Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-02-19

the Constitution without raising up ne"
class of loyal voters.
And. sir. nobody concured in that result /
more heartily than myself. confess land /
/ do it without shamel that have been ed
ucated by the great events OF the war Inc
American people have been educated RAPID, I
": and the man who says he has learned
| nothing, that he stands now where ne 4lu
six years ago-is like an ancient mile post Dy
the side of deserted highway. We, Mr.
/ President. have advanced step by step. |
/ When this war began we did not contenl-
! plate the destruction OF slavery: remenl- !
| her when the Crittendetf resolution was pas
! sed. declaring that the war was not prose-
! cnfad for conquest or-to overturn the lnstl-
t,,tions of any State. | know that was IN
/ tended as an assurance that slavery should
not be destroyed, and it received the vote.
! believe, of every Republican member IN
! both Houses Of Congress but 10 few months
after that time 1t was found by the events
/ of the war that we could not preserve slave
rv and suppress the rebellion. and we must
| DESTROY slavery-not prosecute the war TO
DESTROY slavery but destroy slavery to pros
ecuta the war Which was the better! 10
stand bv the resolution and let the Union go,
or to stand by the Union and let the resoiu-
ton go? Congress could not stand by that
pledge and it was more honored In the
breach than the observance. Mr.. Lhncoln
issued his proclamation of emancipation,
setting free the slaves of rebels. 1t was die
tated by the stern and bloody experience OF
the times. Mr. Lincoln had no choice left
him. When we began this contest no one
thought we would use cOlcred soldiers IN
the war The distinguished Senator sitting
bv me here Mr. Cameron when IN the
winter of 1861 he first brought forward the
proposition, as Seer tary of " az, to use color
ed soldiers, was greatly in advance OF pub
lie opinion, aud was thought 10 be yislona-
ry, but as the war progressed 1t became
manifest to the intelligent men that we
must not only destroy slavery but we must
avail ourselves of every instrumentality IN
our power for the purpose of putting down
the rebellion, and the whole country accor-
ded in the use of colored soldiers, aud gal
liant and glorious service they rendered In
1864 a proposition was brought forward IN
/ this body to amend the Constitution OF the
United States by abolishing slavery. We
} do not think that is very radical now, but t
was very radical then; 1t was the great
measure of the age, and almost of modern
times, and it was finally passed an amend
J, nent setting free every human being with
! in the limits Cf the United States. But,
sir, we were very far then from where we
are now. All will remember the celebrated
Winter Davis bill, passed in June, 1867
which took the power OF reconstruction out
of the hands OF the President, where it did
not in fact belong.
refer to Mr. Lincoln; but if that bill
had passed it would perhaps have resulted
/ in the destruction of this Government. w c
u can all see it now, although it was then
thought to be the most radical measure OF
the times What did it propose 1t pro-
posed to prescribe plan % take effect when
, the war should end. by which these rebel
: States should. be restored. [ refer to that
f bill simply to show how we have all travel
e ed. L required but one condition or guar
e antee on the part of the South, and that
was that they should put in their constitu-
tions a provision prohibiting slavery. 1t
d required no other guarantee. 1t required
; no equalization of representation; no secu-
r rity against rebel debts, or against payment
n for emancipated slaves and it confined the
: right Of suffrage to white men. But it was
thought to be "a great step Ia advance at the
:, time; and so it was but events Were pas
!. sing rapidly, and In 1865 the President
came forward with his proposition, and
am stating what Is true from an cxalnina-
ton Of the documents when | saw flat bat
! for the want of power with the President,
= : his scheme In Itself considered was far more
:; radical than that of the Winter Davis bill
. but events We're rapidly teaching the states
I men Ol lU6 lIlDS tutO We GOu-N LOL ItcOIl-
: struet upon that basis.
@ Still Congress was not prepared to take q
. forward step until the summer Of 1866, in
: the passage of the constitutional amend
. ment, which we now regard as half way
J, measure, necessary and vital as far as it
went. bat not going far enough. That was
4 r jected, and we were then compelled to &c
:, further. and we have now fallen upon the
: plan of reconstruction which have beel
a considering. 1t has been indicated by the
a logic of events 1t oyeriidesiall arguments
. oyerrldes all prejudiceS, oyerrides all theo
. | ry, in the presence OF the necessity tor pre-
q serving the life of this nation and If fu.
p ture events shall determine that we must &C
!. further, | Tor one am prepared to say that
] | will go as far as shall be necessary to the
g execution of this guarantee, the reconstruc-
/? ton of this Republic upon right basis. and
4 | the successful restoration of every part OF
Y this Union.
" Mr.. President, the column of reconstruc-
n ton, as | before remarked, has risen slowly.
It 1t has not been hewn from a single stone.
1t is composed of many blocks painfully Ibid
i up and put together, and cemented by the
y tears and blood of the nation Sir. we have
: done nothing arbitrarily We have done
Q nothing for punishment, ay, too little for
| punishment Justice has not had her de-
mand Not man has vet been executed
: for this great treason. The arch fend him
+ self is now at liberty upon bail No
I man is to be punished and while punish
! ment has gone by, as we all know, we are
. insisting only upon security for the future.
f We are simply asking that the evil spirits
: who brought this war upon us shall not a.
t gain come into power during this genera
4 tion, again to bring upon us rebellion and