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Franklin Repository: June 21, 1865 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Negro Suffrage In The South
(Column 7)

Summary: The article repudiates the notion that conferring blacks with suffrage rights will result in their social advancement by pointing out the fact that blacks, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, had the right to vote in a number of states, both northern and southern, yet clearly their status had not markedly improved as a result.

Origin of Article: Frankfort Commonwealth

Editorial Comment: "To the objection that negro suffrage implies negro social equality, the Frankfort Commonwealth promptly responds:"

Full Text of Article:

NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN THE SOUTH--To the objection that negro suffrage implies negro social equality, the Frankfort Commonwealth promptly responds:

Negroes have voted in the South and yet were in no sense advanced to an equality with the whites. In every southern State, except South Carolina, the right of suffrage was originally exercised by all "freemen." The original Constitutions of Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, make no mention of color, or distinction between white and black, in their privileges as to who may vote. Till within comparatively few years, negroes voted in Tennessee, in Maryland they voted until 1833, and in North Carolina as late as 1835. Now, did this advance them at all in the scale of equality? Were the schools in those States thrown open to them? Did they visit in gentlemen's parlors? Was amalgamation any more common in those days than it is now? We hope not. Was there, in any sense, the "equality" of which the opposition is now so offensively talking, and with which they are as pertinaciously insulting the common sense and decency of the people? Not a bit of it.

In Pennsylvania colored people voted until 1838. Yet in that State a negro has not the same privileges that he has here in Kentucky. In Connecticut the negro voted till 1817, and yet he had not attained an equality sufficient to preserve for himself the privilege. In New York the negro, if he has the requisite property qualification, may vote now, but he has scarcely advanced one step in the scale of equality. Not even near enough to have the property restriction removed in his case, when it was removed in 1836, as far as it applied to the white voter.

[No Title]
(Column 7)

Summary: Noting the apparent hypocrisy, the brief piece points out that the same "journals who pleaded the strongest for the hanging of old John Brown five years ago, are now the most anxious that Jeff Davis and conferees should escape."

The Problem of Reunion
(Column 1)

Summary: With the war over, the difficult task of sectional reconciliation must begin, say the editors. Complicating matters, they claim, are the efforts of the Democrats, who, after lending their tacit support to the rebels during the late conflict, are "striving to keep alive the resentments of these traitors and prevent their cordial reunion with kindred they foolishly abandoned and revengefully fought."

Editorial Comment: "The work of conquering the rebels in arms was easy in comparison with the task of restoring them to a brotherly and harmonious sympathy with us, whom they have met with such deadly malice and whom they have so long been taught to regard with malevolence."

Full Text of Article:

The subjugation of the rebels, in the only sense in which it was ever purposed by the government to subdue them, has at length been accomplished. It proved to be the most stupendous military achievement in the annals of history. The determination of the loyal people of the country to preserve the integrity of the Union, and their unexampled valor effected this result. Now that our armies have performed their mission, comes the hardest problem for the solution of our statesmen. It is not enough that the territorial integrity of the nation should have been preserved and the honor of our flag sustained. It is not our desire that the smitten disloyal States shall be held in an inferior political position, to be governed as provinces by coercion. The feelings of our hearts, as well as the spirit of freedom require that there should be no inequality in the citizens of the Republic, excepting, of course, such degradation as justice demands in punishment of crime. The people of the South must be blended in a community of interests, privileges and sentiments with those of the North. The effects of this bitter war are to be obliterated as soon as possible. The work of conquering the rebels in arms was easy in comparison with the task of restoring them to a brotherly and harmonious sympathy with us, whom they have met with such deadly malice, and whom they have so long been taught to regard with malevolence. The mortification of unexpected defeat in the trial of arms; the humiliation of having their territory overrun upon every acre: their forts, their ships, their arms, captured; their wealth destroyed; their unrighteous privileges rudely abrogated; their sons slain; all prevent a ready and graceful acceptance of the offers of free and hearty fellowship we shall extend to them. The highest qualities of statesmanship are needed to manage this great theme--the utmost wisdom and prudence upon the part of our rulers and people. No unnecessary harshness, no injudicious leniency will serve. We believe the administration will manage this difficult task wisely and well. But they need the support of the people now as much at least as they needed their support in waging war. It is painful to see, however, that this encouragement is not given with the unanimity that it should be. The rebel sympathisers among us, who co-operated with the traitors during the fierce struggle just ended, and controlled the opposition at the last election, seem to feel that their party existence depends upon their making odions, and thwarting the administration, and are busy in impeding and deranging the efforts of the government. They seek to make the people, North and South, believe that the Unionists are cruel and unjust; that they have the simple desire of elevating the negro and procuring him power. And as they apologized for the traitors while in arms, they are striving to keep alive the resentments of those traitors and prevent their cordial re-union with the kindred they so foolishly abandoned and so revengefully fought. The treason of these Northern recreants is no less than that of the overthrown traitors who built up the short lived Confederacy. But we believe, yea, we know, that the evil they are devising will have no power to do much permanent mischief.

