitation by one vote! He is
again threatened because of his recent
vetoes. The Supreme Court begins to
consider the status of States. The
question is properly before them. At
once the Court is threatened with sub
version and cowed into submission
Our complex machinery, so nice in its
adjustments and perfect in its fitness,
with the delicacy of chronometer and
the energy of an engine,is thus deranged,
is in the skill and patriotism of the Dem
oeratic organization, who have learned
in the schools of the old master builders,
who builded for us better than they
knew, and far better than their descend
ants understand or practice You mig ght
readily infer the particular evils incident
to these organic changes. Read the re-
! construction acts as they are interpreted
South by the satraps. Bayonets regulat.
ing private debts the military
deposing State and municipal Of.
ficers (; the elevation to office of vaga-
bonds from other States; the installa-
tion of negroes in the place of whites;
the police under military control; the
epaulettes giving the law in military
commissions and supplanting the judica-
ture of the States; all in subversion of
4 the right of habeas corpus and fair trial,
secured for eight hundred years tor our
race, and finally as the climax, admit
ting States-never out-on condition
that they lose their right forever there
after to revoke negro suffrage, and that
their suffrage shall be given on the oath
: of the sufragan, that he will never dis
pute negro equality III -,....i /,
!, Here Mr.. Cox gave description of
, the assertion of Magma Charta, and its
sanction by the Catholic hierarchy of
England. 1t was received with great
applause. .7 s.- ..-.--...' .rr D
!, Mr.. Cox referred to the "peace" which
General Grant demands, and which has
) not come. He asked why our flag float
ed from camps, arsenals and forts, as en-
blem of misrule and oppression? If
this be our condition South, who is to
} blame will tell you who is not to
blame. At the end of the war the States
} South were ready for reconciliation. 1t
was their sectional and our national need.
The soldiers Of the South were content;
the people were tired of war; the ground
was stated with blood; even the old pol
iticians sought again the old offices, un-
der the old system. From President
f johnson and General Grant alike came
the word, in December, 1865, that the
2 ''mass of the thinking men of the South
5 accept the present situation of affairs in
good faith" "Slavery and secession"
: said General Grant, care regarded as
settled" He insisted that "the South,
1 ern citizens were anxious to return to
, selfgovernment in the Union as soon as
, possible" Was this mere whitewash,
, Or factl Who has robbed us of
the fruits of victories bought with
such price? Was there reconciliation
needed from the judicial or executive de-
: partments toward the South2 No. JUS
, tice was satisfied. No scafolds were
required. Even good Mr. Greeley went
bail for the rebel chief. The Executive
gave amnesty. Only the hyena and
: other "beasts" prowled among charred
; ruins and grass-covered graves ravening
5 for prey and reprisal. The reconcilia-
ton was cordial between the people,
The Executive was earnest in his eff
5 forts. He had no power, even by his
l vetoes, to stop the Legislation of Con-
3 gress. if it were sincere in conciliation.