Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-06-30


deur upon its new End hitherto un-
tried basis; and it was started
with existing customs and institu-
tions, still clinging to it and to
the people, with the hope and eX-
pectation that in brief period Of
time all these anti-republican Gus.
toms and Institutions would be
abandoned and become extinct /;
and our government become prac.
tically what it was theoretically,
and was sintended to be practically
a government of all the people for
all the people; where no castes or
classes should be recognized, and
where absolute equality in the en-
Ijoyment of life, in the acquisition
Of property, and in the pursuit of
happiness, without distinction,
should be guaranteed and secured.
But time demonstrated that the
old anti-republicOn customs and
institutions clung with persistent
tenacity to the young Republic,
and instead Of gradually approach
ing extinction, became more and
more prominent, exacting and dan
gerous; demanding nothing less
than the abandonment Of the prin-
ciples which our fathers saw prop
er to lay at the foundation Of the
government and build it upon, and
the incorporation in their stead, of
the principles OF arlstocracy, the
erection Of castles and classes, and
the vcstnent Of some people with
all political power, and its denial
to all others. Not only this; but
that this should be slave govern
ment instead Of u free government.
A dogma as dangerous as and akin
to, the dogma Of the infallibility
of the Pope,
This dominating spirit Of the old
colonial element and its insolent
and persistent determination to ret
rograde into an aristocracy-a gov
ernment resting upon the suprema-
cy of certain men, or classes of
men, who should be invested with
all power over all other men and
classes of men-a government toll
Grating and enforcing the owner
ship of man in man-was manfully
met and resisted by the intelligent
and patriotic people of the nation,
and finally prccipitated the sangui-
mary war through which we have
so recently passed.
That was truly war between
n-oureea and -retrogrcsston-b be-
tween Republicanism aud aristoc-
racy-tetwee liberty and despot-
ism; forifin that struggle we had
not triumphed, the next contest
ould have been between arlstoc-
racy and monarchy. And so in
course of time upon the ruins of
the overthrown Republic, now re
garded as the Asylum Of the OPP
pressed and the hope of human
freedom, where the people are gov
erned by their own will, eX-
pressed in the form Of law, the un-
scrupulous dictator would have sat
and ruled with iron hand and i'm
Iperious will.
The conflict came, precipitated
as I have said by the enemies of
the Republic and for the purpose
of perpetuating and extending cast
ism, classism and the servitude of
one portion Of the human family
to another 1t was waged for four
long years with what valor and
skill | need not recount, and re
suited in the complete extinction
of the old colonial anti,republican
customs, and particularly that in
stitution sought to be extended and
made perpetual; and we emFrgea=
IRON unuer UlIe smUKeand confusion
| of hecontesta freer, richer stronger
and more exalted nation than be-
| fore. And it is impossible to trace
that conflict or reckon its results,
or understand the speedy change
which has taken place in the con
dition ofyour people without con
siderng the part played by them
in that critical crisis.
The smoke from the assault of
Sumpter had scarcely dispelled, or
the thunders of its artillery died
away, ere hundreds and thousands
of the black men Of the South left
the plantations of their masters,
refusing to contribute by their la
Dor the snews of war to the re-
bellion, and hocked to the side of
the Union. Others, whenever and
wherever opportunity offered, open
ed up communication with our
lines and supplied our armies with
important and valuable informa-
ton, af'ording the only recompense
for and offset to the innumerable
spies that swarmed about and in
tested the Capital.
Whenever Union men Of the
South we're driven from their homes
and fed, hunted down through
swamps and morases, men with
black skins, in the face of this peril, /
death to them if discovered, guided
them when lost, fed them when
starving, and cheered them on
when languishing and desparing /
When the poor, wandering soldier
fresh from the cruelties and tori
ture of some loathsome prisonpen-
such as Andersonville, had riskcd,
death in the attempt to escape, |
needed succor and assistance, the