The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-08-18

both sides.
SHOULD BE AMNESTY ON BOTH SIDES.
The Northern leaders are continu-
ally preaching to the Republican party
amnesty, fraternity, oblivion in regard
to the rebellion. but exact no such
conditions from their Southern allies,
who make adherence to the Confeder-
ate cause their universal political tesS.
We have forgiven the mel1 who
were engaged in the rebellion. sii sii
but about one hundred leaders in that
great crime have had every political
disability removed arising under the
Fourteenth Amendment, and are eli.
gible to be elected to the highest Office.
in the land They have from the fret
had the right to vote I had not sup
posed that [ should ever do such a.
thing, but 1 believe now that I am
willing to vote for bill next winter
which will take from the small i.um-
ber remaining their political disa5ili-y ]
ties, to take effect on the 4th day of,
July. 1876, SO that all men. without
regard to their race, color, or previous
political condition or history, may
start into the next century on an
equality before the law, and may God
put it into the hearts of the people to
do justice, give protection, and secure
equal rights to every race and condi-,
tion in all parts OF the nation.
RIGHT AND A WRONG SIDE.
But wish not to be misunderstood.
While l would bury the animosities
and hatreds of the war, | would not
compromise nor forget the principles
upon which it was fought, nor the
memory of the men who died for their
country We have forgiven those who
were in rebellion, but forgiveness does
not imply honor or reward. We may
forgive our enemies. hut we are not
bound to honor and prefer them over
our friends We must ever remember
that there was right and wronF
side; that the right must be honoreo
and respected now and hereafter; that,
while we forgive the enemies of the
Republic, we believe there can be nc
true reconstruction or reconciliation
that is not founded upon the unity oi
the Nation. equal rights, equal justice .
| equal security to all. full federation o.
race and opinion. Until these thinRs
shall come to pass tho Republican
| party cannot ground its arms. nor can
| it be said that it's mission has been
! performed 1t is enough that we have
]
waged the rebellion and drenched the
land with fraternal blood. and when
we are asked to ignore the Union sol :
dier, to refuse to recount his servicets
for fear of wounding rebel suscepti i
bilities, to reduce him to the level o
the Confederate soldier, to forget thu
| Union men of the South, apd mako
| heroes before the Northern people 6
their bitterest foes and oppressors, ii
| is too much, and is as wicked as it LS
stupid and absurd As between thu
| Union and Confederate soldiers, tberts
is still, and should ever be, great
choice. The proposition continuailss
urged upon the people of the NORTH
by the Democratic party is that to b Z
reconciled to the people of the Soutls
you must treat the Union and Confed .
crate soldier as being equally honest@
equally patriotic, each fighting fo:tI
what he believed to be right, trea
| them with equal consideration. max Z
no preferences nor distinctions in re
wards OF honors This proposition
abolishes all distinctions between
right and wrong, loyalty and treasons 4
between fighting for freedom anei
slavery, between civilization and bar
barism, and while affecting impartial
ity insults the living, and the memorye
of the dead, who fought for country
liberty. and humanity.
BY AMNESTY THEY MEAN PREFERENCE
In the Democratic mind amnestse
and forgiveness are inseparably con
nected with honor, reward, an6i
| preference. But need not, speal,
specially of the Democracy of this
South, for that OF the North to-da. z
recognizes no leader, no representa-
tive man who is not identified with
opposition to the work Of reconstruc I
| ton, and to the amendments; an,
those Union officers and soldiers wh,s
are serving in their ranks will fnf.
that there is latent suspicion anc.
hostility attaching to them which will
prevent them from ever being placeo!
in command. While preaching toler
aDce, the party practices intolerance
and is like the boatman who looks ones
way and rows the other.
The Democratic party has labored.
under the mistake that it was thu
North and not the South that was to-.
Northern sentiment and manners. no i
Southern, that required reformation !
From the end Of the war up to this.
time the veriest rebel South cOu!e'
come into any Northern State with
the assurance of kind and respectfu:..
treatment, whether travelling, or IL
business, or society, from men of ala
parties. His life was safe. and he wa.s
secure from violence, insult, and per
secntion on account OF his rebel his
tory He would find Democratic pol,
iticians inclined to run after him and
lionize him; but Republicans, while
they did not do that, aud were not in
clined to vote for him and put him,
into Office. yet treated him with the
kindness and respect to which his
merits as a man entitled him, and did
nothing to prevent his success as a
farmer, merchant, lawyer, or in any
business he might choose to follow.
He could advocate any opinion in the
North; could attend any church. His
children could attend any school,
without insult or Interruption.
WHEN THE SOUTH WILL BE RECON-
| sTRUcTED.
When this state of things is recip-
rocated in the South, reconstruction
will be complete When Republicans
in the South are protected by the laws.
are not oppressed by society, are not
prosecuted in their business, in their
schools. or churches, because Of their
political opinions or support OF the
Union cause during the war, or be-
cause they came from the North, but
are treated according to their merits
and character as men and women,
then there will be political peace and
fraternity; until then, not. We don't
require them to vote the Republican
ticket, nor to support Union instead