The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-08-26

ljority, and, although long overbornt
by numbers, still struggled on amiC
ljeers, insults, mObs, blows, and as
sassinations, till under the lead 0.
Abraham Lincoln they achieved sue
cess and grasped the sceptre of pol
j itical power
Entering upon its second era, ap-
| palling responsibilities at once rose
The slave masters, in the pride and
arrogance Ofpower, instantly plunged
the nation into the fire and blood OF
civil war. But the Republican party
rose with the crisis. 1t raised money
in unstinted measure, organized vast
armies, created powerful navies,
fought bloody battles, crushed the
most gigantic rebellion of all record
ed history, and saved a nation slife.
1t was then, amid the clash of arms,
that the Republican party saw that
slavery was the relentless and unap-
lpeasable foe of the country, was the
inspiration, the heart and soul of
that civil war, and that it's death
would be the annihilation of the re-
/ bellion, the unity of the Rupublic,
and the development of free institu-
tions. Against cowardly fears, sell
fish instincts, and unreasoning pas
sions and preiudices, it pronounced
! the doom of that hideous and horrid
system Of human bondage, though
| it was upheld by the aggregated in
terests of three thousand millions of
dollars, hedged about by the accu-
lmulated passions and prejudices,
lprides and ambitions of seven gen
erations, and intrenched within the
social, political and ecclesiastical or
ganizations and affiliations of live.
by a series of executive and legisla-
tive acts it broke the chains and
lifted from the depths of chattel-
hood up to the summit of manhood
four and half millions of hapless
bondmen, and stood before the ma
tions with their riven fetters in one
hand and their title deeds to freedom
in the other.
The war ended, the rebellion sub
Idued, the bondmen emancipated, the
Republican party entered upon the
third era Of its eventful history.
Though conquered by arms, the reb-
els did not accept the just, humane
and generous ideas of the victors,
nor did they return to their proper
allegiance and loyalty to the Gov
ernment, but still bemoaning the
"lost cause" they remained unsub-
idued in will and unrepentant in
spirit and purpose. Though made
free, the bondmen were homeless,
without property, without employ
'iment, subject to the cruel laws
against free people Of color which
had always disgraced Southern leg
Iislation, and in the midss of a people
ieXasperated by defeat and maddened
Iby their loss of power still longer to
hold and oppress. Property was
swept away, industry disorganized.
society disintegrated, and States
were without lawful governments.
| Upon the Republican party de-
Ivolved the task of reconstruction
Ito its intrinsic difficulties were adj
Ided the intense hostility of the ex.
rebels, the lingering prejudices long
lengendered by the slave system, the
Itimid counsels of Conservatism, and
1.-THE apostasy ofthe Executive. Great
Interest and powerful combinations
Sought to so reconstruct the South as
to place the power in the hands Of
the late slaveholding class, and leave
the helpless freedmen in the abject
Icondition Of practical serfdom. fSel-
dom in history has there been i'm
lposed upon any body Of men a work
of greater magnitude or difficulty.
The Republicans might have shrunk
from and avoided it. They were
sorely tempted to do so. But they
resisted the temptation Of official
lpower and patronage, the threats of
Executive dictation, and all other
adverse influences, and with sublime
fidelity and courage addressed them
selves to the herculean task.
To aid in recognizing disordered
industries, caring for, protecting and
linstructing the emancipated bond
men in the new duties of their
changed condition, the Republicans
Established the Freedmen's Bureau,
which, by the wise expenditure of a
few million of dollars, did an meal
culable work for order, peace and the
rehabilitation of Southern society.
To reconstruct rebellious States on
the solid basis of equal rights, they
gave suffrage to the freedmen in the
Reconstruction measures. To secure
citizenship and civil rights to a
wronged and hated race, they pro-
posed and adopted the Fourteenth
Amendment, and enacted the bill of
Civil Rights. To establish by ire
versible guarantees equal political
rights and privileges they adopted
the Fifteenth Amendment, and as a
Icrowning act for freedom they pro-
vided by law for the enforcement Of
those amendments thus newly en-
shrined within the Constitution.
Thus the Republicans, against the
sternest opposition, against misrep-
Presentation, against appalling obsta-
cles, have struggled on until the
rebel States, reconstructed on the
basis of impartial liberty, have been
restored, and the sublime doctrines
of the Declaration of Independence
made assured and practical realities
In the progress of the ages it has.
been given to few, in any form or by
any modes, to achieve a work so
vast, so grand, so beneficent, so sure
TO be recorded by history, ind ap-
pIauded and remembered by coming
generations.
Having achieved this grand work,
having passed through these three
eras Of its history, the Republican
party, entering on its fourth era, was
summoned to deal with questions
relating to the national debt, the
currency, finances and taxation, to
reforms in the military, naval, and
Indian service, and whatever remain
ing burdens and legacies were left
by the war. Concerning these ques-
tlons there are apparent diversities
of interests and real differences of
Tho salutiOn. Of Soma of