The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-09
OHIO ON RECONSTRUCTION.


sentatives, last Friday, Mr. Spalding of
Ohio made speech. which has already
attracted some notice. The following is
the substance Of what he said /: +.
Mr.. Spalding, of Ohio. proceeded ia
! examine the dogma of John &. Calhoun,
| that this Government is community
of states. This cry Of nullifiers and &C.
cessionsts had plagued our country fol
more than thirty years, aud resulted In
the most devastating civil war known
to the history of mankind 1.-The sove-
reignty of the statesu Is the language of
| the COnfederacy, and not of the Constr
tuition of the United States, because the
trainers of this instrument contemplated
the creation of national government;
the supreme power residing in the peo-
| pie, and not IN onfederacy of states.
| The rebels having failed in their efforts
| to overthrow the Government. now un-
blushingly asked to be received back, in
order to participate in the aflairs of Gov
| efnmcnt. Now, q state may be i'm the
Union as subject of Government, but
may by misconduct forfeit its right as a
part of the governing power. He knew
not but the President meant the same
thing when he said thatthe states which
intended to secede impaired Their vitali-
", but did not extinguisl it; and that
their functions were suspended, but not
destroyed. The President was correct
when be took this ground.
In time of war, when the country was
In danger, the President was clothed
with diciatorial power; but in time of
peace he can rightfHlly exercise no
power unless it is vested in him by the
II, I,., IL
time that the people should insist the
| ship of state be overhauled and put in
constitutional trim. She has been ex-
posed to tempestuous gales, Tut having
| woathered the storm of secession and
strife, and been brought into IA peaceful
haven by a skilful pilot and n gallant
crew, we should eXqnine in order to as
certain whether her timbers are sound
| He had great confidence i'm the Pres-
dent Of the United States and he entered
| his humble protest against the attempt
of any man, in or out of Congress, to
place the majority of this House i'm al
attitude of hostility to the President ST,
long as the latter confined himself tn thu.
exercise of his own just prerogative
Shall we, he asked, for slight causes dis
| trust him who, rs among southern Scna
tors, was faithful among the faithless
| found, and who, while enforcing his
| loyalty, kept alive his zeal? He believed
| that the President had followed in the
| footsteps of his predecessor, although h
| thought that the President should have
urged suffrage to all, without respect to
color. In the recommendation to the
southern It tes t. abolish slavery and to
repudiate the rebel debt, he found no
cause Of complaint. As tQ.the ratifica-
| <,f tall, t.,..
| the Constitution Of the United States by
the southern Legislatures, it did neither
good nor harm. The amendment was
validity ratified by three. fourths of the
states already and no additional sane
ton was wanted by assemblages of mel
having no share In the governing power
OF the nation.
| He regretted the President did not
wait for the action of Congress before he
| dismissed the Provisional Governors,
and turned over the government OF
states to those whose hands were dyed
in the blood of rebellion. But in this
there was 90 great danger so long as an
army remained to protect Union men.
1t was not only the privilege, but the
constitutional duty OF the President to
| give Information To Congress from time
| to time as to the state of the Union, and
to recommend such measures as he may
judge necessary and expedient; but the
| power to admit new states, to make
rules for the government and reglila-
lions of the land and naval forces, to
guarantee to every State a republican
form OF government, and all similar
powers, belong to Congress exclusively.
1t was said that the President would
seek to control Congress by Withholding
| Executive patronage from such Senators
and Representatives rs would not fall
in with his favorite policy. He begged
pardon for repeating so scandalous a ru-
NOR on this floor. He pronounced it
| false as secessionism itself. He could
only findin New Bern paper an extract
from which he read. The Southern
traitors, he added, are not content with
ascribing to the President such base
motive, but most impudently attempt
to appropriate him to their vile purposes.
In conclusion, he indicated the sub
stance of what would satisfy him in the
work Of reconstruction, viz: First, TO
extend the right of suffrage to colored
men in the District of Columbia; second,
amend the Constitution of the United
States in respect to apportionment of
representatives and direct taxes in such
manner that the people of color should
not bc counted with the population, ex-
cept in states where they are permitted
to exercise the elective franchise; third,
insert provision prohibiting nullifica-
ton and secession; fourth, prohibiting
| the reputation of the national debt,
and prohibiting the assum ption by Con-
gress Of the rebel debt; fifth, providing
that no person who at any time has
taken up arms against the United States
shall ever be admitted to q seat in the
| Senate and House of Representatives.
Let these guarantees be given to loyalty,
and he would try to forgive, but he
never could forget, the injuries received
| by our country.