The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-12-11
politieaI.
Letter from Judge Chase-His Views on
poItticnl Affairs.

Political Affairs.
The following letter was written in April
last by Chief Justice Chase, to Hon. W. II.
billiard, of Bodybuilding drawn out by q
published letter from Mr.. Hilliard, declin-
ING TO be a candidate for Congress by giving
his views of political affairs:
WAsHrNoTCN; April, "a, 1865.
DEAR SIN. Some DAYS since l received,
from an unknown hand, a paper containing
q letter of yours, which I read with great
interest.
My acquaintance with you when we;were
both In Congress-you in the House and I
in the Senate was very slight; but, slight as
II was, l take the occasion from it to write
you q few lines, suggested by your letter.
Ever since the war closed / have been
very anxious for the earliest practicable
'restorhtion" of the States of the South to
their proper relations to the other States of
the Union. I adopt your own statement of
the problem to be worked out, because l
ag ee with you in the opinion that those
Estates have never been other than States
within the Union since they became parties
TO the Federal Government, and that the
failure 10 maintain their assertions of indie
pendtncs in the conflict Of arms which fol-
lowed left them States still within the
Union"
The point on which 1 probably differ is
this: The people for whom and through
whom these States were TO be organized Mt
the close of the war, was not, ns Think, the
same people rs that which existed in them
when the wal begun.
In my Judgment, the refusal of the pro-
prietary clCss, il it may NO be called TO rec.
ognize the fact: and its legitimate, and,
indeed logical consequences. and the con-
victions of large mRiorities in the States
which adhered to the National Government
in respect to IL, caused most Of the trouble
Of the last three years.
have not got time TO 90 Mt large upon
this subject, but | may say briefly, that
emancipation came to be regarded by these
mniorttiGs NJ n military necessity; That the
faith ofthe nation was pledged by the proc
lamation Of emancipation to maintain the
emancipated people In tho possession and
enjoyment of the freedom it conferred that
TO this end the amendment TO the Constitu-
ton prohibiting slavery throughout the
United States was proposed and ratified;
TINT, becoming ireemen, the cmancipated
people became necessarily citizens, and that
rs citizens, they were entitled TO be consult
ed in respect to reorganization. and to the
means of self. protcrtiou hv suffrage. This
IL N very brief; but, | think, n perfectly
correct statement of what may be called,
for the sake OF brcvity, the Northern view
Of this matter. Il would perhaps. be more
correct TO call il the loyal view, North and
South using the word loyal as distinguish.
ing the Masses who support the National
Government from the masses who opposed
II during the war
Now the particular matter TO which I
wish to dmw your attention is, whether
policy and duty do not require the class
which l have called proprietary, meaning
thereby the educated and cultivated men
OF the South whether property holder ~
MOTTO accept this view fully, and to at
uponit {.
Is it possible 10 doubt that. had this
view been accepted and acted upon three
years ago, after the surrender OF Lee and
Johnson, the Southern States wonld have
been richer to-day by hundreds ct millions
than they ARE. and that long ago universal
amnesty and the removal OF all disabilities
prepared the hearts OF men on both sides
fora real Union ? Can il be- O matter OF
question that colored voters. finding In tho
educated classes true friendship, evinced
by full recognition of their tights. aud 20.
litical acts of good will, would have gladly
/. given TO those ]clnSses substantially theii
old lead in affairs, directed nov however,
to Union, undnot to disunioni 10 the benefit
of MI. and not exclusively to the benefit Of
= n class ?
| observe that you say that the "nttcmpI
! to carry on the Government with the priv,
: ilegc of universal suffrage Incorporated Al
J one of it, elements is full of danger
i Danger il the condition of oil governments
+ because 40 form of Government insurer
wise and beneficient administration. Bu
q rbeg you to consider, il there not q create.
danger without Than with universal sui
fmgc You cannot make suffrage les
than universal for the whites; and will no
the attempt to discriminate excite sucl
\ joalousies and ill-fceliug rs will postpone L
! a distant future what seems 20 essential-
namely: the educated men and the men o
1 property, and so securing the best an'
. most beneficial administration Of affairs TO
2 all classes. Take universal suffrage an,
! universal amnesty, and all will be well
Can you, my dear sir, devote your hnu
= powers to q better work than completI
y restoration on this busis2
: Very truly and respectfully yours,
a s. p. CHASE.
Hon. Henry w. HILLIARD.