Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-21

lar attention.t to the language: SIT matters |
not whether these rebel States are out of
the Union or in the Union"
If it makes no difference, said the speak
er, whether ten States are out of the Union
or in, the Union, why did we spend four
thousand millions of treasure, and waste
half million of lives to keep them in the
Union? If it is a matter of no consequence
to have star of that old flag erased. or a
stripe dimmed on its field of blue, why, 1
ask, do thousands of our bravest and best
men sleep under the sod in soldiers graves?
why were rivers of the country's best
blood poured out to maintain that old flag
undimmed and untarnished? If it is a.
matter OF no consequence. why in the
name of humanity did not these men come
to this conclusion seven years ago? lN-i'9
But say, in response to that sentiment
of General Beatty, that it is of vital im-i
portance that these States should be in the
Union. For that end we fought and spent
our money with unstiuted hand, and for
that we would fight again if need be. lit
matters not whether in the Union or out
of the Union," says my worthy competitor.
If it matters not why all this talk about
reconstruction? Fellow citizens, my friend
General Beatty, in accepting the nomina-
| ton of the Gallon convention, plants him.
self squarely upon the platform of that
convention, which declares the party to be
in favor of the Congressional plan of re-
construction. sl0 '.t.pui ,vrlsgTJ tr
| hi.4R THE FREEDMEN's BUREAU faa
There is another feature of this recon-
struction plan to which will call your at
tention, aud that is the Freedmens Bureau
BILL 1t seems to me the Radical party has
furnished us with the strongest possible ar
/ gument to prove the incapacity of these
Icolored men in the South for self-govern-
menJ. Look at the. argument they used in
support of this Freedmen's Bureau bill. 1t
t~-ll A., <xS
that the colored men of the South were so
ignorant and degraded as to be incapable
OF making civil contract tor days wages
that they were so utterly incapable of
taking care of themselves, it was necessary
for the Government to assume the control
and management, of their affairs, and for
that purpose the Freedmen's Bureau bill
was enacted, and to-day, in every State
kept out of the Union, agents are appoint
ed and sent down there for the purpose of
looking after the interests of this colored
people and carving out the measures of
the Freedmen's Bureau bill.
And now, while am talking to you, this
law is in full force in these Southern States.
We complain of high taxes, and justly, too,
but you will be astonished when 1 tell you
the expense necessary to carry on this one
scheme of the Radical Congress requires
fifty millions of dollars annually. And
from the recent action of Congress, the
measure is likely to be perpetuated.
Now. ask, fellow citizens, when in the
history of the country did Congress under
take to appoint and pay agents to take care
of the poor white people of the land? We
have always had the poor and ignorant
among US. BuG when did Congress ever
appropriate money for the purpose Of pay
ing agents to take care of them and edu-
cate their children? Never, to my knowl-
edge. lii h3i 2@ii!" si.iAt -''- %
The expense of carrying out this single
Congressional measure is greater than the
expense necessary to carry on the entire
machinery of the Government under the
younger Adams or President Jackson.
And yet, fellow-citizens, we submit like
martyrs to the enormous taxes growing
out of this and other measures of Congress
My competitor has planted himself upon
the platform indorsing this measure, and
he shall not be allowed to escape from the
position. So far as am concerned.
whether successful or not in this contest,
shall continue an unflagging opposition to
all such measures. [Applause
Why, my fellow citizens, in the District
of Columbia, which. by the terms of the
Constitution, is subject to Congress, al
though seven thousand people in that Dis
trict voted against negro suffrage. Congress
forced it upon them, and thev have estab-
lished in that District system of educa-
ton for the blacks, at the expense OF the
Government, which encourages them tc
, flock in Immense numbers from other
+ States, until the District is literally crowd
ed with these unfortunate people, who
think that freedom to work for themselves
f means freedom not to work at all, and they
, generally practice the freedom to let il
alone. They call upon the white people O
. the North and the South to furnish then
with food and clothes. s-sib s.sli
, Are you, fellow-citizens, Democrats and
~, fox I,xy ,nfn ~
the 9th of this month, OF perpetuatins
, the Congressional system of reconstruc.
, ton? mo, no.] Whoever is elected will
be called upon to respect your wishes, ex
pressed by your votes.
But said the effort was made to force
negro suffrage upon the Southern States a
the point of the bayonet. And when W,
saw this determination on, the part of thu
! Republican party, we said to leading re-
publicans: "Gentlemen, why, if you viii
force negro suffrage on the people of thu
= South, why do you not turn your attention
to the North Let us see what the people
: of the Northern States think of th'
matter at home. The Representatives from
Ohio have been very active in giving ne
yet in Ohio the negro is not permitted tt
vote. Why not give the same rights to tn,
negroes of Ohio?"
These questions were represented so otter
: that, in the language of the immortal j. N.
the pressure became so great that the Leg
lature passed this proposed Constitutions
Amendment, striking out the word white
and submitted it for the ratification of the
people of this State. The issue was brough
squarely before the people, in the newspa
pers, from the stump and through every
b possible channel were the people instruct
: ed in the matter for six months before the
election. The Democratic party was {
unit in opposition to it. No paper of the
Democratic party advocated it, and nc
: Democrat voted for it. The Republican
party adopted it as their pet measure
Hayes, who took the stump as the Repub-
lican candidate for Governor, indorsed it
The question went before the great jury
of the people of Ohio, and ali the facts and
arguments that could be used were KEEP,
before them until the day of the election
and when the votes were counted, the news
: was telegraphed all over the country that
, the people of the great State OF Ohio had
repudiated the idea of negro suffrage by
the astounding majority of fifty thousand
; That was the verdict the people OF Onio
pronounced, and Judgment was entered
upon that verdict. Execution has been is
: sued, and the officer who served it on the
: Republican party has returned, mo goods
and chattels found" lApplause.] Yet
General Beatty holds on to the idea as per-
tinaciously as the tailor's wife, whom the
tailor in his desperation attempted to
drown for taunting him with his trade
AS the persevering virago went down tine
last time her fingers We're seen above the
water, operating after the fashion of shears.
[Applause.l General Beatty with equal
pertinacity wages this war. The party has
announced that they will wage it to the
bitter end. .-.-, ..'y -.f...--;...
In this Eighth Congressional District,
! though Judge Thurman was beaten two
hundred and forty votes, this negro
; suffrage question was voted down by over
one thousand. Now, 1 ask my friends OF
the Republican party, in the name of COM
mon sense and reason, wh ere is the neces-
sity OF your voting against the result Of