Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-01-16

OgW8SO Oh suc cUssess WV "8 -
weaken or impair it.
terminate the danger arising from the
action Of the Southern people Where the
appeal to arms was ended, the task OF
craftsmanship iegan, and 40 experience OF
two years has demonstrated that II is q
work quite as full Of difficulty as that
which we crowned with success upon the
field. Let us not forget that we have
merely assembled to another scene in the
struggle II has passed from the battle
field 10 the forum, but it is the same com
bat, waged for the same purpose, and AMI
mated by the same ambition. The spirit
Of the REBELLION Is still alive and strong
strong in the influence of its controlling
minds strong IN the devotion and nun
beers Of its followers; strong in the social
distinctions witch gave it birth. The
hope that forbearance and healthful re.
Election would soon baptxe its votaries
into loyalty and love for the national flag
has been disappointed.
In the light cf this fact our government
has devised plan Of reconstruction, es-
tablishing a temporary military govern
ment in the South, 10 remain until is peo-
pie shall ask for admission TO the councils
Of the nation upon the basis Of equal
rights and political equality.
In this policy heartily concur. Power
undoubted and plenary is in our hands
to prescribe the terms of restoration.
When il is urged then, that the applica-
ton Of military law 10 the refractory peo-
pie of the South is despotic, It is forgot
ten that an appeal to arms Involves a
compliance with its bloody decision. They
who. with long years of intrigue, boast
fully and arrogantly challenged the nation
to the sanguinary field, empowered us 10
work our will upon them, restrained only
by our duties as statesmen and Christian
men. To deny this principle, severe
though it be, would be to deny the correct
ness both Of history and reason. To de-
clare that its adoption in the present in
stance 10 imp0litic and unnecessary, would
| tc to set the seal Of untruth upon every
report that reaches us from that misguid
ed people, and brand with falsehood the
utterances of tried lovers Of our Repub-
| lie. No government can secure respect ut
| home or abroad, which does not protect
its citizens.
The magnanimity of the American Re.
public in dealing with treason is unparal-
eled in history. It's spirit was declared
in the words OF its robest martyr, "malicc
towards none, charity for all" indcm-
nifty Tor the past has been forgotten in the
task of erecting guarantees for the future.
Content with cstabl <hing barriers against
probable danger, busted with the work of
compacting and solidiiying the
principles revealed by the war, the sword
0f the law has been withheld from its de.
serving sacrifices, and the sacred altar of
Justice will probably not be stained with
the blood of single victim. To what
extent this may have been questionable
leniency, will not presumc to say. How
far the legal and Evolutionary punishment
| for treason should have been extended,
patriotic men may we'll have differed in
determining. That some retribution
should have been visited upon the wicked
chiefs, . punishment sufficient to have
made "treason odious," and to have stood
rs warning monument Of the danger Of
like unhsllowed ambition, have NO hest.
tation to declare.
Deprecating the arrogance of victory
We have accepted our responsibilities with
no desire to be vindictive or exacting.
The consciousness that the Southern
States were part Of our own territory,
and their inhabitants part of our own
people, whose we'll being must contribute
to the future glory of our country. has
been the light in which the work Of re-
construction has thus far progressed. At
the same time, we have felt bound to insist
that those states should concede whatever
guarantees are essential to the future safety
of the Union. We cannot permit the
truths established by the war to relapse
into Il state of doubt, nor the fruits OF
victory to be swallowed up in magma
nimity which neglects its own salvation
We can afford TO be generous but we must
not he unjust.
| In restoring the Southern people to
rights within the Union, let no discriaii
nation be made against the black man
Fidelity to the Government should be d
passport to the high privilege of suffrage
The public welfare must not be imperiled
by cntrusting its control 20 hands oil
doubtful loyalty. much less to hand,
whose open hostility has only been avoid
ed by their weakness Ii any voice comc'
from the tomb Of the past six years, j
proclaims: Benare Of ptaeing doubtful
guardians orer the palladium Of your liber
ties. Secure tho sutety Of the Gorernmen
beyond a doubt. Let oil loyal men share IN
the heritage mAici hns been purchased ,rit|
loyal blood, The caprice of men fresh
from their carnival of treason must not b,
allowed to deprive US Of the CO cooperation
Of four millions Of people whose votes and
acts woeld interpose the most formidable
obstacle to the designs Of scdi,ious men
10 refuse t. stay up the hands # th,
Union men Of the South, who resisted Sc
cession in its inception, and msintained
their opposition 10 it, through all the try
ing exiremi.es of war, by making the al
lance Of the black man available, would
I've rs ungrateful to them as perilous tc
ourselves.
The theory Of our government award.
to the individual the largest measure Of
political trust consistent with the public
safety. II declares that Government,
are instituted among men, deriving theil
just powers from the consent Of the gov
erned." Consistency, therefore, require.
that emancipation should be followed by
the right of suffrage, for equality is a Car
d,nai principle OF the American Constitu
tion.
To the negro himself the ballot is q ne
cessity. Without it freedom will We t,
him an Unattended fortress Give him
vote and you at once invest him with
panoply which his recs Mt owner will hav,
neither the power or wish to assail Tin,
sentiment Of mankind will approve sucl
u policy, and our justice will be repaid by
the presence of loyal army of defender.
Of our Constitution in every Southern
State.
Many profess to see danger from this ex
tension Of the elective franchise. In thes,
apprehensions l have no share. Ava,
with distrust Of people who braved thu
lash and bloodhound to shelter the soldier
Of the Union, or guide him to the protec
ton Of his flag Let their ignorance be
forgotten in the remembrance that is nevel
bcguiled them into the subtleties where
refinement fell The solemn res
possibilities Of suffrage can be q.
safely entrusted to the heroes who
charged q Fort Wagner and Port Hudson
- to the cultured aristocracy who raiset
the flag Of rebellion 1t the beheets Of per
sonal ambition. An honest instinct i
worthier than . perverted intelligence
Entitled 70 our gratitude for their unwa
vering attachment to the national cause
and for the heroic courage they contrib
uted 20 its defense, and challenging on