Des Arc citizen., 1866-11-17

1 Effects of the Constitutional Amend 1 lro- frefog ment. o'a.i

GHeCLS Ol Iuo OUuStltutloheeA 1AAA"A~
 l lIo- t19fos ment. EXTRACT FROM A SPEECH OF GEN. Nc | raI .agH19 CLERNAND.h hfil ii9uio1 . ! ,r tp.if e-O-- l# flgn | "But whnt is the real purpose of that Constitutional amendment? No man is so blind as not to see. He who run may read. It's inspiring motive, It's primal aim, is to bring the excluded States by moral or physical coercion to .enfranchise the negro, to confer on him the elective franchise, to make him the Bpolitical equal of the white man. sup pose this was accomplished, what would be the consequence The olack anu white populations of Mississippi, pre- ! vious to the rebellion, were about cq uai in point of numbers Now, prQoapi!, since the ravages of the war, the ne nroes are the most numerous. Possess ed of the ballot, they would have power to elect negro Governor, negro Leg islators and negro Judges, and to send negroes to both branches of Congress. Is this consummatiom to be desired Would the negroes be capable of ad- ministcrine the executive, legislative and judicial departments of the state
 
 wholesomc--would their administra- tion of public justice conform to the laws--would their execution of these laws be efficient and satisfactory! Are they capable of s wise and beneficent uarticipation of the complex and intri- cate affairs of this great nation, at home and abroad? Who will say so? What intelligent and candid man will say so Have they ever proved themselves ca- pablo of self-government? Did they do it in the massacres of St. Domingo ! Have they done it in the political con yulsiops which continually distract and afiiict Hayti? Are they not savages in Africa now, as they have been for four thousand years? Are they not canni- bals in the benighted recesses of that country, sometimes devouring their own offspring, continually making war upon each other to make captives to be sold as merchandise for profit! Still worshipping reptiles and diyinitles still constructing their temples of hu- man skulls-is it such people whoare capable of self-government, of cherish inc liberty. of fostering christianity and civilization of perpetuating the we'll being, the happiness and the glory ot the American people? Is it not absurd to say SO? Is it not the madness of ln- sanity to say SO? Yet the Radicals say so. and to give effect to the declaration promise the holders of some two or tbree tho,sand millions of government bonds to exempt these bonds forever from Federal as well as State taxation if they will lend their concurrence to confer the elective franchise upon the negro.
 Are we not stunned--are we not ap- -palled at the proposition? When be- 1 fore was an open, shameless proposi- lion ever made to pervert and degrade the fundamental law, the Constitution off the nation, to the character and office of a municipal code for the benefit ot caDita,ists and to purchase their sttf- fraues. No other such example IS of I.fered in the annals of Pagan or Chris tian nationality. It is reserved for the Radicals of the present day. maddened bv passion and debauched by power, to institute such precedent.
 And what is the impulsion to this
 extravaoance and tatuity? What is the
 incentive to so anomalous and atrocious ! aitneas,,re? Power-thc love ofpower i the love of place :; the love of office; the
 love of cmolument. This is the motive
 this is the, impulsion. For these they
 have excluded ten States from the Un-
 ion for this they would denationallZt
 States. dissolve the Union, and so con
 stitute both States, and Union at pleas ure: .f.t, .e,..s...., .f,,,s,i ,,.,e ste5
 Rouse, my countrymen, to the rescue
 The Constitution, the trophy of tho
 successful revolution of our fathers
 the Union, the embodiment of your ma tional greatness the cause. of free gov
 ernmcnt and human progress; the dig nity of the white man-the conqucrins
 Cauca sian-are at stake. Rush to th' i breach and drive back the hordes o furics that would desecrate and dcstro. all these and establish upon their ruin
 vast, overshadowing central dcspo
 tism which would swallow up you
 liberties and your hopes, perhaps for
 ever. Stand by the old flag, and stan' by the man who at your command Dor
 it aloft amid the smoke and fire of tn
 raging battle. Stand by them as you ancestors stood by Jefierson--as man. of you stood by Jackson. stand b
 them with constancv, courage and un ], tiring devotion, and you will merit vic tory and gain the applause of your chll drcn and your children's children.