The hand of the Almighty disposer of events has hitherto guided us. The voice of mankind has welcomed our triumph with rejoicings. The mission of this Nation is assured, its unity fully and forever confirmed. The right of the people to rule, and the right of all people to elevation and prosperity are maintained. It is a sad spectacle to see our citizens, men whom in their social and friendly relations we respect and love, arraying themselves against the common sentiments of mankind, and setting their faces against the everlasting truth. They know not what they do. They stand apart from the masters of their fellow-men, their feeble voices of discord lost in the swelling volume which sings hosannas to the triumph of their race. It is the men who denied the right of the soldier to vote, who proclaimed the war an unrighteous failure, who opposed the ratification of the constitutional amendment, who are striving to interrupt the harmonious settlement of the perplexities upon us, and seek to keep up the hostility of the people of the South to their blood relations of the loyal States. The most scandalous vilification of the President and his cabinet are circulated greedily to weaken these functionaries in public confidence. The accusations of hasty and testy generals are seized with avidity, and no hero can make himself half so acceptable as when he is using his influence to prejudice the administration. Verily his defeat of the enemy is nearly compensated in the estimation of those men by a raid upon the Secretary of War. It is evident that these factious opponents of the government do not realize the positions they occupy. The jealousy with which we watch the faintest encroachment upon popular rights may for a time save them from the scorn so soon to overwhelm them. But the day will come when the people of this restored and happy Republic will regard as the most dangerous and meanest of its enemies the men who lived in the midst of their loyal countrymen, and labored to cripple its energies, when struggling for its life--the men who, when that struggle ended in sustaining the supremacy of law and order, sought to foster discontent, sullenness, bitterness, and unarmed disloyalty among the people led back by force to their allegiance.

[No Title]
(Column 2)

Summary: A notice specifying which soldiers are eligible for government bounties.

Full Text of Article:

ENLISTED men of volunteers mustered out of service under recent orders from the War Department are to be considered as so mustered out on account of Government no longer requiring their services, and are entitled to the balance of whatever bounty they may at the time be legally receiving. From this bounty balance are to be excepted those discharged who were enlisted under the Act of July 4, 1864, and the call of the President of July 18, 1864, and such as are clearly shown to be discharged for confirmed disability or as pensioners. Veterans who go out of service under General Orders, No. 77, Current Series, do not go out, because their services are no longer required, as they are expressly excepted for operation, under orders for the reduction of the army, only as prisoners of war. Non-commissioned officers of infantry and cavalry volunteers, mustered out of service by reason of being supernumeraries, in consolidation, consequent upon recent orders for the reductions of the army, are to be considered as mustered out on account of their services being no longer required by the Government, and are entitled to the balance of the bounty remaining unpaid.

[No Title]
(Column 2)

Summary: Among the recent petitions for special pardons received by the President were those of Robert E. Lee, late commander of the Rebel forces, and Alexander H. Stephens, late Vice-President of the Confederacy.

Washington
(Column 4)

Summary: The Repository's Washington correspondent informs readers that the "excitement that arose from the conspiracy trial has all died out." Instead, the chief topics of conversation in the capital are black suffrage and reconstruction. According to reports, the President has met with representatives from both sections of the country, who have sought to sway the Chief Executive to their way of thinking regarding the appropriate policy for re-admitting the former rebel states. It is unclear whether the interviews have had an impact.

Trailer: S. C.

Horrible Affair In Illinois
(Column 7)

Summary: An account of the lynching of a wounded guerilla captain in Quincy who was seized from his jail cell and dragged through the streets before finally being hanged in a remote area on the outskirts of town.

Origin of Article: Quincy (Ill.) Herald

Local Items
(Column 1)

Summary: A copy of the resolution passed at the anniversary of the Franklin County Bible Society, held on May 7th, requesting local churches to collect donations "to aid the Society to carry on its work of supplying the destitute."

Local Items--The Wheat Crop
(Column 1)

Summary: Relates that the milk-weevil has infested wheat crops in the vicinity of Chambersburg and threatens to destroy all of the Mediterranean variety. White wheat, however, has avoided the destruction because its grains were too hard when insects arrived.

Local Items--Sale Of Oil Lands
(Column 1)

Summary: Four hundred acres of the Irvin Farm were sold to a New York Oil Company for $70,000 and a ten-percent interest in any future oil production on the land. Recently, however, the six-hundred acre property was offered for $12,000.

Local Items--Honorably Discharged
(Column 1)

Summary: Dr. William C. Lane, Surgeon of the Board of Enrollment of the District, was honorably discharged last Thursday.
(Names in announcement: William C. Lane)

Local Items--Gone To Europe
(Column 2)

Summary: Rev. Dr. P. Schaff, of the Mercersburg Theological Seminary, left for Europe from New York on June 10th.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Dr. P. Schaff)

Local Items
(Column 2)

Summary: Rev. Thomas X. Orr, of Allegheny, and formerly a member of the Chambersburg Bar, preached in the Presbyterian Church last Sunday.

Local Items
(Column 2)

Summary: Rev. Carnahan, formerly Pastor of the Associate Reformed Church, was installed Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Gettysburg on the June 13th.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Carnahan)

Local Items
(Column 2)

Summary: Notes that the court house roof will be completed early in the fall. The cost is expected to be equal to the cost of the original structure.

Married
(Column 4)

Summary: On June 18th, A. J. Hall and Susan E. Wiston were married by Rev. E. B. Wilson.
(Names in announcement: A. J. Hall, Susan E. Wiston, Rev. E. B. Wilson)

Died
(Column 4)

Summary: On June 14th, Abraham Bechtol died after a protracted illness.
(Names in announcement: Abraham Bechtol)

Died
(Column 4)

Summary: On April 1st, John K. Simmers, of Co. D. 210th Pa. Vols., died during the Battle of Five Forks, Va.
(Names in announcement: John K. Simmers)