The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-01-18
VOL. XXVII..--No. "a.

one.third Of the white men who had right
TO vote under the Presidents proclamation.
These delegates Represented only a small
minority of the white population, and the
constitutions they formed were never ratified
or accepted by the people, but were put in
operation by the Presidents authority, and
are in that condition to-day. They were
never submitted to Congress; never receiv.
ed its approval; but GA The contrary, in the
reconstruction nets were pronounced Illegal
and unauthorized In these constitutions
there are clauses prohibiting slavery, and
the payment Of their several war debts, but
when they are restored TO their representa-.
ton in Congress, and thus made secure in
the enjoyment Of political power, they will
throw them Of as inposiious which they
have only tolerated for a tune, and make
new ones, leaving out the obnoxious clauses
on The SUBJECT Of slavery und their war debts.
! Congress- in comforting suffrage upon the
cnlorcd men OF the South, has been govern
ed not only by high principles Of equality
and justice, bat 10y an overrulpg necessity,
A bitter bloody experience under the
| Presidents plan Of reconstruction had de
'noustrated that the rebels were unrcpentont
and unrelcn.ing, aad that loyal State gov
crnments could not be erected on the be-is
! If the white population, ind that new
! loyal voting population must bs raised up
| Iy enirauchisins the coiored men. So that
whatever views the people Of the North may
have had upon the propriety Of admitting
mcn who were so recently slaves to the i'm.
mediate exercise Of the elective franchise,
they byt no cnUice OF discretion upon thu
autject LEFT, hui were driven to it by the
conduct Il the reIsls and their NorlberD
allies.
Wrapped up in this issue aud in the sue.
cess Of the Democratic party are other 10
sues, which vii! be inevitable sequences. -
The FIRST ii which | shall mention is the
payment for The eu,ancjpa:ed shares. Tbia
question viii haze TO be decided in 1868 sa
emphslicatly as il written GU; IN the Demo.
cratic p,etfJrn. The State Of Maryland in
her new Consultation, jus, adopted, has pro
vided for il.
Georgis, in her Constitution in 1865, gave
notice ,ha, the should demand payment for
her slaves,
Democratic Kentucky, few days ago, by
q join, resolution iii her Legislature, took
steps in the same direction.
All the rebels Of the South will be unaui
nous on this question, aad tho Interest al
! t.ake il so west us to euab!e them to hold
oat great 'en.sa;ions in the wsy Of currup
ton, end the Democratic party ofthe North
are not only in position to meet them, but
are fully commi,tel to the justice aud legal
ily Of their claims. When, in 1866, it was
proposed TO amend the Constitution 80 as
! to prohibit the Government from making
compensation for slaves, every Democratic
mem berpf Congress, | believe in both houses,
Democratic papers and orators denounced
| it with the utmost bitterness. And when.
in la62, tie Presidents proclamation OF
| emancipation appeared, and afterward, II
1864, when ii was formally proposed ~
abolish slavery by an amendment of the
! Constitution, the Democracy everywhere,
in Congress oud out Of it, denounced the
proclamation and amendment as unjust,
wicked and impolitic, rouudiy declaring
"the masters should not he deprived ofthcir
slaves without due compensation made. -
But were the Northern Democracy not al.
ready committed in favor OF the proposition,
they would, when the Southern wing made
il condition, readily yield acquiegcence,
md thus add not less than eighteen hundred
millions Of dollars to the public debt -
Whoever believes IN the rightfuness of the
rebellion, or gave it their sympathy, must
and WILL If consistent, be in favor Of pa, ing
! for The slaves.
Another issue directly involved in the
success Of the Democratic party is the as
sumption of the rebel war debt. When
| Southern rebels are iestored to power and
take their seats in Congress, does euy man
believe that they will vote TO tax themselves
and others 10 pay the national, debt, or the
interest upon it, while their own war dtbl
is in no way provided for? They put their
property ami money into confederate stock
and bouds aud lost AL, aud the simple soul
must be creduious indeed who believes that
these men will voluntarily tax themselves
to pay the Northern bondholdcr, or viii aci
IN concer. with Northern party tina. pro
poses TO tax ,ueni for that purpose. 1aey
hate the Northern bondhoIer, and feel Nh.
der no moral Or political obligations to pay
his debts, aud Will make it q condition vita
the Northern Democracy that they shall re.
pudase the national debt or consolidate
their own with it. And the Northern De
mocracy are in position to meet them on
this question also. When it was proposed
in $3.50 to amend the Constitution 60 us to
prohibit the assumption Of the rebel war
debt, every Democrat in Congress voted
against it, aud their action was sustained by
the party throughout the North. The Dem
ocralic party were hostile to the national
deb, in it's inception, and have always sym
psthiged more strongly with the Southern
than tho Northern bondholder and if they
refuse TO sccede to the demands Of the South
in this matter it will DO the first time in
their history. And may say to the nation.
IA, creditors right hero that the payment Of
! ,ba;r doh, "a III dpnnud oheolu,ol, ,ron 10