The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-11-24
letter from ohIef Justice en-
uis views ON PoIIueaI Aaalrl.

II
The following letter was written IN
April last by Chief Justice Chase 10
Hon. n. W. Hilliard, of Georgta-oeing
drawn out by published letter from
Mr.. HiIliard declining TO be canol.
date for Congress, but giving his views
OF political affairs.
wAsH1xoroS. April q. 1ses.
DEAR SIR: Some days since / re-
ceived from an unknown hand . pa
per containing letter o. yours :" a ll'
NV acquaintance with you when we
were both In Congress-you In the
HOuse and in the Senate-was very
slight but, slight as II was l take &C.
cassion from It 10 wrtteyou lew INES.
suggested by your letter.
very anxious for the earliest practica'
BILE ''resToratIon" OF the States OF the
Union, adopt your own statement OF
the problem TO be worked out. because
agree with you in the opinion Inat
those Estates have Dever been oInef
than States within the Union since they
became parties to the Federal Govern
ment, and that the failure TO maintain
their assertions of Independence in the
conflict Of arms which followed ylett
them States still within the Unionn
The point on which 1 probably differ
from you Is this: The people for whom
and through whom these States we're to
be organized al the close OF the war,
was not, as j think, The same people as
that which existed In them when the
war began.
In my Judgment the refusal of the
proprietary class, lift may be so called,
TO recognizes this fact and its legitimate
and indsed logical consequences, and
the convictions OF large mejorities in
-. ii. 81
tional Government in respectful IT.
caused most of the trouble of,the lasT
three years.
have not time TO go at large Into
this subject; but may say briefly that
emancipation came to be regarded by
these msjoFities as q military necessity
that the faith Of the nation was pledged
by the proclamation OF emancipation
to maintain the emancipated people in
the possession and enjoyment OF the
freedom il conferred; that to this end
the amendment of the Constitution
prohibiting slavery. throughout the
United States was proposed and rati-
dRd; that, becoming freemen, the
etnancipated- people became necessarily
citizens; and that as citizens they were
entitled 10 be consulted in respect to re-
organization, and to the means of self
protection by Audrage. This is a very
brief, bat think perfectly correct,
statement of what may be called, for
the sake of brevity, the Northern view
more correct to call it the loyal view
North and South, using the word loyal
as distinguishing the masses who OPP
posed It during the War.
Now the particular matter to which
wish to draw yopEattention is, whether
policy and duly,do not req uire the class
which have.called proprietary, mean
men of The South=whether property
holdersor MOTTO accept this view Inl.
ly and act upon II.
Is'it possible to doubt that, had this
view been accepted and acted upon
three years ago, after the surrender OF
Lee and Johnson, the Southern States
would have been richer 10 day by hun.
dTeds of millions than they are, and
that long ago universal amnesty and
the removal of all disabilities would
have prepared tbs hearts of men on
both sides for a real Unlon7 Can 1t be
matter of question that the colored vo-
I ters, finding in the educated classes
true friendship, evinced by full recog-
milton oftheir rights and practical acts
of good will, would have given to those
! classes substantially their old lead in
affairs, directed now. however, to Union
and not 10 disunton; to the benefit OF
oil, and not exclusively to the benefit
OF a clAst2
observe that you say that the sat.
tempt TO carry on the Government with
the privilege of universal suffrage in,
Cor porated as one of its elements Is full
OF DANGER" Danger is the condition oil
| all Governmentsi because no form oil
government tnsures wise and beneticeni
administration. But beg you to con-
slider, is there not a greater danger with.
out than with universal suffrAgs2 You
cannot make suffrage less than univer.
sal for the whites, and will not the at.
tempt to discriminate excite auch jeal-
ousies aud i'll feeling as will postpone
to q distant future what seems so essen
tial, namely, the restoration of general
good will and bringing into lead of the
educated men and the men ofproperty,
and so securing the best and most ben.
ehcinl administration OF affairs for all
classes. Take universal suffrage and
universal amnesty, and all Will be well,
Can you, my dear Sir. deYOle your fine
powers TO a better work than complete
restoration on this basis7
Very truly and respectfully, yours,
s. p. CHASE.
Hon. Henry ". Ratard.
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