Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-16

VOLUME XXXIII.

/ enfiitAah hlidA VIC nave BdiiiCA "HNh w DnA7
selves infringe its provisions? Why, gen
tlemen slavery is abolished at The S0uth-
and all this we propose to maintain as well
as you; [cheersl we only ask further that
the Constitution shall be supreme alsos at
the North. [Cheers. il is further object
ed that we would let these States in with an
unfairly augmented representation. 1 reply
that ! will first fulfil my Constitutional
obligations IL the heavens fall; but that su-
pneInacy once established, | will 90 on with
any party 30 insist upon fair equalization
Of representation, lapplauseI and let me
say, that think no party could maintain
itself for moment at the North which
should oppose an equitable and a Constitu-
tiOnal settlement Of this question. But it is
not Just now so utterly devoid Of all difficult
ties as some OF cur headlongfriends suppose.
In its present form this provision Of the
amendment Seems TO me one Of the most
dangerous articles which could possibly be
incorporated in the organic law-mOre
revolutionary than all the rest put together,
for il strikes at what in my judgment is to
be eventually the salvation Of our Govern
menL Some plan TO rest not upon universal
suffrage, but upon intelligent suffrage.
| lCheeR.
Men should be in some degree competent
TO Judge whereof they are called TO express
an opinion and Limitation at least to capaci-
ty to read some language seems not unrea-
sonable. Now by the amendment all such
efforts are precluded. Suppose South Caro-
lima tomorrow were to pass the amendment
10 the Constitution, and at the same session
OF her Legislature provide, exactly as we do |
IN this State, that no man who cannot read |
and write shall vote, -suppose this were |
why the result would be that as, speaking |
generally, no freedman can read and few !
white men write, the Southern representa- |
ton would be reduced almost low enough 20 |
suit Mr.. SUMNER or Mr. STEVENS. You |
may say, 'let them educate them" and so | /
say, but the trouble is they won't while so
much easier way is open which is to let /
every one vote and at once South Carolina /
under this amendment, has but to let loose
on your intelligent Northerners, laborers and
mechanics, the hordes of her freedmen, bru-
talized by centuries of wrong, and driven
from education more fercely than we have
ever dared urge our people 20 it, and she will
still have all her power, while you will be
swamped in her fatal flood of degraded ig-
norance. So Of all the South-bribe them
into this evil thing and no human power will
persuade them out and we ourselves must
welter with them in this addition of four
million man-pOwer of ignorance to our pO-
litieal system. [Applause.
Gentlemen, my solicitude in this matter is
not so much for the South. But love and
admire the people Of the North and revere
the frame of Government handed down TO
Us from the fathers Of the republic, and
when ] see that great charter Of our consti-
tutional Liberties assailed by the same pas
sions which have proved fatal to so many
similar plans Of regulated liberty-when /
see a victorious majority inhamed with all
the enmities and demoralized by the license
Of long war, forgetting its generation for
our last safeguard, cannot refrain from
urging in such feeble words as l can COM
mand, patience and constant recurrence to
the Constitution. LCheers. Let US never
forget ourselves nor weary in reminding our
that even if this Congress
sional schemewereibest for ten or even twenty
years TO come, yet the vision of the philo-
sophie statesman stretching forward for CEN
turtles, when almost the memory of this epi-
sode in the magnificent annals of the great
republic shall have faded away, will discern
low TO secure a trihing temporary good
which in a little time must have come in
forced; the politicians of the day yielded 20
eSHi teitAAAA anu hlHs AiAC VI SaiiA1
law. a. .E
Then the people lost something of their
reverence for it. At the next emergency
the majority, more bold, tears away a larger
mass Of the rampant, and the apathy of the
people is heavier, until at last, the ruling |
faction knows no guide but its own passing
whim, and the nation stands ready 10 fall a |
prey 10 any man who will rescue it from
the intolerable tyranny of an unrestrained |
majority. Does this picture seem too dark
My friends, you need study but little the
brief annals Of the peoples who have put
their faith in paper constitutions before our
great experiment, TO see that ] sketch the
precise process which they all passed
through Always Just here the strain grew
gradually too fierce for the popular fortitude
md virtue 70 withstand. But ] have an
abiding faith that as in the past this great
people have shown themselves faithful at
he last to their self-imposed bonds for the
general and permanent welfare, so to-day
heir sound sense will yet return to save the
work of their great men, and that God may
till be to us as he was 10 those venerated
athers. [Cheers.
Gentlemen, there is but ono safe path for
our feet, but one unerring guide for our steps.
II we stray from that path for any tempta-
ion, no matter what It's offered dellght may |
De-if we abandon our guide we shall wan
Ter long in blind paths and may probably
perish miserably at the last. That path is
he teachings Of the men who formed the
Union, and that guide the Constitution Of
he fathers of the Republic. (Cheers.) And,
in conclusion let me call TO your minds the
words which stand in the front Of
our own State Constitution, and pray you 10
ponder well their old-fashioned wisdom, "A
frequent recurrence to the fundamental prin-
,iples Of the Constitution, and a constant adj
herence 10 those Of piety, justice, modera-
lion, temperance, industry and frugality, are
absolutely necessary 20 preserve the advan-
lagos of liberty and 10 maintain a free gov
ernment The people ought consequently to
have a particular attention 10 all those prin-
,iples in the choice Of their officers and re
nresentatives; and they have a right to re-
luire Of their lawgivers aud magistrates an
exact and constant observance Of them in
he formation and execution Of the laws
necessary for the good administration Of the
(Loug and continued ap-
,fouea \