The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-02-03

/
ings OF our savior, we nave no rignt 10 10
that.
As members of that great Caucasian race,
which has given the world its civilization, we
have noright to do that.
| As statesmen, who desire to restore the
blessings of peace, we have no right to do
| that which would inevitably make S,000,Ooo
of our race aud kindred in our own land
| eternal enemies of the government.
As statesmen who, with ordinary sagac,''yy'
| should look to the future, and to possipie
wars with foreign powers, we ougn. ~ in"A9
haste to restore sentiments OF aFeclioh anu
patriotism in oil that vast region, larger and
| richer by far in natural resources than En-
gland, France, and Prussia, all combined.
And / ask, Mr. President, with all the
| earnestness of which the soul is capable,
can any human being conceive of a measure
| so we'll calculated to make the whole white
| people of the south,-men, women and chill
dren,-hate and loathe our government,-to
hate it with perfect hatred, to gather around
the family altar upon their Bonded knees to
curse it, and in the agony of prayer to call
upon God to curse it,-as this radical re-
construction measure which seeks to dis
franchise the heart and brain of the sonth,
and to subject, at the point of the bayonet,
Tue WuHG race u tu6 dOLlIiliOA oi ihSh fes'S
halfcivilized African slaves? Instead of
peace, it gives them q sword; instead OF
hope it fills them with despair; instead of
civil liberty, it gives them military despo-
tism While disfranchisement and negro
domination was the idea which inspired and
provoked the riot at New Orleans, it has
arrayed everywhere the blacks and whites in
hostility to each other, often resulting in
bloodshed all over the south 1t tends dl-
rectly to bring on that war of races which
in the West Indies enacted scenes of horror
to sicken and appal the world.
That war is now impending over all the
south--it is only the presence of the federal
army which prevents its outbreak upon a
gigantic scale,-a war which, once begun,
will end, | fear, in the exile or extermina-
ton OF the blacks from the Potomac to the
Rio Grande. | know the senator from Ohio
Mr.. Wade in a speech In the late canvass,
had no fears of such war or of its results.
He is reported to have said, sLet that war
come; let them fight it out God grant
that war may never come! But, if it does
come. no amount of military discipline can
compel the white men of the north to take
part in the massacre of their own race and
kindred.
Mr.. President, having considered at some
length, the second answer to my question,
and finding that 1t is not sustained BY the
facts, that it is bad in principle and worse
IN policy, | repeat the question third
time-Why press this negro supremacy over
the whites Of the south? What reason can
| you give?
The leader of the radical forces-that in
| exorable Moloch of this new rebellion
against the constitution
| ''The strongest and the iercest spirit
| That fought in heaven, now fercer by despair
answers with holiness, and in plain English
gives the true reason,-namely, to secure a
party ascendancy. This is the third and
| last answer which | propose to consider on
| this occasion. On the Sd Of January, 1867,
Mr.. Stevens, in the house OF representa-
tives, used this language, which | find re-
ported in the Globe:
"Another good reason is, it would insure the
ascendaney of the Union party. Do you avow
the party purpose, exclaims some hOrror-stricken
demagogue? do.
The party purpose is here avowed in the
house. In his speeches and letters else
where. Mr.. Stevens again and again, in
stronger language, avows the real purpose
of this Legislation. To them l mainly refer
The negroes, under the tutelage of the
freedmen's bureau, led by radical emissa
ries, Or pushed by federal bayonets. must
take the political control of those states in
order 10 obtain their votes in the electoral
college, or in the house of representatives in
the election of the next President Here is
a reason, aud inst such reason as the bold
radical would give. 1t is in keeping wit h
his revolutionary measures and in keeping
with his own revolutionary history.
The letter of Gen. Pope, when in com
mand of one of the districts, recently pub
lished, draws aside the veil and discloses
the fact that the same party purpose seeks
to control the bayonet also.
This argument for party ascendancy, all
can understand. 1t is bold, clear and logi-
cal. 1t is the argument of necessity address
sing itself to INSCRIPTIONS ambition. One
syIlogism contains the whole of it: ave
must. says the radical, "elect the next
President. The negroes, under the lead of
our bureau, or control of our hayonets, will
vote for our candidate. The whites. out
ragged by the attempt to put the negro over
him, will vote against him. Therefore, the
bayonet must place the negro in power in
these states to give us 20 electoral votes for
President, 20 senators, ana 80 members of
the house.
All HoiIoE W tuc ItulCdl cnleI, the great
commoner, who, with ali his faults is too
great man to resort TO subterfuge or shams,
or attempts to conceal his real purpose in
this legislation.
Some who favor these measures do not
admit his leadership. But the truth is, in
some way or other he does lead or drive the
radical party in the end into the support of
ali his revolutionary schemes. Now and
then one shrinks back, More than once !
have seen the ''galled Jade VINCE but never
tail at the last to obey the lash of her mas
ter. Would to heaven it were otherwise
Would to heaven that the radical party could
pause and modify its suicidal policy! But
| fear the majority have become bound to
it-bound hand and foot with chains they
cannot break; that, however much some NAV
regret it. or strive to conceal regret, politi-
cal necessities compel you to 20 on, and
right on to the bitter end You have stalzed
your all upon it. You must live or die
by it.
The senator from Massachusetts, Mr.. Will
son, as II by authority, says, ave will take
no step backward" Mr.. Colfax, in his re.
cent letter, re-echoes, "Not hairs breadth"
Such, fear, is the fatal resolution taken by
the majority.
The result of the recent election, show
ing that majority in the northern and wes
tern states is opposed to that policy. so far
from changing a resolution from which the
radical party dare not retreat, is pushing it
on to the madness of despair. 1t sees that
its majority in the north aud west is already
lost 1t dare mot exclude the south -, a.