Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-07-13
'sPEECH of 1GOv. MORTON,
ilV Az gndiunapoiis, Iadiana. iulis'il
[coNclhnEn fkoM IEsf AwEEk1
RECONSTRUCTION.

i 1t is impossible to adopt plan of recon-
struction which will fully meet the views
Of, al loyal men, and an approximation is
/ the utmost that can be hoped for.
4 1t would, in my opinion, have been
both just and polite to have admitted to
atheir seats Senators and Representatives
Eelect from the State of Tennessee at an,
isearly period in this session. Such action
FBy Congress would have saved much ex-
desperation of feeling, and given general
satisfaction to the country, and should
Ebe glad yet to see it taken before the final
/ adoption of anylegislationr in connection
! with which the constitutional amendments
may be submitted to the States. They,
| are loyal, have been properly elected, have
i a loyal constituency, behind them, and
/ canhonestly take the oaths prescribed by
law! - lusa4fas i-s1577 I1s sn1i 'iB snrsaral e.
| Congress has passed joint resolution, by
| a majority of two-thirdspin each House,
1 containing four. sections amending the
/ Constitution of the United States, which,
when it shall be ratified by three-fourths
I of the States, will become a part of the
! luuldLuOUJdl law Ol-bll6 ldlfu.
| TheA first section of the amendment
deelaTesthatnioz9I 2d' iedi 1e5il1-7 ..1-d 81 -
I Allpersons born OF, naturalized in the
! United States, and subject to. the jurisdic-i
4 ton thereof are, citizens of the United
States and Of the State wherein they re-
I side. mo, State shall make or enforce any
4 law which shall ,abridge the privileges or
1 immunities Of the citizens of the United
States norshall any State deprive any per-
son of life, OF. liberty or property, without
due process Of law, or deny to any person
within It's jurisdiction the equal protec.
tien of the laws. ls.Hsr- baa 81 ? i;17i
1 Oppose this section who CAM Icannot
comprehend how any right minded man.,
wbois not'a believer in monarchy or slav-
cry, can take issue with any portion of it.
It establishes the fundamental principles
upon which the, Union is based, and is an
/ expression of pure and unalloyed Democ-
4 raey.s - 7u,,l,sE ...r,a3 q szv,B 80 gso
The second section equalizes represen-
tation in Congress and in the electoral
4 college, BY taking from the white people
4 of the States lately insrebeilion the right
to represent in Congress. more than four
millions Of negroes living in their midst
whom theysdeprise lefr al political rights
whatever o, As the matter now stands, the
Write people of the Southern States have
sixty per cent more of political power in
| the House of Representatives and in ell
eetipg the President aud Nieel President
than an equal nafpnltblIeE Of wBiei psopisi9
| the Northern States This is gross and
unrighte6us inequality, and ana Tan abso-
lutte injustice to the Northern people
Even1if the Southern people were all loyal
they could not have the slightest claims
to any such advantage. But, when we
consider that nearly all Of them are Dem
ocratic rebels, and but few months
ago waged bloody war against the Gov.
ernment, the idea of their retaining such
afehormous and unholy advantages is. toe
moustrous to be calmly considered. =.
O. 1f,aall were equally loyal, North and
South the proposed amendment would be
measure of simple and imperative jus
tice;s butwhen we consider the charactei
of the Southern people and of their North,
erh allies, and the terrible calsmities they
have brought t'upon the country, the claims
of Justice are intensified, and longer sub
mission to the inequality on our part be-
Ecomes humiliation. The Democratic
leaders in Indiana have declared them.
selves against the amendment and theil
members Of Congress opposed iteby theil
votes The personal degradation which
they suffer, sSltich euck one Of them suffers
in being practically treated as sixty pei
cent. less of a man than his fellow Demo
crat' Of Georgia they will swallow with
avidity--this or any other indignity that
may be thrust upon them, provided il
comes from men who have been slavehol
ders and rebels in arms, and who giyt
reasonable assurance that they will vote
the Copperhead ticket A greater politi
cal degradation toward the people of one
section Of the country than that which
: now exists in the inequality of represen
tation cannotbe imagined, and the cheer
full submission toit BY Northern Demo
Gratis eforthe low and selfish purpose o.
reaping a little political gain, presents I;
spectacle which isnot pleasant to contem
plate The ratification Of this amendment
is one of the most important issues sub
mitted to the people of Indiana at the
next election. {, The Justice Of it, and The
necessity for it, lie upon the surface and
are too plain for argument. We might a.
well argue that two aud two makes four
! or that whole is equal TO all its parts.
The third section provides, in substance
: that every person. who, as a member o
: Congress, officer Of the United States
member of the State Legislature, or a iu
dieial officer of any State, had taken al
oath to support the Constitution of tht
United States, and afterward committed
perjury by engaging in the rebellion, shal
be inshgiRleftoapYgefic underline United
States OF any State. The Object Of it is tc
exclude peIjared rebels from power. l
a, man has once taken an oath to, supper
the Consultation and broken 1.-THE -sheale
, not be permitted, to take It again in tn,
same way. You will doubtless agree witt
Congress that men enough can be fount
who have never committed this wieket
and bloody perjury to fill all the Offices
both State and National, and that it is bu
a reasonable precaption for public safet,
to prevent these men from again eomins
into power. There is no palitieal OF NOR
al aiebIigatien to trust them again, and ev
cry dictate of prudence 2 Justice, love 70
the Union, and abhofrence for the rebel
lior, demands that they should not b