The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-07-02

the Alabama outrage by the award Of com
mission, one half of whose members were tC
4 be chosen By England, aud the other half by
1 the 0 nitsd States. aud IN case Of disagree.
nent an umpire was to be chosen by lot
That is to say, great national controversy
4 involving grave questions Of International
/ law and claims Of und lubed validity amount
] ing to millions Of money, was to Be decided
lby the toss OF eOpperl The adniinistFa-
ton Of General Grant crushed the disgrace
ful treaty and proposes to deal with England
on the principle laid down in Gen. Grant s
l Inaugural The States viii treat sll other
nations ''ss equitable law rrqGires indiVid-
uals TO deal with each other, but "if others
depart from this rule in their dealings with
US we may be compelled to follow their pre-
cede nt." sll
On the great question of reconstruction,
in what a mastery way, and with what
marked success, has General Grants admin
istratiOn begun. Congress had fiexed its
day Of adjournment, and all plans for recon-
structing the three unrePresented States had
been postponed until next December. At
this idncture General Grant, on the 7th Of
| April last, sent to Congress q special mes
sage recommending that before its adjourn
ment it take the necessary steps for the
restoration Of the State Of Virginia to its
proper relations to the Union. As the
ground Of his recommendation he said 81
am led to make this recommendation from
the confident hope and belief that the Beo-
pie Of that State are now ready 70 co-Ope7aia
with the national Government in bringing il
again into such relations to the Union as il
ought as soon as possible to establish and
maintain, and to give to all its people those
equal rights under the law which were as
SCI ted in the Declaration of Independehce
in the words Of one of the most lllustrious of
its sons
The message Of the President was refer
red, in the House Of Representatives, to the
comHittse on Reconstruction. The commit.
tee the next day reported bill for the re-
construction of Virginia, and also of Missis-
sippi and Texas. The character Of the bill
sufficiently appears by the first two sections
relating to Virginia. 8Irs -l
Be Il enactrd By the Senate and House of
Representatives. Of As United !Stqtes Of
AmeTicG in Congress assembled, That the
President of the United States, at such time
as he may deem best for the public interest.
may submit the Constitution which was FRAN
ed by the convention which met in Rich
mond, Virginia. on Tuesday, the Sd day of
December, 1867, to the registered votes of
said State, for ratification or rejection aud
may also submit To a separate vote such pro-
visions of said constitution as he may deem
best.
SEC. 2. And be Il further enaetsd, That at
the same election the voters of said State
may vote for and elect members Of the Cen
eral Assembly Of said State, and all the Off
GERS of said State provided for by the said
constitution, and for members Of Congress;
and the officers commanding the district of
Virginia shall cause the list Of registered
voters of said State to be revised and correct
ed prior to such election, and for that pur-
pose may appoint such registrars as he may
deem necessary. And said election shall be
held and returns thereof made in the man.
ner provided by the election ordinance adopt
ed by the convention VII ch framed such
constitution.
1t will be seen that by this bill the psOple
Of Virginia were to proceed in the work Of
reconstruction at such time as the Presi-
dent might deem best, aud that such recon-
structiOn in all its parts WIS 10 be on the
basis Of equal political rights. The Consti-
tuition TO be submitted was framed BY Con-
ventiOn, in the election of which oolored
citizens participated, and Of which eolored
men were members, The registered voters
who are to vote on It's ratification or rpisc-
ton, and also for members of the General
Assembly, for Stats officers aud for members
of Congress, include the men Of Virginia
and If the Constitution IS adopted, it SECURES
to them equal political rights in that State.
The remaining sections Of the bill provide
for the reconstruction Of Mississippi and
Texas on The same principles, aud left the
time and manner to Che discretion Of the
President. TsH1f -@iH@
This bill was reported to The House of
Representatives and unsBimOasly agreed up
on by committee, Of which fur members
we're Democrats. The most distinguished
Democratic Representatives, Of the States Of
New York and PenBsy lvsBia advocated its
passage. Out Of about seventy Democratic
members OF the House, only twenty-five
voted against it, and the only Democratic
members from Ohio who voted on the pass.
age Of the bill voted for il, is..-.
II thus appears that upon the recon-
mendstiOn Of Gen. Grant, even the Demo.
cratic party Of Ohio, by their Representatives
10 Congress voted for equal political rights
in Virginia, Mississippi aud Texas. And to-
day the great body OF the people of those
States, Democrats and Conservatives as well |
as Republicans, have yielded assent 10 that
great principle. In view of these facts |
submit that am fully warranted in saving !
that Gen, Grant has begun the wo,k Of re-
construction in mastery way and with |
marked success. -alJ- 7Ee- %
Again thanking you for the honor you
have dose me, l repeat, IN conclusion, what |
l said two years ago. The people represent |
ed In this Convention mean that the State |
OF Ohio in the great progress, whose lead
ing object is TO elevate the condition Of men,
to lift artificial weights from all shoulders,
to clear the paths Of laudable pursuits for |
all, and to afford all an uDleitered start aud |
a fair chance in the race Of life shall tread !
no more steps backward, shall enter up
on my part Of the labors of the canvass be-
lieYiug that the Union Republican party is /
battling for the right, and with undoubiing
confidence that the goodness of the cause I
viii supply the weakness of its advocates,
and command in the result that triumphant |
success which it deserves
At tue conclusion Of the Governors ad-
dress, the resolutions were adopted unani-
mOusly, and the convention adjourned.