The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1868-01-24

Party conflicts and debates as TO state |
laws in relation to banking and tho cur
rency, coustituts large part of the polit.
ical history of the State. But tho events
of tho last few years have convinced those
who are in favor of paper currency, that
in the present condition Of tho country il
can best DO furnished by tho National
banks or in the form Of legal tender treas.
ury notes. State Legislatures are there
fore relieved from the consideration of
this difficult aud perplexing subject.
Internal improvements made by State
authority, so essential to growth and pros.
perity in the early history of the State, no
longer REQUIRE much consideration by the
General Assembly. Works of q magnitude
too great to be undertaken by individual
enterprise, will hereafter be, Tor the most
part accomplished by the Government of
the nation.
The part which patriotism required
| Ohio to take in tho war TO suppress the
rebellion, demanded important and fro.
quent acts Of legislation. Fortunately the
transactions of the State growing out OF
the war havc been, or probably can be
closed under existing laws, with very little,
if any, additional legislation.
If not mistaken as to the result of this
brief reference to few of the principal
|
present General Assembly has probably
better opportunity than any of it's prede
cessors to avoid the evil of too much legis-
laiion. Excessive legislation has become
great evil, aud l submit to the judgment
of the General Assembly, the wisdom OF
avoiding it.
One important question Of principle, as
old as our State Government, still remains
unsettled. All are familiar with the con.
nicts TO which the policy of making dis
| tinction between CitiZeus IN civil rights,
has given rise to IN Ohio. The first oi
those who opposed this policy was TO SO
cure to all citizens civil rights. The re-.
suit of the struggle that ensued is thus
given, by an eminent and honored citizen
of our State:
The laws which created disabilities on
the part of negroes in respect of civil
rights, were repealed in the year lS49,
after an obstinate contest quite memorable
in tho history of the State. Their repeal
was looked upon with great disfavor by
a large portion Of the people, as danger.
Gus innovation upon a Just and well settled
policy, and vote in that direction CON
signed many wenisers of the Legislature
to tho reposo of private life. But am
not aware that any evil results Justified
these apprehensions, or that any effort was
| ever made to iapose tho disabilities. On
the contrary, the new policy, il may call
it 80, has been iounl so consistent with
Justice to the negroes aud the interests Of
the whites, that uo one-certainly no party
in Ohio, would be willing TO abandon it,.
An effort to secure to all citizens equal
political rights was made in the State
Constitutional Convention of 1851. Only
thirteen. out of one hundred aud eight mem
bers i'm that body, voted in its favor and ii
is probably that less than one tenth OF the
voters of the State would then have
voted to strike the word "whte' out OF
! the Co sttution.
Tho last General Assembly submitted ia
the people a proposition to amend the State
| Constitution so as to abolish distinctions
in polit c II rights based upon color. The
| proposition contained several clauses not
pertinent to its main purpose, under which,
if adopted, it was believed by many that
the number of white citiz,ns who would
be disfranchised would be much great or
than the number of colored, citizens who
would be allowed the right Of suffrage.
Notwithstanding the proposition was
thus hampered, it received 2lG,9S7 votes,
or nearly foriy-five per cent, OF all the
votes cast in the State. This result shows
a great progress in public sentiment since
the adoption of the Constitution OF 1851, and
inspires the friends of equal rights with a
confident hope that in 1871, when the op.
portunity is given to the people, by the
provisions of the Constitution, to call q
constitutional Convention, the organic law
of the State will be so amended as to secure
in Ohio to all the governed an equal voice
in the government.
But whatever reasonable doubts may
be entertained as to the probable action OF
the people of Ohio on the question of al
extension of the right of suffrage when .
new State Constitution shall be formed,
. submit with confidence that nothing hat
occurred which warrants the opinion thai
the ratification by t last General Assem-
bly, of the Fourteenth Amendment TO the
Constitution of the United States, was 10
in accordance with the deliberate and set
tied convictions of the people. Tha
amendment was, after the amplest discus
sion, upon an issue distinctly presented
sanctioned by large majority of the peo
pie. If any fact exists which ustifies the
belief that they now wish that the resolu
ton should be repealed, by which The
assent of Ohio was given to that impor
: tant amendment, it has not been brought
to the attention of the public. Omitting
all reference TO other valuable provisions
il may be safely said that the section whicl
secures among all the States Of the Union
equal representation in the Electoral Col
leges in proportion to the voting popula
: tion, is deemed of vital Importance by the
people of Ohio.
Without now raising the grave question
as TO the right of State to Withdraw it,
assent, which has been constitutionally
given to a proposed amendment OF Tho
Federal Constitution, ! respectfully sug
gest that the attempt which is now making
to withdraw the assent Of Ohio to thC
/, Fourteeth Amendment to the Federal Con
stitution, be postponed until the people
shall again have an opportunity to give
expression to their will. In my Judgment
, Ohio will never consent that the whites o
/, the South, large majority of whom wer'
lately in rebellion, shall exercise in th'
government of the Nation as much polit
; cal powor, man for man, as the same mum
: ber Of white citizens of Ohio, and be al
lowed, in addition thereto thirty member
of Congress aud of the Electoral Colleges
for colored people deprived of every polit
ical privilege.
In conclusion, am happy to ba able t
adopt as my own the sentiments so it'll,
expressed by the Speaker of the uOus
of Representatives of The present Genera
Assembly. | sincerely hope that the leg
islatiOn of the Assembly aud the admins
tration OF the State Government in all il
branches may be characterized by economy
I wisdom and prndence--that statesmanshiT
. patriotism and philanthropy may be mani
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