Nebraska advertiser., 1868-10-22
Beeciaer ON the Canvass.

OOAlS ILhplicStOle COpperhe0d has
requested Henry Ward Beecher to an
swer several questions, which he has
done to the edification Of others of the
same class, as fOllowsi
"Does the Republican party look ut,on fbr
/ mass OF the southern whites, as still in Re
belliOn, because of their treatment OF tbe low
al men in the South9"
No, no; they are still in the eondi-
ton in which the rebellion left them.
+ If a man break his leg, it has been
said that it takes him two months to
get well. Although the time between
breaking the leg and the time when
I he walks round is two months; the
doctor has had hold Of his leg, he win
set it in minute, but he don't get
well in a minute. They broke their
leg very effectuaIly, laughter, but it
doesn't get well in a day, nor in a year.
J Renewed merriment.1 We do not
consider them in rebellion, hut we
consider them in the unfortunate con-
dition in which the rebellion left them
Don't you know when persons have
the measles, the doctors tell them to
beware of the SegueIB-the sequence
of scdrldtiHd-which are often worse
than the original attack. Parents are
to carefully guard their children
against those Seg1telB, as being very
dangerous. 1t is the se91leI1g of the
rebellion that we are afraid of APP
! plause.
Second We're the Reconstruction meas
ures passed to protect the loyaliSts. and TO
make the Rebels love and respect them?"
No. They We're passed to take care
of the whole community, black and
white, loyal and dislOyal. The recon-
4 structiOn measures undertake to lay
/ the foundation for States on sound
/ principles, and to include in the ben
efits of this reconstruction every liv-
ing being that breathed. Of course
they hoped that the loyalist would be
protected-they knew it; but the OBJ
ieCt of the reconstruction measures
was the common good Of the whole
people.
Third: Have not the Reconstruction
measures had contrary effect, and are not
the loyal men of the South worse treated to-
day tnan they were in the Summer of 1862
Yes, they are worse treated, but the
reconstruction measures are not the
reason Of it. It is the hope thatin the
year past has been infused into the
minds Of the South, that by alliance
with the Democratic party they will
be able to subveFt all that has been
done. tt is that which has made them
fiery and rampant in persecution
[ Applause. lLet it once be understood
that Gen. Blair is to be President,
wearing Mr.. Seymour as a vail laugh
ter and cheers1; let it once be under
stood throughout the South, and there
has been no period since the forma-
ton Of our Government in which such
bloedshed, such villainOus tyranny,
such unbearable cruelty have been
pcrpetrated. They do not even care
to suppress the threat, and it is broad
ly proclaimed. Let it be understood
iii the South that Gen. Grant, by the
overwhelming determination of the
masses of the country, is to be Presi-
dent, and in less than one month from
next November all these turmciIs viii
hush, and all these outcries viii be
whist. [Great applause.
Fourth. How many more Reconstruction
acts must be required before law, order. and
justice will be the rule, and not the exception
in the South -
We haveEOt there all but one thing.
We have got our reconstruction meas
ures established. What we want now
is administration and that we are go
ing to have. Almost any team wifi
run away if YOU throw loose the rcins
upon the dashboard; but once let a
driver gather them up, and the horses
begin to feel the draw Of the rein, how
they settle down to their work, how
they come to the road, how gentle they
are! That which they need now is to
feel that there sits in the Presidential
chair in Washington a man who
knows how to drjCe. Applause and
laughter. "What then, y they say,
''yOu must put a military Dictator
there ~ There is no man on the good
Gods globe that is so far from being
in the spirit Of dictator rs Gen.
Grant there is no man more tender
there is no man less self-seeking
there no man who so unlOves dictate
rial power as Gen. Grant MOI he
won't need to send a soldier he won't
need to draw a sword. When they
know that Grant is there, that is en-
Ough. [Applause.l
Fgfh: What is or was the necessity Of
Congress- acting outside Of the Constitution
since the close of the war, and preventing the
United States Supreme Court from passing
upon their Reconstruction measures@"
There is d great distinction between (
acting contrary to the Constitution
and acting outside of it. We act out |
side of the Constitution simply where
there is no provision in the COnstitu-
ton for our action, and where the
times compel US to do something. If
there was in the Constitution some
! l. - = l.
belliOus States, the Republican party
would certainly have Obeyed the Con-
stitutiOu but that never was cOntem-
plated, and there were TO such pro-
visions made in it, therefore, the Re
publican party was obliged to act out
side the Constitution, or not act at all.
As to this matter l confess l don't feel
50 sensitive about it as do the men who
spent four years fighting against the
Constitution. have great respect for
it. like it. But it is not so dear TO
me as it has become to them. | have
a reasonable hope, too, that the Con-
stitutiUn will be maintained; ! think
the broad common sense OF the Amer
can people will take care of the Con
stituiOn. ] { is very affecting to my
feelings, therefore, when / hear these
OultIiESs ltAcEt UlOHi tLIittbiDlidtt y t-dIU-
ings, and lOngings, and TepinnEs Of
the reconstructed rebellion in the
South in behalf of the Constitution,
the dear, blessed Constitution. Laugh
ter and applause. Why do / love
the Constitution ? Because | believe
it breathes and creates liberty every
where. Why are they SO sOlicitOus
for the Constitution E? Because il
breathes liberty everywhere? =? That is
the trouble The Constitution they
mourn is the old Constitution fancy
constructed; it is the old Constitution
that was brought before the courts
when the Southern men put judges in
the courts fOreswOrn to make decisions
in favor of Slavery. That is the Con
stitutiOn they mean. mean the Con-
stitutiOn our fathers made, when the
world shOne like an aurora with the
spirit of liberty; when our fathers.
under that divine magnetism. built
this glorious Constitution, and built il
for liberty, That is the Constitution
I mean. Prolonged applause.1 What
feature have we taken out of il that
Will ciTcumscribe the independence of
the individual? ? What feature Of the
Constitution that viii make liberty
n arrOyvQr , The very CarIEa rf off,. =.