The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-05-14
The Abortion Galvanized .

The Abortion Galvanized.
II is very singular that the republican
members IL tho house at Washington who
voted for the passage of the constitutional
amendment precisely as it was reported by
the committee on reconstruction should have
so severely denounced the third section of
the amendment. They haye furnished IRE
futable arguments against it, and of char
acter showing that its cruelty and iniquity
ought to defeat the whole proposition. II
will require lncalculable impudence for those
gentlemen now to sustain measure which
they have shown to be corrupt to rottenness.
The opponents of the amendment will not
have to look farther than their speeches for
arguments against it. Will Mr.. Garfield
take the stump as the advocate of a change
in our organic law which he has denounced
as originating in partnership in desire to
control the next presidential election and as
being so oppressive that is can only be en-
forced by military power at every poll in
eleven states of the Union? The same ques-
ton, with equal pertinence, may be asked of
all the republican members in the house who
condemned the third section, for they were
as severe as Mr.. Garfield in their condemna-
ton of it.
The nation will be surprised at the sudden
passage of the amendment, and by the large
vote 1t received. No one supposed, after
reading the debates On it up to Thursday.
that the men who go earnestly opposed it
would vote for 1t without any change what
ever. We have frequently had exhibitions
OF subservience to party in congress by men
who have voted for measures which their
judgments did not approve, but in ordinary
Legislation our congressman have almost in
| variaby held il to be the lowest depth of
| treschery and corruption to plainly desert q
| cardinal principle to which they were pledged
| What shall be said, then, of men who have
| by conclusive arguments shown proposed
| amendment TO the constitution, intended to
determine the status of eleven states and the
civil rights and political privileges of eight
millions of people. to be partisan, tyraunous
| and altogether wicked, and the day after the
showing have voted for the amendment?
The pretsnce that the good that would be
accomplished By the other provisions of the
| amendment would overbalancs the evil con-
templated and provided for in the third sec
| ton, is shown to be entirely hollow and de-
magogioal bysthe speech of Ihaddeus Stew
ems. lie said sit was the vital proposition
of the whole amendment. Without it, it
amounted to nothing; without it, he would
not give the snap of his finger whether the
joint resolution was passed or not" This Is
| true. The third section is what the commit
|
gress have worked for during the entire SEES
siou. Their clamor for manhood suffrage
aud protection to the freedmen has beer
sheer hypocrisy. The negroes in a sinel,
particular in which they are not now pro
tected. The speech of Stevens was frank
confession that the object for which the com
mitsee bad labored, and for which the am
endment was proposed, was to save the aboi
ton party Here is the proof:
''Mr. Stevens, resuming, said he should be
sorry if the third section struck out, becans,
then, before any portion OF the amendment coulG
be put into operation, the other side of the hous.
would be filled with yelling secessionists and ap
Z | proving copperheads. GIVE US, therefore, he con
tiDued, the third section, or gss US nothing, Dr.
not mock with the pretence OF an amendment
which throws the Union into the hands OF its enc
mics. Gentlemen say we are striving for party
do seek to save my party, when that party II
necessary to save the Union. say rally to you
party, aud save that party, or you lose the Union
| do not hesitate say that that section 10 Their
to save or destroy the Union.o
Let us change the language and retain tine
sense. ''Unless we can pass this amend
ment, with the third section, the majority il
J the next congress will be composed of mem
beYs from the southern states and democratic
members from the northern states. Give US
therefore, the third section, or give us moth
ing. Do not mock with the prstence o
an amendment which will not perpetuate thu
; rule of the abolition party. Gentlemen say
we are striving for party. do seek to saw
my party when that party is necessary tt
| save the UnIon," /. e., the union of Phillips
and Parker Pillsbury and ABBY Kelly. .
say, rally to your party, and save that party
or you lose the Union" 4. e., the union o
Phillips and Parker Pillsburys and ABBY
Kelly.
| Such were the arguments which overcam
the scruples of Raymond and Garfield ant
Blaine and Thayer and the other republican
mem ers who first proved the third sector
to be an uuwelcome and hideous thing, anC
then voted for it, although assured by tn,
radical leader that it was tie pttGt PROPOSE
ton of the whole amendment, and knowing
it to be SO before he gave them the assur
ance Than was committed by these mer
does q prostitute commit that which is NOR.
criminal and ioathsome when she fiaunts tn,
sign of her degradation in the crowded streets
of O city? Is she not more worthy of respec
/ than they, In that she does not seek to covel
her shame by cant and hypocrisy? Are no
these men, by their own confessional, conyic
ted of an attempt to "crystallize into th'
organic law" an infamy which would be al
, everlasting reproaoh to the American people
Is not their plea in extenuatiou, that they
wished thereby to preserve the rule of par
ty which can only exist through ,he enforce
} ment of the lnfamy coupled with tn.
wretched absurdity that the preservation o
the republic depends upon the continued as
tendency of that party ?-Chicago Times.
An Informal meeting of radical senators
} was held in Washington, on Friday, when
the.:propriety of striking out the third section
of the new constitutional amendment was
discussed, and agreed upon.
| Lieut.. Gen. Grant has instructed military
! department commanders to abolish the dis
trioss under their command as rapidly as
| ciraunstancas will narmik Every means