The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-05-29

to pass throagH 4 Soht6efn( HtSts with
the same degree Of ssfsty with which
q Southern man may travel through
Pspusylyania OF Ohio. Those sxhibi-
tons Of violence and lawlessness which
have disgraced the South must cease.
The same liberty Of speech that South
erners may enjoy in the North, must be
enjoyed by Northernefs in the South.
This is q fair and Just demand. Ths
establishment Of peace and security Is
necessary for the South hersek and for
the business and prosperity Of the whole
country. Without it, the South would
meyer recover from the effects Of the
war. Without Il, the development Of
its resources and the revival Of COM
mercial and industrial life would be an
impossibility. Without II, the purpos-
90 of Government could not be accom-
plished, and hence without IT, the South
would be unfit for, and should not be
in5usted with, the exercise Of self
Government.
The Union men of the South who
risked their all by their devotion to
the old flag, the negroes Of the South
who rushed to our rescue, fought under
our flag, saved our prisoners from starva-
ton, and harbored, fed, and pilotsd
our refugees with a selfsacriGcing de-
votion, which stands without q parallel
in the history of mankind, must not be
coolly, cruelty and heartlessly abandon
ed TO the hatred and vindictivsnsss Of
those who seek TO re-establish slavery
IN fact, after its abolition in name.
o Hence, if We say there must be peace
and security in the South, the loyal aud
intelligent people Of the country win
indorse this demand. But how shall
peace and security be estsblishedl Il
can only be done by keeping party in
power which will do it. The power Of
the Federal Government must not be
intrusted TO the hands Of those who
have brought sll these troubles over
the country. Il must not be intrusted
to the hands of those who would un-
bind anarchy and remove all checks
and restraints from the Southern pofs
'tions of our country, at a time Whsn
they most need the protecting care Of
the Federal Government. The power
of the nation must not be intrusted to
the Democratic party, which Is the
party of lawlessness, turbulence and
violence. 1t must not be intrusted 10
a party which, having been the sd-
vocate and defender of slavery, is identi-
fed with all its excesses, and by keeping
alive the spirit Of rebellion and insur-
rection, shares with Andrew johnson
the blame and responsibility for the
present state of affairs in the South.
The sacred duty Of protecting the help
less and defenselsss freedmen must not
be intrusted to the hands Of those who
are daily preaching hatred of race, and
arousing the mob by appeals to its
lowest prejudicss and fierceSt passions
In other words, the wolf must not be
made the custodian of the lamb, nor
must the fox be appointed protector Of
tie hen-roost.
In the first place, then, | say, TO
establish peace and security in the
South, it is necessary to keep the power
of government out Of the hands Of the
Democratic party.
In the second place, ii is necessary TO
promote the reconciliation Of hostile
elements by removing, as much as pos
sible, the causes Of complaint and irita-
ton, and TO do this We must again recut
to first principles.
70 To regenerats the South it is neces-
sary TO infuse into its administrations q
principle which heretofore was unknown
to its policy. mean the principle Of
"equal justice to all" Southern in
stitutions were thoroughly aristocrztic.
Hence, let true democracy be the
groundwork of reconstruction. Let
there be NO masters and no slaves, no
privileged and no disfranchised classes;
bat put them all on the same broad
footing of equality before the law. Let
all men have fair start in the race Of
life Let no man be without the means
of self-protection and of vindicsting his
own views, feelings, or principles. Let
there be no rightless class, no govern.
ment without the consent Of the gov
erned. Let there be no odious distinc-
tons on the ground of color or opinion.
But to establish peace, security, and
reconciliation, all considerations of en-
Ightened statesmanship command US
to 90 one step further, and couple uni.
Yersal amnesty with universal suffrage.
The existence Of diefranchised class is
q source of irritation and disafection.
It is standing threat and peril to the
community. It is an impediment TO
reconciliation, and should be done away
with. ! know that rebellion has COM
mitted crimes which neither God nor
man can forgive, but true statesman
ship requires us TO raise above the
roe61bLuou8 VI buo HOuIy uOW0fUf lueb
and iustiiable they may be. II you
must punish, punish individuals, but do
not punish q class. All class-legislst;on
is odious, and in this case may become
as troublesome and dangerous to those
by whom, as to those against whom, 1t
is directed. We want prejudices Of
color to abate, and hostilities of race to
wear away in the South, which viii
never be the case as long as the just
emsncipated feld-hsnd votes, while his
former master remains disfranchised.
Such state of affairs is big with the
seeds of plots, conspiracies, insurrec-
tions, and violence. We want the
Southern whites to accept the situation.
But those that are disfranchised, never
will. This is human nature, and easily
accounted for. Hence, let them ali
vote, whites and blacks, and become
reconciled to each others political rights
set the strong arm Of the Government.
maintain the public peace, and reprsss
anarchy and violence, thus facilitating
the development of material prosperity
and the work of regeneration will
have begun.