The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-02-17

because the Federal Convention desired to
afix no such stain upon the instrument.
Neither did they insert the qualifying word
white General Gates and others, at that
early day, emancipated their slaves. In an
address, after the peace of 1875. written by
Mr.. Madison. Congress declared
"That it has ever been the pride and
boast of America that the rights for which
she contened were the rights of human
nature"
cannot help thinking, Mr.. Speaker, that
If the pen of Mr.. Madison had been guided
by the sentiment of the gentleman from
New Jersey, he most certainly would have
written ''wbite human nature" But all the
great names of that period rebuke the fall
lacious Democratic assumption that this
Government was founded for and by white
men only. Pendleton, Mason, Wythe, Lee
ancestor of the traitor general who made
the name Acknowledgment. st. George
Tucker, Blair, Page, Parker, Randolph,
Iredell, Spraight, Ramsey; McHenry, Sam
Uel Chase, Franklin, the Adamses, Heath,
Patrick Henry, John Jay, Faulkner, Pink
ney of Maryland, Barbour, Hamilton, one
and all, except a few South Caroinians, are
on record. by word. deed aud life, against
the Infamous dogma that this is ''white
mans Government" alone. Nor were their
opinions and views liable to various inter
pretstions, or in tended to be differently con-
structed Mr.. Jefferson expressly speaks
of slaves as Citizens in his Notes on Vir-
GINA. He said most explicitly:
"The true foundation of republican gov
eminent is the equal rights of every citizen
in his person and property, and in their
Management
| Was Jefferson in favor ofwhite men alone
managing the persons and property of all
over whom the -egis of the Republic was
cast? His own words reply. Sir, anoih-
er striking fact which a student of the dis
cussion preceding the adoption of the Con-
stitution must notice, is this: that much of
the opposition against the instrument grew
out of the general desire to have its provis-
sions even more explicit and direct. Near
| ly all the States demanded amendments
which would strengthen impartial liberty.
Readers of the Federalist will not fail to
perceive that the writer's threrin, argue
earnestly on objections against the instru
ment, because it was not preceded by an
mple bill of rights. The objec ZION was
not in favor of restriction, but that it was
not comprehensive enough. have thus,
sir, given briefly the proofs that this Gov
eminent formation was participated in by
all the people not held as slaves, tina, this
was meant to include all men, aud that the
opinions aud actions of all our distinguish
ed men at that era was in favor of a still
more liberal inclusion of classes.
Mr.. Speaker, the gentlemen on the other
side of the House have solemnly warned
US of the preludices which exist between
races. The honorable gentleman from New
York Mr.. Chandler enthrones prejudice
as one of the great forces of the people in
the following words;
prejudice is to the mind what nerves
are to the body. 1t gives impulse to
thought and direction to judgment"
We are told in gloomy words of the hor-
roTs which are to follow the passage of this
bill. But, sir, these words are not so fierce,
nor are the prophetic appeals of the rem
nants of the slave oligarchy SO full of evil
foreboding as in other days resounded in
this Hall, when these same men and this
same pre- udice resisted the abolition of
slavery in this District.
1 am in favor of this bill because see
in it the opposite of all this-the benign.
harmonizing, and prosperous influences of
freedom. Organized injustice is sure to
provoke anarchy, and is in itself despot-
ism. The law of the Universe is justice;
its method is progress. We must come
within this rule in rearing the fabric of a
reconstructed Government, or ''the stone
which was rejected by the builder" shall
some day be the means of its fall, or else
become the exalted browning corner of the
edifce. @ at
But do not stop here. The principles
involved in the arguments put forth on the
other side of the House are not, alone de-
, structive to the rights of the defenseless,
intelligent. and patriotic coiored men of this
{ District, but they initiate with double
effect and stronger purpose against the poor
white Of the North aud of the South,
against the German, the Irishmau, aud the
) poor and oppressed of every race who come
ito our shores to escape. the oppression oil
despotie Governments. and to seekthe pro
q tectionzof Government, the true theory
ofs which reposss 10 every citizen portion
of its sovereign power. Against this at
tempt to deny or abridge in any way the
rights of the weak, the poor, and the de-
.fenseless, and to transfer the governing
t power of the nation to favored classes, tc
, the rich, aud the powerful, and thus change
J the very purpose and principles of our re-
publican system, / protest in the name o.
constitutional free dom, and in behalf Of
equal rights and equal laws.
3 protest against this stealthy innovation
: upon popular rights, in the name of the
tOiling millions OF the land; aud warn the
House aud the country of the untold mis-
F. chief and disaster which must come to dis
I tract aud divides he Republic In the future
{ Lii We follow the pernicious and destructive
{ doctrine founded upon either the prejudices
8 of class, caste, wealth, or power. / pro-
! test In the name of constituency whose
e early history was sublime and pesistent
. struggle against the preiudiess of pamPer-
e led and arrogant rufianism at home, and the