Year: 1867

ngs vii! be intensified in his present condi-
ton of freedom. The danger is that he will
be over sensitive. The notorious fact Of his
leaving his former master, though the kind
est. and though he may offer him the best |
terms, and have his interest at heart, is sig
nificant in this point of view. There is still
ranking in him sense of his past degrada-
ton; and, if there be danger of his running
into error by reason OF his over sensitiveness,
what might we not expect if, the right of
suffrage being confined to his old masters,
they should attempt harsh and oppressive
legislation And, baff1ed and mortified by
the results of the late Rebellion, and, promp-
ted by interest and revenge, who doubts that
they will attempt it2 What followsa a
collision. .


Gentlemen you may call this visionary /;
they may say that during the war the ne
groes demeaned themselves with exemplary
propriety. True but times have altered.
Then, they were slaves, unarmed, friendless,
and in the midst of an armed force to crush
the slightest symptom of discomfort. How
are they now2 They are free; they may
arm themselves they are in the midst of
their race ready and able to help. and in
country garrisoned with negro troops. 1t
will no longer be death to circulate among
them documents which speak to them OF
their rights and dignity as men and the
literature they shall read and hear read will
not be of sort to diminish their spirit of
resistance. Let but such legislation be un-
dertaken, and let the collision ensue, and
tell you, the fires that were kindled in St.
Domingo, when similar attempt was made
there, will grow pale and dim before the
flames that shall light up our Southern hor-
lion. The home of the negro must and will
be here. He will still occupy the hills and
the valleys where he was born, still cultivate
the broad acres his hand has reclaimed from
the wilderness. Shall we live together as
friends, or shall we live as enemies2


There is another reason why think that
the extension of suffrage to the freedmen
will be conducive to national tranquility,
and that is, it ,oiU afford ne'o element OF
strength to tile g0rernmert 1t will effect this
mainly in two ways. First, it will bring in
an accession of voters heartily loyal to the
Government to which they owe their free
dom, who will support national policy,
and who may be relied upon in any emer
gency in peace or in war. Secondly, these
will act as Il check upon class not loyal at
heart to the Government.


wish to be understood that I do not
mean that the designs of this class will man
ifest themselves in any violence against the
freedmen or the unionIsts. Neither do de-
sire to be thought defamer of the State in
which was bred and reared up from infan-
cy to manhood, and which shall be my flu
ture home But territorial boundaries do
not divide truth from error, nor do impreca-
tions upon the head of the writer affect what
reason speaks.


The recent Rebellion was fought out with
a desperation unexampled in history. A re-
morseless conscription "robbed the cradle
and the graven to fill the ranks. The peo-
pie were taxed, impressed, and plundered to
furnish food. The soldiers in the army were
half-fed and half-clothed, and the families of
many were suffering for the necessaries Of
life For four long years we were stretched
upon the rack with now and then an audi
BILE groan, but few daring to whisper the
that confederacy founded upon slavery
might take its seat among the nations9 II
this could be accomplished, it were well
worth all the toll and sorrow. The chiefs
saw golden visions in the future Glory and
honor awaited them; there were the laurels
of victory, and the laurels of civil Office
Southern chiyalry was to sparkle in the
courts of Europe. Southern beauty was to
grace the drawing rooms of st. James, and
shed lustre hpon imperial balls at the Hote
de Vile. The Slaveocracy was to go Oh
| working out its favourite form of govern
ment in the several States. and, with Cottor
! for king, was to be the richest people upor
/ earth. But how are the mighty fallen ant
( the weapons of war perished Defeated
| crushed, and Inundated, ruined in hope
and ruined in fortune, what passion might
We not reasonably expect would be tn,
{ spring of their future policy ? Gaul die
I not love Rome, nor do the Poles love til,
/ Autocrat. Can we expect these, then, tt
| love the Government which has been com
| PEELED to reduce them to this extremity q
VIII they not be aoise as serpents and bide thei
time, stealthily carrying out the programme


of Sanders card or listening for the French
bugles on the Rio Grandes


| When the rebel States are admitted, the,
/ will be entitled to from fifteen or twenty ad
ditional members of Congress. If the loya


blacks are excluded from the ballot-box


there will be no difficulty in saying before


hand what will be the complexion of tn


delegations. Where the spirit of rebellion


existed before, it still exists If defeat ha


broken its power, it has only aohetted its n


Cenge. The first lesson that shall be taugh


to thousands of unborn infants will be Sc


cret curse upon the American flag, and upo


the men who bore it to victory. Men will b


elected upon the ground Of their former dc


votion to disunion and their prosecution q


the war. Having the balance of power, a


they will, what corrupt combinations ma


not be formed, and how soon may we nc


have to fight again the battle for nations


existence? The few who remained faithfr


will be dumb; their voices will not be hear


in your national councils


JUSTICE OF THE MEASURE.


! shall assign but two principal reason


why national justice requires that this rigf


should be granted. And do not see how


is possible to say any thing to enforce thel


beyond their bare announcement.
| Whoever pays q tao to the support of Go


erSanaent should hare a coicc in its adn.inistrt


ton. Take. for example, the free colored me


in Louisiana. For number of years the


have been paying taxes on property value


at more than fifteen millions of dollars Al


these to have no hand in the appropriate


of the public money2 Are the revenues d,


rived from the fruits of their labor to be e,


pended without their voice being heard, o


perhaps, even turned against them for the


oppression9


The second is equally self-evident; and


is, Whosoecer fights for the Government shou


haoe a ooice in its administration. Gener


Jackson called the negroes " Fellow-citizens


and they helped to swell his ranks in b


most memorable camnairn They rallied