The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-02-09

Look at the record of that party
through this great struggle which has
ended in the triumph Of our arms.
What measure that has been propds-
ed by the party on this side of the
House, from the time the first gun
was fired on our forts at Charleston.
has not been denounced as uncon-
stitutional and a usurpation? That
has been the whole course of that
party. They opposed the levying of
war. They said we had no right to
call out troops to crush armed treas
on. And now, at the end of the war,
we are met with the declaration thdt
1t is usurpation TO amend the Con-
stitntion without letting these rebel
liouspeople be heard on this floor
Why is it that they are not heard ?
Who sent them from these hails2
or their own accord they went out,
one by one, State by State. They
rose in their seats, put on their hats
and walked from this capital in dis
gust They wanted no part in the
Legislation of the nation. They said
they never would come back. And
now, at the end of the struggle, when
their treason has been crushed and
ground to powder, their apologists
on this floor say il is usurpation to
Ilegislate because the voices of those
rebels are not heard here.
thank God they are not heard in
this Hall. They have no right here
to be heard. Weall remember when
they had their cannon marshaled on
the nights above this city threaten
ing the destruction Of all that was
there. And yet, according to the
theory of the gentlemen on the other
side, their rights are all the same to
day. | do not desire to see the day
when armed traitors, or men who up
held the rebellion not armed, can
come back here and have the samo
rights that / and you, and the men
I upheld the banner of our country in
the field have
Mr. Speaker, | do not know that
the amendment now before the House,
as reported by the chairman Of the
committee, is all that | would desire.
| 10 not know that it satisfies even
that honorable gentleman himself,
altogether. But believe that it il
the best thing that they could do,
and if | can get nothing else, / in.
tend to vote for that. My idea il
this: that in regard to the States
things seems 10 'Da Uths tendency of
be represented here at an early dayo
that the men whose hands are yet
} dripping with treason-stained with
the blood OF the soldiers Of our coun-
; try, are to come back here and be
, participants in carrying on this Gov
ernment. | hope that tendency may
he arrested. But | say the tendency
, appears TO be that way, and if it
is consumated, and they do como
back, | want them to have Just rs
small a representation as this House
= can give.
| would like it if the amendment
+, could go little beyond what IL does.
5 | would like so to amend the Consti-
tuition that no man who had raised
his hand against the hag should ever
| he allowed to participate in any OF
the affairs Of this Government. But
B it is not probable that we can 90 that
8 far. Let us go just as far as we can
Gentleman say that they are not
willing TO vote for an amendment
that strikes OF part Of the represent
tation of the States they are not will
ling to vote for an amendment thai
lessons Kcntucky's representation
upon this floor. The whole course
of my colleagues remarks on this
= point is ms the course of his party
and | may say to the loyal party in
Kentucky--has been through the
great part Of the war, that Kentucky
is the nation, and the United States
secondary appendage to her.
Now, sir, If Kentucky in the future
is to have such Representatives, q
] majority Of them, rs she has had dur
ing the last two years of this event
ful struggle, and as the majority Of
her delegation here to. day, let US
have rs few as possible Of that kind.
= That is my argument on that point.
. In my own State, during the whirl Of
eXcitement, and when we were sup
ported by the Army OF the United
Utates, we did pass law by which
we disfranchised men who had gone
into the rebellion; but when the
storm swept over, when the conflict
of arms ceased, the Legislature re in
frgnchised them, and the distinction
there now is, not against traitors, but
against men who have upheld the dag
OF our country.
You may say to me that my eople
IN Kentucky will not indorse the cnt-
ting down OF her representation here.
care not what my people indorse.
Convince me that | am right-and
you cannot convince me that am
wrong when | 90 against traitors
and will 90 upon that lile whether
one, two, or one thousand stand by
me in the State of Kentucky. l ana
not Kcntucky's representative upon
this floor alone. thank my God
take wider survey Of the field OF
NY country then is wrapped up with
in the bounds Of my own State, by
her mountains and rivers. | thank
my God that my eye looks over the
whole broad eNpanse of our land,
fom Maine to California, and from the
Northern lakes to the everglades OF
the South. | want TO legislate for
tl,, ,,t.,I, Iop1 NOT fNp tho ono porf