Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-10-25

MARTIN KosZTA after declaring his
intention to become a citizen of the
| United States, returned to his native
country, whereupon he was seized and
sought to be thrust into the army. This
at Smyrna, on the Mediterranean, in
Asiatic Turkey Informed of it by the
Consul, whose intercessions were una
TaiIing. Capt. Ingraham, in command of
an L. 5. man-Of-war anchored in the
harbOr, promptly notified the authOri-
ties. that unless kosZta was at once re-
| leased he would lombard the town. He
was set at liberty, and returned to the
United States on war vessel. The
whole country applauded the act, and
it was ably justified by Secretary Marcy.
Four million colored people in the
South, natives of the country, thousands
of whom periled their lives to succor
and aid the soldiers of the Union when
| figh ting the white rebels of that section,
can not be protected by the Nation
| from the malice and hate of their white
neighbors on the soil they assisted in
preventing these white neighbOrs and
their ancestors wrestling from the cOun
try and erecting into IA hostile foreign
natiOni The accurSed doctrine of States
rights, which was thought to have been
trampled and SHOT to death by Northern
sOldiery, fOrbidS it, and those poor,
friendless hunted people are left to the
| .NfS F..sA
their grievances.
An election such as we have in Ohio
! is utterly unknown. In diStric where
the cOlored people are largely in the ma
| jority they are frightened away from
the polls by armed men, and so-called
Democrats returned to seats in Con-
gress. Mississippi, Alabama, Florida
and both the CarOlinaS could they
have such elections aS we have in the
North-would be as certainly Repub-
lican as is Vermont or Illinois. And
yet we have in Belmont county
men who act with these red-handed as
sassins in national elections, who whine
about Interference with elections.
Martin kosZta had been in this cOun-
try less than two years when he return
ed to Europe and was arrested. The
country owed him nothing whatever,
vet the Nation ran the risk of IA war in
order to assist his right to protection
On the other hand, thousands of colored
men fought and died under our flag, to
preserve the unity and integrity of their
native country, and assert the manhood
of their race. Those who remained on
the plantations took care of the women
and children with the utmost fidelity,
| while their rebel masters fought in the
rebel armies, but never did a fugitive
| Union soldier ask of them bread or a
| hiding place in vain. These faithful
peOple-poer, ignorant, and friendpss,
but who rendered the country valuable
service in its time of sorest need can
not be protected, though, except by the
States, which will not protect them, he
cause of the blessed doctrine of States
rights.
The mills Of the gods grind slowly.
but they grind exceeding fine" That
Mr.. Greeley and others who advocated "A
lenent policy toward the late rebels at
the close. of the war were mistaken.
events are verifying as the years roll
around. President Johnson, who under
stood the relentless spirit of the mad
men of the South much better, advoca-
ted another pOllcy,as did Senators Wade,
Chandler, and others; but the recOncila
'tion policy prevailed, and all men can
see the results are net what were ex-