Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-12-25

etatesmanship, IL is too late TO discuss ne
gro suffrage, for, having been granted, II |
is impossible to recall IT, Between origi- |
nally Withholding franchise from large |
masses of people, and aunulling II
after II has been conceded, wise
men can zee vast dltierenec--a
difference literally quite as great, II
may be, as that between peaceful discussion
and bloody conflict so that, even cxclud-
ing from the case the abstract and un.
changing element of Justice which under
lies II, Il is demonsTably impracticable
10 withhold suffrage from the Southern
negroes, now that they have exercised II,
without involving consequences which
would destroy all security for life and
properly in that section for generations to
come Negro suffrage being then Of ne
cessity conceded as one of the essentials
of reconstruction, the only remaining
source of discomfort is the exclusion of n
small minority of white men from the
polls nv reason of disloyalty, And here
tho evil lies in tho dislovalty and not in
the exclusion and know | arc safe In
saying that the exclusion will be removed
quite as rapidly M the disoyalty disap-
pears. And the disloyal white men Of the
South should he quite contented If they
acquire suffrage as rapidly as the loyal
colored men of the whole country. May
we not hope that the patriotic conduct of
the one class, and the so0cning OF nm
reasonable prejudice toward the other,
will enable the American people to hold
the centennial celebration of our indie
pondence with no citizen Of the Republic
disfranchised, and with the sublime de
claration that call men are created equal
accepted and realized on the hundredth
anniversary of It's majestic utterance.
Third. The election of Gen. Grant has
settled the financial question. | do not
mean that II has adjusted the details or
even foreshsdowed the particular meas.
ures by which the public debt Is TO
be provided for and its prompt payment
assured. ] only mean that the Ameri-
can people have deliberately sol
emnly, and emphatically recorded their
-decision in favor Of an honest discharge
of their public obligations, and against
all the forms of evasion and delusion SO
temptingly set forth in Democratic plat
forms They have declared against the
policy of wildly initiating, dopreciating
and running their currency in order to pre-
maturcly pay OF any portion of the Coy
ornment bonds, and they have declared
with equal emphasis in favor of ligh ton
ing the public burdens by reducing the in
terests on the national debt as promptly
and rapidly as It may he done with honor.
They have decided against all forms of
reputation, "open or covert, threatened,
OF suspected" and in favor of uphoding
the public faith and maintaining the pub
lie honor stainless. Nay, they have gone
one step further; tho question of paying
the public debt "In the utmost good faith,
according to the letter and spirit of the
contract" is no longer 10 be made a sub
iect of controversy or of doubt in the
American Congress HencefOrth We may
do well to remember that proud example
furnished us in the Parliamentary history
Of Great Britain, where, just preceding
the evcntful battle of Blcnheim, the prob
ability of Englaud's defeat being anJrily
suggested by one of the Commons, he was
answered by the most brilliant man OF that
| day in these eloquent and ever memorable
words:
"Thc question OF Engand's ability to maintain
her position should not be discussed Ia her own
Parliament Discussion implies doubt, aud doubt
breeds disaster. our business is to provide the
mcans for the national defense, and let us to our
| task"
Fourth. With tho election of General
| Grant comes higher standard of Ameri-
can citizenship, with moro dignity and
character to the name abroad and more
assured liberty and security attaching to
it at homo. Our diplomacy will be rescued
| from the subseryient tone by which we
have so often been Inundated in our own
eyes and In tho eyes of Europe, and the
true position of the first nation of the
earth in rank and prestige will be assert
ed not in the spirit OF bravado or with
the mere arrogance of strength, but with
the conscious dignity which belongs to
power and with the moderation which is
the true ornament of justice And with
this viudication of the rights and the rank
of our citizenship abroad will come also
its protection under the panoply at home,
That provision of the Federal Constitu-
tion which solemuly guarantees that "thc
citizens of each State shall be entitled 10
all of the privileges and immunities OF
citizens in the several States" will not be
dead letter under the administration o
General Grant, us II in fact has been from
tho foundation Of the Federal Govern
ment down to this hour. llcuCetOrwart
II Is TO be practically enforced throughout
all our borders, and every citizen of the
Republic, himself ObSeFvsnt Of tho law
, and of the rights of Others, shall
go where 1t may please him and
speak ms he may see fit uuawed by
mobs, unharmed by murdeIers, unmenaced
in life, limb or estate. With these -four
cardiual points settled by the people, Gen
dTanth OulnlnlSlEallon Will hhNt nigh
vantage ground from the day of its inau'
guration, Its responsibility will, indeed
be great, its power viii be large, its OPP
portunity will be splendid, and to meet
them all we have true and tried man
who adds TO his other great elements o.
strength that Of perfect trust and cont
dence on the part of the people, And tc
reassure ourselves of his executive char
acter, If reinsurance were necessary, LEI
us remember that great military leaders
have uniformly proved the wisest, tirmest
and best of civil rulers. Cromwell, vii
liam Ill, Charles NIL, Frederick OF Prus
sia, are not more conspicuous instances o
monarchical governments than Washing
ton, Jackson and Taylor have proved II
our own. Whatever, therefore, may b.
before us in the uutrodden and often be
clouded path of the future, whether 1t bt
, financial emharrassmcnts, or domesti,
/ trouble of another and more serious type
or Misunderstanding with foreign ma
, tions, or the extension Of our flag and GU
. sovereignty over insular OF condnentO
4 possessions, North or South, that fate q
q Fortune may peacefully offer to our amb
/, tion, let us believe with all Conhdenc
n that Gen, Grants administration will mes
t. every exigency with the courage, the ahi
II ity, aud the conscience which America
n nationality and Christian civilization d,
" mand.
q - y
Al NASBY.