Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-05-31
I Continued |.

b. oHT RAID"
CoH!inued
Mr.. TrdmLull. If the Senator from
Tennessee will allow me, as he has dwelt
on that point, | will restate my position
in regard to that. do insist that all
men are created equal. by which do not
mean that al persons are equa. in organ
lied society. The fact is an abstract truth +;
bur when we come to form government
and organize society, all persons do not
have equal rights. If the Senator from
Tennessee denies that proportion,
would ask him, in the absence of all gov
eruue ent, and when men are created with
out a society who is superior? And how
is it tha. a white man is superior TO q
black man, or man TO woman?
take ii that women are created with the
same natural Ilgh'S that men have but
they do not have the same political rights
in society. ! understand that deciara-
ton which Las been quoted from the Dec
laration Of Independence, and the same
language in the Illinois constitution, to
mean simply al assertion OF the great
| natural truth that all men are created e.
quail, 10 hold that up before the people Of
'his country that everybody may see it,
Now, whNn we organize our sooi"ty, wa
viii infringe as lille on that great nalur-
al right as possible; but 10 government is
perfect, and therefore we do in Illinois
make q distinction between whites and
| blacks; and we make distinction be-
tween the political rights Of men ana To-
men. While we DO that, We admit the
q ca. GOd-giyeu truth that all are crea' ed
equal.
Mr. JOhn,on. of Tennessee. That ia
the precise poirl at which we como to Ms
cert ain those rights: it is when govern
ments and societies are to be formed
Then we aise the question at once wheth'
er this description OF individuals 10 equal
10 another description OF individuals,
Tie constitution OF the Senator's own
Stare assumes that all members OF the
white race, the race for whom they were
making and forming government, wele
equal, ard created equal. An African
may be equal to his fellows in his own
country, surrounded y his own kind of
people, who are inferior to the white race
but, bee use he Is transferred here, or
happens to be born on this continent, he
is not invested with the same rights "ith
one of our race he is not created equal
IN the very beginning. The distinction
begins with ,he very germ itself. 1t de-
peuds entirely upon where he 10 born.
But wish to ask the Senator aqueS-
tion. Assuming equality TO be the rule
| in q natural STATE where there Is no law
he assumes, then, that the black man is
created with the same rights that the
white man is. You asume that the
power Of the Federal Government Is sovcr-
eign over TER tory. You now 60 into
a community where there ale no whites
established. Will you, under this gener-
Al idea Of liberty, and this declaration
that all men are created equal, in the Of
gauizatiou Of your territorial government
under your sovereign power make the
negro equa, to the white man? viii the
! Senator answer that
Mr. Trumbull Does the Senator de.
sire that | should answer,him now?
Mr. johnson. Certainly, if you think
i proper.
Mr. Trumbull | should be governed
by The circumstances of the PEOPLE.
would not give 10 the negro population
the same political rights that would to
! the white population in every case. do
not know that would In any ca 'e'
When we come 10 form our political
rights Of the persoas who are to compose
| it. lam not prepared to say that ! would
give the same political rights either to
females or to negroes that would To the
white male population. Under ordinary
circumstances certainly | should not re
in favor Of such proposition.
Mr.. johnson. Mr.. President. all that
want is, to get at the truth, and want
no log or mystfication about he subject.
DO not understand me as assuming that
ihe senator is Intentionally throyin fog
about It, The fog may be on my part,
not OIL his. Bat perhaps can make my
proposition understood by asking another
question. If, for instance ihe Territory
of Arizona was cOlonized and filed 40
with free colored population altogether,
would the Senator be willing 10 admit it
into tho Union as State on an equal foot
ing with the other States Of this Conleder-
acy2
nv Trumbull nv idea nhou, the nd.
mission of rev S,atesi9 this would no,
admit any community applying 10 become
one Of The members Of this Union, by she
admission of which suppose was en-
dapgering the peace Of tbe Union itself.
! a Y. 10