New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-21
For the New Orleans Republican.
LINCOLN,s PROPHETIC COUNSEL.

The Ballot Of the Freedma Keeping the
"Jewel Of Liberty in the Family Of
Freedom''-Governor Hahn Lives to
Wftncss, and Even Supervises tho Re.
sult-The Nation Rewarded for Fidel-
fty to its Allies.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
In contemplating the present perilous
crisie, tho remarkav.o Iact stands out bold
ly that the freedman's ballot in the three
States to give the final decision of the presi-
Dental contest saves the Repu blican party
from q premature disaster. With all it's
prestige as the preserver of the national
unity; its heroes and martyrs crowned by q
halo of glory to be reverenced by future
generations; its physical valor as the pro
moter of government of thu people, by
the people and for the people," in it's high
est sense, on this continent, it has come
within one electoral vote of defeat, and
victory is to be awarded the astonished
"boys in blue" by the poor ''contraband OF
war" whom they were slow to liberate and
enfranchise.
When the telegraph announced the thrill
ing intelligence that Republican victory
depended upon Louisiana, my thoughts al
most instantly REQUIRED to the letter of
President Lincoln. addressed to Governor
Michael Hahn, in the earliest period Of re-
construction. 1t may be found in Ray
mond's Life. Speeches ana Public Services
Of Abraham Lincoln" as follows:
fxECuTlFE MANSION
Washington, Malcn -, 1854. )
Hen. Michael Hahn:
My DEAR SIR congratulate you on
having fixed your name in history as the
first free State Governor of Louisiana.
which, among other things, will probably
define the elective franchise, l barely sug-
gest. for your private consideration, whether
some of the cClored people may not be let
in, as, tor instance, the very intelige mt, and
especially those who have fought CALAMITY
in our ranks. Tney would probably help,
in some trying time to come, to keep the
jewel of liberty in the family Of freedom.
But this is only aeuggestion, not to the pub
liz, but to you alone.
Truly yours, A. LINCOLN.
Have we not reached the verifcation of
the prophecy' Is not the ray OF hope on the
anxious faces of the friends of the Union
caused by the freedman's ballot keeping
the jewel of liberty out Of the hands of
Confederate Democracy, and in the family
or party of freedoml Verify, it seems to be
q providential Interpolation to awaken the
nation from the too careless policy pursued
of late years, by which the detenseless
allies OF the government have been sub
jected to unprovoked assaults from enc
mics that should be silent or vanquished.
The policy Of equal justice to the freedman
in the matter of civil rights has borne am
pie fruit to establish its wisdom. The
black allies have fought for the Union as
nobly in the civil as they did in the military
arena.
A singular coincidence is THE: Governor
Hahn, whom Lincoln 80 sagely counseled,
was the able Supervisor of Registration in
the late election, who personally directed
the making up of the record, and aided in
the fulfllment of its design. Lincoln was
assassinated, and Governor Hahn narrowly
escaped similar fate in the July riot of
1866, at the prompting of like spirit. The
counselor may not witness, but the humble
servant does witness the trying time come,
and the retention of the ''jewel of liberty
in the family of freedom"-the election of
General Hayes by the freedman's ballot.
EMERSON BENTLEY.
Morgan City, La, November IL, 1876