Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-03-25


all its Consequences.
One Robert B. Smith, of Missouri
who served in an important position on
the medical staff, in Prices rebel army
in the West, and Lees in Virginia; who
was born with love for slavery, and
was a slave owner up to the loss of his
darkeys by the war, writes to the Mis-
souri, Democrat a long letter in which
he expresses his views of the present
legal and political status of the ex-rebels,
and the proper course for them to pur-
sue. He says:
AS early as the spring of 1866, when
Andrew Johnson's reconstruction plan
was rampant throughout the Southern
States, openly urged i'll three column
article, published in the Missouri Valley
Register at Lexington, its repudiatiOn
by them, and the acceptance by them of
the proposition, universal amnesty with
restoration to all political privileges with
impartial suffrage of Senator Nye, of
Nevada; backed by Sumner, Wade,
Gratz Brown, Greeley, and other mem
bers of the Republican party. At that
time every string of the thousand oil the
Democratic harp twanged 'Whit-man's
government" / told them that this
was but drugged drink, that would
soothe them into n slumber, and that
they would wake up from it's effects to
find themselves in a more wretched con-
dition than ever-that we had commen-
ced the war with Radicalism, had fought
it throughout, and had finally surren-
dered to it-that Radicalism was the
rule, the party in power, and the party
in power was the gOvernment-and that
while treating or trading it was letter
policy and more principal to treat with
on OIL ~
tangible, ,than,to bargain with q nOnenity
for q nOnenity,-for such. considered the
Johnston or Democratic party, and the
citizenship then offered by that party to
the SOuth-n0 one but he who had been
traitor to them being able to represent
them. On the other hand, urged them
that the Radical party offered them a
Quid pro quo-that Jefferson Davis, their
great leader, whose crime was theircrime
was still in prison. to be tried for his life
and thr atened with failing heaIth--
that Breckenridge, Early, and many
others, self-exiled, knowing that's pris-
on awaited their return to this country
unpardened-th duty to these illustri-
Gus persons who were suffering for their
sake or sins, if any, demanded their ac-
ceptance of the Radical compromise,
and that the White Mans government
''no more" that when Andrew John
son, Frank Blair & Co. freed the negro
they forever and forever destroyed the |
White 'sgovernn'ent in this country I
and that the emancipation ofmillions of
blacks brought with It of necessity their
nfranchisement-tha this enfranchise-
ment would he, whether they gave to it
their assent or not, and that in four years
at the farthest many active prominent
Johnson men among them, would ac-
ceede to the necessity and policy of
universal amnesty and impartial suf
frage. 1 am glad to see that my predic-
ton has been fulfilled, an; that many
prominent military and civil citizens
Of the South have signified their ad
lerence to this dOctrine-aprinciple, land
The only principle that will ever bring
peace to the Countrywide enfranchise-
7aeat of all, both aOIite and black.
While many ex-rebels agree wit me
n the position and principle l have
stated, there are many who disagree,
md, of course, have q right to think as
hey please-a right, let them also re-
member, that no one can be deprived of.
The difficulty under which they labor,
think, is, that we are still living under
he old constitution intact, in every trace .
md line, and that if we are not we
'ught to be, and that they are, in
measure, responsible for the character of
his government. Nnthing, in my
opinion, could he moreerroneous. We
lid our uttermost to unhinge, destroy,
md dismember in, and did, doubtless, !
rack it to its foundation, and / think !
t fortunate for the whole country that
We were not employed in its rebuilding a
II reformation, for had our help been
had, many, doubtless, in the North !
would have cried to all time, bad brick,
od mortar, or all plaster, land nothing b
ut ddb-and thus we would have no 4
eace and their confidence never restor-
d. AS things are we find ourselves =
Without any governmental habitation,
ur own fair fabric the Confederacy, .
lmOst finished, swept from the face of
he earth, numbered midst the things
hat have been," and we eex-Confederates
till unroosted, bearing the 'peltings of
he pitiless storm" The law makers of
his State and of the United States have
ow remodeled and completed such
Offices as satisfy their faith in their
rmness and fitness. 1t is said if We c
mock the doors will be opened unto us.
so, let us go in and being in, let US
bear ourselves that peace and conf
ence, filial and fraternal, may fill the
md