The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-10-06


ed by the laws af nations alone, and no
question Of the Constitution can be raised
except by the adhering States. ! under
stand the position Of Mr.. johnson and the
war Democrats. They hold that the or
dlnanccs OF secession were invalid; that
whoever attempted by force Of arms to
make them available were traitors; that
their unlawful acts do not effect the stat
utcs Of the State or Of its law w-abiding pco-
pie; that they may be punished, but that
the State remains the same. GCheers. !
But cannot understand the thimble-rig
logic Of these halfway gentlemen, that
the ordinances Of secession are half valid
!. half invalid; that the States are in the
Union to be governed, out Of it to bc pro-
tectcd; in the Union when duties arc re-
qulrcd, out Of it when rights arc to be
accorded; in the Union when taxes are
cxactcd, out Of it when representation is
demanded. Why should they not be
represented dY This representation is es-
sential to the restoration Of the Union
Why was the war prosecuted? For the
maintenance Of the Union. Love Of the
: Union was the sentiment which lay at the
very heart OF our people. 1t had grown
aud strengthened, and become fixed BY
the attempts at disunion Of the Hartford
/ Convention and the notification Of South
, Carolina. 1t was this that made strong
men volunteer, and matrons and maidcns
. and wives to consent that con and hus-
/ band and lover should volunteer. It wa
this that made the North yield armed
men as if irom.hc soil. Mr. Lincoln, in
| his inaugural and messages. told us the
war was for the Union; Congress in the
most solemn form, reiterated it. Mr..
= Seward, after two years Of war told Us
that the seats Of Senators and members
, were vacant, and their open arms, with
! silent cloqucnce, invited the States and
. the people to return TO the blessings and
] duties Of the Constitution. Your arms
D have been successful; not an armed enc,
. my withssands you; they ask admittance
: TO their seats. Why Is not the Union re
a stored? Why do those who have clam
!. ored for Union refuse il? Why do thost
: who have urged others to fight for Unio:
c prevent it?
$ Gentlemen It is because they dc
= cciyed you and their friends. They ncvei
r were for the Union. Thadlcus Steven:
: was honest enough to say 20. He said II
c my hearins that with his consent the Tn
: ion never should be restored. These mer
4 hate the Constitution Of the United States
b They hate our form Of Government anl
t they know the most effective stab thcJ
: could give 1.-THE most fatal b'ow-woulc
j be the attempt to govern onc-half Of tht
c country without representation.
j ! speak Of men whom | know; mcr
j with whom have served in public life
+ | do not impeach their intelligence or pa
). triotsm, or sincerity; but | repeat, | be
lievc they hate our Constitution, and DC
! sire its overthrow. They believe consoli
l. dation is better than confederation. The,
prefer 10 trust their liberties and the lib
= critics OF the race to an overpowerine ir
= responsible majority rather than to on
d orderly process established under Tia
checks and balances of our system
i [Checrs.
K Consider the Constitutional amendment
e Congress insisted upon its adoption rs
c condition precedent to the admission o
C Senators and Representatives. 1fit wer
= entirely desirable, if nobody objected c
s could object to any of lis provisions, stil
j it ought not 10 be proposed. Ifthc State
h arc entitled to representation, the adop
J tion of this amendment ought not to b
e exac:ed. If they are no. entitled, it
p adoption will not confer it. IF they ar
r entitled, the refusal of the right is til
? highwayman's course, who seizes You b
it the throat and agrees TO releace his hol
IT if you will give him your purse. In val
; you assert that you are entitled both t
: your freedom and your money. You bu
'r one admitted right by the surrender G
/ another. If they are not entitled, tn
If proposal to confer it is the device Of til
IS devil, who eagerly offered the kingdom
of the earth and the glory thereof, whic
'e he didn't possess, if only his black majes
Al ty could be worshipped. But what
1t this impedimcnt?
= Every person born within the Unite
re States shall be citizens thereof and ofth
IS States wherein he resides Citizens
y the State That the Constitution left t
d each Statc-entirely left it there-thi
r voters of the law of the State were ey
of pressly made electors for Federal officer
lc No State shall impair the privileges an
- immunities of citizens of the Unite
cs States. What are these privileges an
= immunities? Where are they defined
al Where written? The Constitution h;
- already put each citizen of each State upo
to the same footing as citizens of the sever
D. States.
n, Representation shall be apportioned a,
ID cording to population, but if any ma
ey persons over twenty-one years of age sha
o. be excluded from the ballot-box, the rel
~ resentative basis shall be diminished b
or these in proportion as the the males c!
d, cluded bear to all the males of twenty
OF one years in this State. The former prol
n osition was to exclude from the basis a
In of any race or color ifthey were exclude
a from the right of suffrage. That coul
1t not stand moment. By it the State
e. might exclude the young, the old, Ii
n, poor, the ignorant, the soldier; and
m they are only white, the other electol
1e might vote for them but if they hav
e. excluded the negro, his whole race was
ne he excluded from the representative basi
nj 4. L II. J.