The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-03-15

Il
rates of interest and exemption
from taxation, invested these i'll
gotten gains in a permanent form
and now shake four thousand mill,
ions of property, exempt from tax,
alton, in the faces OF the laboring
masses. They point with intense
satisfaction to their Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court ofthe United
States, to the supremacy of Eastern
monopoly, and their power in Con-
1 gress, as a guarantee of safety.
/ Thus established as a privileged
class, they are without wound or
an inconvenience from the war,
and without a burden in time of
lpeace. To provide indemnity to
themselves for the past and securi-
Ity to themselves for the future,
these leaders, in and out of Con-
,gress, are moulding its legislation.
BFhey have lost sight of the people
Eand the substance Of the Govern
ment. They have controlled the
Eelections five years and those five
E have been five years of ruin. They
Efalter at the future. They believe
they can with the help Of the votes
of 100000 negroes and exclusion of
the votes of over 100000 South
,ern people and the plumber of the
South for their supporters, main
tain an ascendancy over the con-
servative masses of the North. The
present Congress met in December
1866, with the Union restored.---
During the session the Southern
States presented legally chosen
Representatives, who asked, but
were resused admission. Congress
at the outset, gagged itself, by con-
ferring its powers upon commit
tee instructed to attempt the dis
organization Of the Southern States
The whole session has been consum-
ed, SO far, in taking testimony at
! great expense to show that the
Union cannot be restored. To in
augurate universal negro suffrage
they commenced with the District
of Columbia. A bill passed the
House comforting the right of suf-
frage on the negro in that District
] against the will of the people, but
tyot awaits, in the Senate, further
developments. They have also
proposed an amendment to the
Constitution to extend the elective
franchise to all persons, without
distinction of color. Also, another
amendment to regulate the right
Tof suffrage in all the States of the
Union. Also, another amendment
to enforce protection to life, liber-
ty and property in all the States.
Also, another amendment to make
voters the basis of representation,
thereby entirely ignoring fourfifths
of all the people in the Union.
Large bundles Of half-digested
writing are daily proposed in Con-
gress, by the little statesmen of to-
day, as a substitute for the sacred
work of the great statesmen of the
past, and to be reported upon soon
by the committee. All these mea-
sures are for the negro.
From all these propositions can
be gathered, only, negro suffrage;
negro superiority over the white
people of the South; negro office
holding; negro equality; exclusion
of white people from government
all of which assume, if made a part
of the Constitution, a condition of
perpetuity, accompanied with an
limited power, concentrated and
consolidated, so that the States will
have left but the forbearance of
Congress as the only safe guard of
liberty. Our Constitution will be-
come, simply, grant of legislative
power to Congress. The power
usurped and exercised to exclude
representatives, to disfranchise
States and people, to prescribe test
oaths and other tests, is subversive
ofequal government,and is a fitting
prelude to that despotism which
frowns from the brow Of a revolu-
tionary Congress. 1t is strange
that Constitution suited to twen-
ty-fye millions of white people, pro
ducing prosperity when obeyed,
and misfortune only when violated
should now be deemed insufficient
for three millions of negroes.
While all these proposed Consti-
tional amendments have been kept
in in allegiance, and Congress has
been speculating with the temper
ary suspension of the relations OF
the South to the Union, until the