The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-06-02


This proposition, however, and the
first of which have spoken, are not OF
the issues which were involved in and
decided by the late war. They were as
germane, as fundamental principles
upon which to erect our political fabric
when the constitution was framed, and
at any time prior to the war, as now.
IF they are right in our form of govern
meut now, they were right theni ifthey
were wrong then, they are wrong now
and there is, in my humble opinion, nc
propriety in attempting to connect them
with the question of the restoration oi
the Union. How would this provision,
if incorporated into the constitution,
deprive the people of any portion of the
country of the power to rebel against
it, or give to the Governments any power
TO crush such rebellion which it does
not now possess? The history of the
world does not prove that depriviDg
any portion or the people of politlca
rights or of political power ever made
them better citizens or more loyal sub
jects.
With reference to the third or disfran>
chising proposition, have only TO say
that regard it as wholly impractical
BILE, and, as calculated, if otintended
to defeat the whole plan for the restora-
ton of the States lately overrun by the
rebellion until after the next presiden-
tial election. Its effect. whatever its
purpose may be, Is purely partisan, be-
cause in the nature of things it can
never be ratified, and its ratification is
madea condition-precedent to restora-
ton. 4 On this account only l voted
against the entire proposition as con-
stitutional amendment.
lam in favor of restoration. and this
proposition is opposed toit. That is the
simple issue. Gentlemen pretend, and
thecOuntry, credulous, and not given TO
thorough investigation, but disposed to
take things as they appear on their
face, believe that this House has voted,
by voting for this proposition, to dis
franchise rebels. The issue Is decep-
tive, is false. Those occupying the po-
sition to which the responsibility at
taches have voted to shit that respon-
sibility by submitting the question of
disfranchisement to the rebels them
selves. Sir, what would you think OF
the Judge who, upon the trial of pris-
oner for murder, when hejury brought
in their verdict of f"guilty," should say
to the criminal, "You are convicted by
the evidence; the finding of the jury is
iguilty;' the penalty of the law is that
you hang by the neck until you are
dead; you deserve to hang, but pro-
pose TO submit the question of hanging
TO yourselfH" This House, sir, has
done as much.
If the committee on reconstruction
found, upon this six months investign-
ton that the governments OF the
Estates lately constituting the So-call-
ed Confederate States of America" are
iI the hands of, or controlled by the
enemies ofthe United States, why did
they not say so, and bring in a bill pro-
viding for wrestling those State govern
ments from the hands of our enemies,
and placing them in the hands of our
friends, that we might act upon some-
thing practical, and that the country
might understand what we meant !?
The committee was organized with in
structions to inquire into the condition
of those States, and report the result of
such inquiry to Congress-. If this is all
they intend to report, they have not
discharged the duty which was impos-
ed upon them. .r
Ny impression is that the troubles by
which we find thesubject of reconstruc-
ton now surrounded do not of necessi-
,ty result from the appointment of a
committee or from the Investigation.
Ordinarily the report of the President,
the sworn executive officer OF the Gov
ernment, should be conclusive upon
questions involving the harmonious
relations of the several parts of the
Union, the execution of, and obedience
to the law; but do not regard such re-
port as necessarily conclusive, and con-
sequently the appointment of com
mittee with the Instructions given this
one was not, in my opinion, unwlse.
The present weakly, sickly, puny con-
dition of the child is not the necessary
consequence of having given it out to
nurse, but of giving ii to those who
cared not for its life.
\Upon the merits of the fourth as a
distinct proposition presume we are
all agreed but how its adoption is to
s.F,n 10
upon which desire information.
now ask indulgence for few mo-
meuts while explain as briefly as pos
sible the difficulties which stand in the
way of my support to this bill as a
whole. Before, however, entering di-
rectly upon this discussion L will just
here remark that do not comprehend
storation of the States lately overrun
by the rebellion, involves the necessity
of freconstructiug the Constitution and
Government of the United States. Was
the Government of the United States
overthrown, or we're any of its parts or
functions destroyed by the rebellion?
If not, where or why the necessity ofits
reconstruction Did the rebellion ex-
pose imperfection or weakness in any
of its parts2 Or did we, during its eX-
istence, feel the need of the exercise OF
any power which we did not at the
same time feel we had the right to ex-
ercise? Did we experience during the
rebellion that any change in the Consti-
tuition, or even in the form of our Gov
eminent, could make us stronger than
we were?
Sir, we had the right to use, and did
use, all the means which God and ma.
ture had given US to preserve the life OF
the Republic. More men and more
money were the only agencies which
could have given nusHdditiOnal strength,
and constitutional amendments could
not supply these demands. Sir, even
the success of the rebellion would have
proved nothing against the wisdom OF
The provisions of our Constitution, the
success of republican institutions, or
the strength. and permanence of our
form of government which 1t would
not have proved equally against that
system called the law of nations, and
which we are informed supplanted the
Constitution during the war. Much
less does the mere fact of rebellion
prove anything against either, for all
the systems of which we have any in
| formation, from the most arbitrary and
unjust ON earth to that which was es-
tablished by eternal wisdom for the
government of angels in heaven, have
been assailed by organized rebellion.
"Irreversible guarantees against re-
bellion" are a myth, farce, decep-
tion-mere clap-trap, coined for party
purposes-the device of demagoguery,
and not the dictate of statesmanship.
Security against rebellion is in the adj
ministrati0n rather than in the form oi
lgovernment. Place all political power
securely in the hands of its friends,
and then make it, by the manner of its
administration, what the Almighty in
tended civil government to be-''a ter
ror to eviI-doers, and praise to them
that do well''-by making the punish