Year: 1865

Robert L Johnson, Committee


GENTLEMEN I'll have the honor to ac.
knowledge the reception Of your letter of
the 25th instant announcing my nomina-
ton as the Democratic candi late for Auditor
General Of the State. Although the po.
sition was not sought for By me, accept
the nomination, and tended my thanks
or the compliment thus paid me. A de-
cent respect for the opinion on the people Of
Pennsylvania, whose suffrage is solicited,
seems to require frank statement of my
views.


was opposed to secession, even when
simply political dogma, advocated at the
hustiugs and at the forum; which is
proved by my subsequent conduct when it
had grown into armed insurrection.


l am opposed to negro suffrage, as
every white M an should be. Nature has
erected barrios az ainst the two races en-
joying equal political rights in the same
community where they approximate in
numbers as in the Southern States. San
Domingo is good case in point to prove
the incompatibilty oi the two races exer-
cising equal political privileges in harmo-
nv. There has been almost perpetual
warfare between the negroes and mulat-
toes since the island has been in their pos
session which has been only a struggle
for the ruling influence between the pure
! African and the mixed blood. If this
people of the same race, but of different
caste, cannot govern a small island in
peace, what are wa to suppose would be
the condition Of things when the negro
comes into competition with the puie eau
casion in the struggle for empire in the
South The founders Of our government
intended that the white should be the
governing race in this country, and it will
be calamtous day for both people when
the black man is given the political iran
chise, and entitled to hold Office. am
opposed to any change in the State Con-
stitution in this respect and deny to
Congress all right whatever to fix the
qualification for suffrage in any State,


am in favor of President Johuson's
policy Of restoring the States, lately in re-
bclliou, to their constitutional obligations.
l cannot admit that their ordinances Of
secession took any of them out Of the
Union. For timc an armed force lc.or-
rupted their constitutional functions, but
did not destroy their IDENTITY as States.
Hence the States, in their political signiii
cation, not having been destroyed, they
need no Reconstruction, but simply to be
restored to their reciprocal rights and du-
ties when the Union will be made whole
as before. Wherever they shall send rep
resentatives TO Congress who are qualified
by the Constitution, and the laws of the
respective States, there is 10 regular pow
DIR in that body to retute their admission.
| appreciate the peculiar and trying situa-
tion of the President and think he should be
treated with forbearance by all par
ties. His plan of restoration gives evil
dence that he does not intend to ignore the
rights of the States, and be led captive by
the radical doctrine ot consolid alton.


The Convention did well 10 demand an
immediate and complete restoration of all
civil rights in the loyal States. II there
was an excuse for withholding them 10 the
days OF actual rebellion there certainly can
be none now. You say TO the President
firmly, bat kindly, restore to tho people
the hoJe0s corpus, and trial by jury, as
fully as they were enjoyed before the re.
bellion, and abolish military courts excep
for the rial ot persons in the military and
naval service of the United States These
things are granted to the people by the
Constitution, and Withholding them violates
it in spirit and in fact. When we ash
that they be restored, we only demand
whct belongs to US.


am in favor Of the most rigid system
of economy in the administration of pub
lie affairs. In view of the heavy taxation
there should be retrenchment in every pos


sjble way, All officers, civil and military
whose services state of peace does not alb
solutely require, should be dispensed with
and our system of taxation should be S
) amended and equaizcd, that every ma,


will be obliged to bear his share Of tn
! pnblic burden according to his ability
am pleased that the Convention tool


action on the subject OF equalizing til
b bounties of soldiers. There is every rea
son why the patriotic men who enlisted i
r 1861 aud 62 should bo placed on a
ssquali!y with those who enlisted a: l41e