Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-08-08

own faces, but in the sweat of other mems
faces. 1t has brought shame and sorrow
upon both North and South. Finally, class
of men grew up in this country and held the
doctrine that emancipation was not only the
duty of the master, but the right of the
slave. Another class denied this doctrine,
and that the Government had no right to
touch the question of slavery in the
several States; but we had determin
ed the system of slavery should not
touch the Territories, and by Gods
help we carried it through. We elected
Abraham Lincoln, that charitable, just and
pure man. While we loved the slave, we
never hated the master. God being my
Judge, l have never entertained a sentiment
OF hatred for the Southern section of my
country, and speak the sentiments nine
tenths OF the people of the North. Before
Lincoln was elected the banners of insurrec
ton had already been raised in the South.
Education, no doubt, had much to do with
1T. Had been born in the South, no doubt,
would have been with them, but In the
providence of God, was born and educated
elsewhere. We had bloody struggle Of four
years No braver men ever lived than you of
the South. You gave your lives and proper
ty for your cause; but you expected at the
close of war subjugation, that some of your
men would be imprisoned and tried and
some executed; but not man has been tried
for treason. have in my possession letters
from numbers of Southern soldiers, among
them thirteen Confederate Generals, thank
ing me for kindness to them while confined
in my State during the war, and one from
Alexander 81. Stephens, who was released
from Fort Warren and finally altogether
through my Intervention, stating that he
owed his life to me.
When the last flag disappeared in the
Southern sky forgot the struggle, and only
wanted to lift the poor slaves into the posi-
tion of citizens, and that we should be free
cOuntrv and oil live friends har
No unkind feelings were meant toward the
men of the South when Congress passed the
reconstruction measures. / made thirty two
speeches, and wrote numbers of letters to
Southern men, begging them to help to give
rights to the colored men, form good State
governments and help to restore the coun-
try. What was the result? Many, exasper-
ated by following the policy of Andrew John
son, took no part, A few loyal men, whom
you call "scalawags," had accepted the stu
alton, and the management of the new gov,
ernment was left to them and the colored
men and few men from the North, and then
you tell us that the Congress and the people
OF the North are responsible for your mis-
take.
But we are told there is the Ku Klux act,
and that is despotism. In the winter of 1871
evid ence came to us from every quarter of
the South that outrages were being perpe-
trated. say here to-day that there are hun
dreds of men in this organization who gave
US this information, and give it to us to-day.
These Ku-Klux organizations were not SO Sc
cret, after all, and we knew a great deal
more about them than one organization
knows about another. In the spring of 1871
the Senate of the United States thought it
ought to stay at the Capitol and protect citi-
zens from these outrages The House
thought it ought to adjourn and go home.
Horace Greeley, about that time, wrote
leader, saying that Government which
would not protect its citizens ought to be
swept from the face of the earth. While the
two Houses differed, General Grant just then
issued little message about as long as your
finger, asking for a law for the punishment
of the Ku-Klux It had the effect of battle
order. and the act was passed Immediately.
You, gentlemen Democrats, have taken Mr..
Greeley, and can say no more about the des-
potism Of the Ku-Klux act.