Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-26

dertake to discuss the modesty Of these
gentlemen in thus addressing the people of
the country. / may not question their
right to issue this address, but l see that it
has not appended to it the names Of q
majority Of the Democratic members Of this
House. find the name Of no New Eng
! land Democrat attached to it. 1 find not
the name Of that loyal Democrat from In
diana Mr.. Holman affixed to it. I fail to
discover the name Of my loyal Democratic
colleague from the district adjoining my
! ownTMr. .Nugen attached to it. Nor dol find
the inAuentiah member Of the war commit
tee Mr. 0dell] there. I said that major
ity Of the Democratic members had failed
to sign it, though 1 do not know how many
have responded to the invitation which
see appended to the address in the shape Of
a note. ThePaper ia left open, like q sub
scription bookyaf0Fsiany one to take stock
in the concern who wishes From all the
Northern States there are Democrats who
have not Joined in issuing this address.
If / am correctly informed, I may state
| too, that the meeting at which this address
was adopted, was not of the most harmO-
nious character. If reports have not been
incorrectly sent forth, there was discord
and contention there. But l viii proceed
| to the character Of this address.
There is nothing very peculiar in the adj
dress itself The substance of it might
have been eulled from the speech Of any
traitor on this floor in the last two years.
There is nothing new in it. see in it no
I complaint or even disapprobation of the
Southern rebellion. A person reading it
would little suspect that it was written at
the capitol of q nation in the throes of rev.
olution, that this nation had on that day
more than.a half million Of men in the
field struggling for the maintenance of the
Constitution and the laws. No. sir, there
is no word of condemnation of treason, in
this so called Democratic Address. For
aught that appears in it. JEFF. Davis and
all his traitor cabinet might have signed it
| with propriety. The summing up Of the
address is in these words: l-st-'s
'The great immediate issue is-to maintain the
Constitution as it is, and to restore the Union as
I it twas"
maintain the Constitution as it is n
Who has proposed to change the Constitu-
tion2 Not the Republicans. Who, re-
peat, has proposed to change the COnstitu-
| ton The rebels now in arms against the
OOnbllbuAAVAlf anu iAAlp y Gay AAADA VA
| this paper Why, Mr.. Chairman, for
yvo.-s pact tlAosS has bson an OffoFt made by
a certain class of the Democratic party to
change the fundamental law of this land
Two years ago, it is well known to mem
bers here, how violent, fierce, and untiring
those men were to change the Constitution
Of our country. On the 10th day of jan
uary, 1861, Mr., Garnett, a noted rebel from
3, ,,,.l1a
floor:
"What the minority section needs is power
power to secure its rights against majority sec
ton, differing in opinions and institution, and
animated by hxed hostility to those Of the minor
ity. The danger to the minority is not only in
hostile legislation, but in hostile use of Federal
patronage and influence, and IA the absence Of
such positive protection as its interests may re-
quire. Whether in our foreign relations, in e1-
pansion by territorial acquisition, or in forming
new States by colonization in such acquisition To
secure all this the South must have an absolute
veto in every department of the Government"
'eThe South must have an absolute veto
in every department of this Government"
says Mr.. R. II. Garnett: Well, sir, on the
7th day Of February, of the same year,
my colleague from the Dayton district,
[Mr. VRaandighRm] who, b y the way is
the author Of this address and the father
of this movement, the leader in this as
ssult upon the Government, my colleague
from the Dayton district brought in the
following proposition: -
Joint resolution proposing amendments to
the Constihltion-W W hereas the Constitution
Of the United States is grant of specific
powers delegated TO the Federal Govern
ment by the people of the several States, all
powers not delegated to it nor prohibited to
/ A. cfofos Io;y,c- rosoy-o1 70 fbo
| spectively, or to the people; and whereas it
| is the tendency Of stronger governments to
enlarge their powers and jurisdiction at the
expense of weaker governments, and Of
maiorities to usurp and abuse power and
oppress minOrities, 10 arrest and hold in
check which tendency compacts and eonsti-
tutions are made; and whereas the only
effeetual constitutional security for the
rights Of minorities, whether as people or
as States, is the power expressly reserved
in constitutions Of protecting those rights
/ by their own action and whereas this
mode of protection by checks and guaran-
tees is recognized in the Federal Con-
/ stitution, as well in the case Of the
equality of the States, in representation
and suffrage in the Senate, as in the
provision for overruling the veto Of the
! President, and for amending the Constitu-
| ton, not to enumerate other examples; and
whereas, unhappily, because Of the vast
| extent and diversified interests and insti-
tutions Of the several States of the Union,
sectional divisions can no longer be sup
pressed; and whereas it concerns the peace
and stability of the Federal Union and
/ Government that division Of the States
into mere slaveholding and non-slaYehold-
ing sections causing hitherto, and from
the nature and necessity Of the case, in
famatory and disastrous controversies up
on the subject of slavery, ending already
in present disruption Of the Union, should
be forever hereafter ignored and whereas
this important end is best to be attained by
the recognition Of other sections without
regard to slavery, neither of which sec
tons shall alone be strong enough to op-
press or control the others, and each be
vested with the power to protect itself from
aggressions: Therefore,
Be IL res0lped By the Senate and House Of
Representatives. Of the United States Of Amer
iea IN CoRgress assembled, (twO-thirds Of
both Houses eOnourring,) That the follow
| ing articles be, and are hereby, proposed
as amendments to the Constitution Of the
United States which shall be valid to all
intents and purposes as part Of said Con-
! stitution when ratified by conventions in
three-fourths Of the several States.
"a Article XIII
SIC l. The United States are divided in
to foHr sections, as follows;
The States 7ef Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and
PeRnsylvanis, and all new States annexed
/ a-.l olr...llnl s..l. IL II..:-.. -. E..-..l .r