The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-07-27
TIE WOKK OE RECONsTRUCTION'
Speech Of Hon. II. L. Dawes.

At the Fourth of July celebration in
Pittsfeld, Mass, the Hon Mr.. Dawes,
the valued representative from that
district in Congress, says the Boston
Advertiser, was called upon to reply to
a sentiment in honor Of the President
of the United States, which ended with
the words: Let US to a man sustain
and assist Andrew johnson in his wise
and earnest efforts to restore and main
tain allegiance to the Union" Mr.
Dawes began by expressing his extreme
conviction that the final success Of all
the struggles Of our country depended
more at this moment than at any other
in our history upon the fidelity and
capacity of one man, sustained by pub
hc confidence, without which, in our
Government, all other strength is weak
ness" he then proceeded to state the
grounds of his own confidence in the
President, which he based upon and
illustrated by sketch Of his early life
and public career. Then, after point-
ing out effectively the simplicity and
power of that system Of government,
by which in such momentous condi-
ton Of affairs, the wheels Of govern
ment moved on quietly and Mr.. John
son became President, took up the un-
finished work of Mr. Lincoln, and is
finishing it as he began--Rnd how he
is meeting with obstruetions thrown in
his path by leading Republicans, Mr..
Dawes discussed the question of negro
suffrage oWe make the following ex-
tract from this portion Of his speech
An executive edict or ukase com
manding universal suffrage is demand
ed as condition of further support,
and the penalty of exclusion from rep
resentation by arbitrary vote Of each
House is held over every State in which
the rebellion has existed that does not,
as condition precedent, establish uni
Tersal suffrage. Now, in this demand
some things are forgotten or disre-
garded Is suffrage a State or National
regulation The power to say who
shall vote in each State exists either in
the State itself OF in the National Gov
ernment It cannot in both. Concur
rent jurisdiction is impossible. Then,
in which? Let the universal award OF
it by the whole nation to each State
under the Constitution, from 1889 to
this hour, answer. Let the express
provision of the Constitution that even
United States officers, representatives
in Congress, shall be chosen only by
those qualified to vote for mem5e Of
the lower House in their respective
States, answer. Let the absence Of any
authority found ia the Constitution for
It's exercise, answer that il is reserved
to the States. Without an amendment
TO the Constitution It cannot be done
even by Congress, much less BY Presi-
dental order. The appointment Of a
military governor Is the military act Of
the Commander-in-Chief, and the rules
he imposes upon him are the rules
which q commander-in-chief may give
TO his subordinate. Il makes no differ
ence by what name he calls him BE
may be provost marshal OF captain Of
the guard as well as anything else But
suffrage is a civil institution, and is
regulation is civil and not military.
TINS demand of an order from the
Presidents that suffrage IN these ststes,
either permanently OF temporarily, in
reorganization shall be regalated By
him, is therefore unconstitutional and
impossible.
Have those who threaten 10 ex-
clude by direct vote All representa-
ton from such State, until suffrage
shall be made universal, fully consid
cred the dangerous character Of the
precedent they would thus establish?
IL is q two edged sword they would thus
use, and would cut as well one way as
another. Ny friend who sits near me
has been IN Congress when Ma8achu-
setts and her ideas and local laws have
been not only in a hopeless minority,
bat hated and hunted How easy, BY
the precedent here invoked, could the
Whole State have been effectually si-
fenced BY excluding her members, till
her local laws were made 20 conform 20
the views Of the majority. What need
Of that long and Intellectual struggle
with the old man eloquent II this
we're 3 legitimate mode Of snenoing not
only him but his whole State2 Z beg
men not 70 establish, not even in %
good . cause So this, and for % graEd
an end, 3 precedent 50 dangerous %
| themselves, q Weapon that q tickle and
uncertain majority in Congress can
1 alone keep from their own ades
Il take e that representative from
l States Whese Constitutions contain q
4 like disability Of color, vii never jOin
in executing such threat Since ny
day in Congrea, . Northern free State
has been admitted cut OF the public
doman into the Union, upon an equal
f0otins with al the other States, with
this provisions still existing in ils Con-
stitution
No fres negro o. mgiatto. not rs-
siding Ia bis STATE s. The time Of the