The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-09-06
DEMOCRATIC State CONVENTION.
S p B EC Fl E s.
speech of Cen. George w. Nor
~ 4t.h- gan.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the Con.

| Bdns
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the Con.
Ueation:
Your committee has informed me that
the delegates from the people, here assem-.
bled, have confded to my custody during
the present important contest, the standard
of constitutional liberty and l appear be.
fore you, responsive to your call, TO express
my thanks, and to accept the trust, and give
my cordial Endorsement to the resolutions
adopted by the Convention.
1t was my fortune. Mr.. President, to be
associated for short time in the field, with
the distinguished gentleman who is the
nominee Of the Republican Convention,
aud entertain for him sentiments of per-
sonal kindness and respect. But our views
ON certain questions of vital importance
widely differ, and that difference of opinion
has made US, without any change on oul
part opposing candidates for the suffrage Of
our fellow citizens:
rs THE UNION RESTORED.
. Our country is at peace. No one believes
that there is danger Of civil commotion OF
of foreign war. Our gallant army of white
soldiers is being rapidly disbandcd, and they
are welcomedt to their homes amid the CRATE
I full piaudits of patriotic people; but the
fact that large armies OF negro troops are
retained under arms, should excite to vigi-
lance awaken the anxiety of every citizen.
The war is over; the supremacy of our
flag is acknowledged over the entire Federal
domain; there is cause for rejoicing over the
brilliant deeds of our soldiers, but there is
also reason for grave apprehension as tot the
| future. The roar of cannon, the clang of
arms, and the shouts Of victory are no Ion
ger heard; the consumption has ceased, the
hurried tread OF our young men OH the
pathway to war, no longer startles our wo-
men and children from their slumbers; but
the Union, the grand and only justifable
object of the war, the only object for which
our soldiers tuught-the Union is not yet
restored, and Il dangerous and powerful eff
fort is being made by professcd friends to
exclude certain of the States from a repre-
sentation in the Federal Legislature, and
| thereby prevent the restoration of the Tn
! ion.
THE Union" does not mean any given
extent of territory held under arbitrary rule
| but it is "a government Of United States
and until those States are represented
in the Federal Legislature, as provided by
the Constitution, there can be no Union.
War has performed its part; the soldier
has nobly discharged his duty, and let u
take good care that his blood has not been
shed in vain; the insurrectiouary armies
have surrendered their munitions to the
Federal authorities and resumed their ale
glance to the Government of the United
States, but the restoration Of the Union to
their position and rights under the Const.
tuition, is not yet achieved.
| Upon this vital question, our fellow-cti-
zens of the Republican party arc divided
among Themselves, and majority of that
party in Congress will oppose President
johnson plan for -eadmitting to the Ma
tional Legislature the Senator's and Repre-
sentatives fiom the Southern States. The
President declares that he is in favor Of
leaving the question of reconstructing theil
State Governments to the citizens of the
Southern States, in the exercise of their
Constitutional rights.
Our Government is not consolidated en-
pire like that of Russia, Austria or France;
nor a monarchy like that OF Great Britain
but we have Union composed of States
with CO. ordinate powers and co-cqual rights
The States formed the Union, and in doing
so, relinquished certain rights which arc
distinctly specified, and, in the language OF
the Constitution, AL powers not delegated
to- the United State, nor prohibited to the
States, are reserved to the States, or the
people" The Federal Government derives
its powers from the Constitution, land
! possesses no lawful authority which is not
granted by that instrument. Congress may
admit new States, but has no authority to
Fexpel State from the Union. Nineteen
States represented in Congress, have not
the right to exclude representatives from
seventeen, they cannot exclude the repre-
tatives from one State.
The powers of the States, as States, being
coordinate, and their rights co-equal, one
| State cannot exercise powers or enjoy privi-
leges to which every other State is not equal
| ly entitled.
Thus, every State is entitled to two Uni
ted States Senators, no matter what may be
the locality, or how small the population. -
/ And the Senators from a majority of the
States cannot exclude Senators from mi
nority of the States, without thereby viola
ting their constitutional rights.
The six New England States with popu-
lation of half million less than that of the
single State of New York, have twelve SEN
atorss while New York has only two. And
the State of Ohio has greater population
than five of the New England States, and
yet they have ten Senators while Ohio has
but two. Nor will will We complain of the
fact that one citizen of New England excr-
cises five times more representative power
in the Federal Senate than does citizen of
Ohio, unless that great disparity of power
be used to subvert the very rights which it
was created to protect But we are told that
the people of certain of the Southern
States have been in open insurrection, and
that thereby the States in which the insur-
gents lived have forfeited their political ex-
istence. 1t is true that the people Of the
South, at first in small numbers, afterwards
a majority, did rise in insurrection. But
have they not been terribly punished for this
fault2 In their slaves alone they have lost
two thousand million dollars. Their lands
have been ravaged; their houses have been
burned, and the region in which the war
was waged has been converted into charred
wilderness. Can justice, ay not justice,
but can human vengeance demand more
than this? And where, let us ask, is the
provision in the Constitution, which declares
that o State shall forfeit its political exis-
teucc--its rights under the Constitution,
because portion of all its citizens have
been insurgents? No such power exists and
it would be absurd to suppose that the Con
stitution would provide for its own over
throw by authorizing The disintegration Of
the Union, but it does provide for the sup
preston of insurrection and domestic vio-
lence. Il, Where individual persons have
done wrong they are ainenable to the civil
laws, but the acts OF individuals cannot for.
felt the existence OF States, nor confer pow
ers upon the Federal Government unknown
| to the Constitution. DL wv
| BY what process 10 the Union to be rostor-
ed2 BY what means are we again to become
cnnntrYmen In heart. rs well rs in nnma2 Il