Year: 1865

Letter from General Cox on the suf.


frage Question.
MEssRs. FAIRcHlLD AND PLUMB TO GENERAL


OBERLIN, July "a, 1865.


Gen. J. ID. Cox-Dear Sir:-The people
Of this place, with entire unanimity. sought
your nomination tor Governor OF Ohio =
With equal unanimity we desire to promote
your election. We rejoiced In your nomi.
nation because we had perfect confidence
that your views and sympathies wore ip
harmony With our own on the great issue
before us--tbe equality of all men before
the law. We still believe that we we're not
mistaken. But some OF US have been
startled by . report coming directly from
Warren, TO the fleet that you wei opposed
TO giving the elective franchise to colored
people, and that you requested the editor Of
the Chronicle to publish your views on the
subject, that you might not lose the sup
port of the Union men 10 the Southern
par. OF the State. We do not credit the ru-
NOR, and yet it has so disturbed some Of
your warmest supporters, that the under.
signed have been requested to address you
on tho satject.


We want to know directly from you your
views on tho following subjects. Ist. Are
you in favor Of modifying our Constitution
so as TO GIVE the elective franchise 10 col.
cred men: ID. In The re- organization of
the Southern States should the elective
franchise be given to tho coiored people?
Among us there is but one opinion on
this subject, and We we're mover more in
earnest on any political question. We be.
lieve that the distinction made by our Con.
stitution between white and colored people
was made in the interest Of slavery, and is
both wicked aud absurd, And we believe
that 10 reconstruct the Southern States and
admit them With constitutions excluding
colored men from the pclls, would give III e
country and the negro into the power OF
the very meu Who have sought and still de-.
sire to ruin the one and enslave the other.


Deliver tho -four millions Of freed people
into the hands of their former oppressors,
now embittered by their defeat, and they
will make their condition worse than before.
The Copperheads of the North, with the
united South, would gain control OF the
General Government, and in various ways
would barrass and oppress the negroes and
their friends beyond endurance. war oi
races would be likely to result. II as ma.
tion We can be go wicked as to deliver our
1
freedom We are pledged to maintain, into
the power of the most cruel aud vindictive
| people that ever laid claim to civilization,
! q terrible rotribution will await ua We
speak strongly that you may know how we
feel on tho surject.


Ii it be said that thenegroes Of the South
are .iguoi ant aud uLi. for the elective fran
ohise, We aDswer. grant il; but this has
nothing to do with the question. Our col
ored soldiers who have fought three years
for the Union arc not Of this class. nor are
those who have always been free; many oi
them have amassed wealth. 1t 10 for these
we ask the elective franchise. If 1t should
take a year or two or three to prepare Ihc
mass TO vote, we would be content, though
We believe our free institutions would be
safer in tho hands of the colored people ae
they are, than in the hands of the best bal
of the white population Of the South. The
question is, Shall colored people be allowed
10 vote? The enemies of our country Say
no. The mass of the loyal say yes. SO do
cided are our people on the subject, tba
thoy could Ly no means be persuaded Il
vote for man known to be opposed to II
The Union party of this country. SO far as w
know, are unanimous on tho subject, and w
we believe that throughout the country the
party can be rallied on this platform with
greater enth usiasm than on any other. All
tho prominent religious papers, and. with
one or two exceptions, all the leading Re.
publican papers are in favor of universal
suffrage. We believe that nothing could
DO more suicidal to our party and tho cause
of freedom than to reject this doctrine.


Please let US hear from you soon. 1t II
not our wish TO publish your views, unless
YOU desire it. But We wish to have our owr
minds relieved, and to be able to contra6ic
any false reports that may be 10 circulation
regarding your views on this subject.


Very truly and sincerely yours.


SAMUEL PLUMB, oo""'''''