New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-11-12
The only Ground Of Exclusion, that
the Southern States are Con-
quered Provinces.
The Purposes Of Exclusion to Make the
Negroes the Governing Power
in the South,
Letter of Hon. Geo. Tiolznor Curtis
to the Democratic Mass Meet
ing at New York.
Ngw YoRE, oct. %.

Dear Sri have received the invitation OF the
committee to be present and ADDRESS the meeting
that is to be held in Cooper Institute on the even
ing of the 30th, to ratity the nomination OF Mr.
Hoffman and Mr.. Pruyn for the principal offices
IF the State professional engagement will
make it necessary for me to be absent from the
city during the week, and | must, therefore, be
excused from speaking on this occasion. Indeed,
having already at considerable length, discussed
the national questions involved in this election,
did not purpose to take any further part in the
canvass; still, if it had been practicable should
have been glad to have had an opportunity to man
fest my respect for Mr.. Hoffman, and now an
swer your invitation in this mode, for the pur-
pose Of saying that Mr.. Hoffman will have my
vote and not only because he is the representa-
| tive in this State of the policy in regard to the
| national affairs which l wish to see upheld, not
| because he is the nominee of the Democratic
party, but because | believe him to be an emf
4 nently fitand proper person to be made governor
l of New York When he was elected mayor OF
| this city I thought aud said to him, that he was
| 10 be congratulated for having gone through the
/ canvass without q single unworthy compliance,
without one sacrifice OF principle or honor. such
4 has been his bearing in this larger canvass and
i can have no doubt that, if chosen, he will enter
| the office of governor as untramTneled and indie
| pendent as any man who ever filled 1t. L my
4 voice could reach the whole people Of this State,
/ should tell them that, in my opinion, MI. Hoa-
/ man is nau whom it greatly concerns their in
terests to promote to places of honor ana trust.
When "a man Of ability and integrity is willing to
serve the public, the pubic have made gain
which is not always found IN candidates for their
| suffrages: and nothing can be more short-sghted
1 and ili7judged than to suffer vague and absurd
! political pgejudices to operate against him.
And what are some Of the prejudees that are
so industrioasly worked to impair the strength of
| the position in which the Democratic party, and
\ their conservative allies, now stand before the
people of this State? Every intelligent man
/ from Lake Erie to the Hudsnn, from Sandy Hook
/ to the st. Lawrence, now knows that on this
ala IN in this EsnDire State a tUrDG
| the question whether the President is to be sns
tanned in his efforts to restore the Union, whe
j ther we are to be thrown forward into IN indef
mite exclusion of the Southern States from Con
gress, and the whole vast area of the South is to
be left without any settled civil government. And
/ what is the particular prejudice that is played
iupon, as men play upon whlstling pipe to pre-.
4 vent the immediate and unconditional admission
of the South to representation in Congress
4 Why, that the end will be that the Democratic
party will be restored TO power. l donot feel so
sure of that result; but take it as probable oc-
i Gurrence, what then? In the whole of the long
period during which that party did govern this
country, did the State Of New York ever lose any
4 thing of its Just influence and power in the ma
tional counsels2 Did ever any interests of hers
Il fail to be protected and provided for by Demo
cratic administration? Is it not her historic boast
has she not always made it part of her renown,
that she often found her interests, her politi-
cal sympathies and opinions to be in unison with
the great Democratic party of the nation? AL.
4 five years with that other party-now honorably
numbered in the things of history--whch was SO
4 long your opponent, and which sometimes even
4 carried New York out OF the Democratic fold,
i and gave this country Wing administration.
| But can understand how it can well be matter
/ of Just pride to the people of this State that,
| when they gave their confidence to Democratic
administrations the honor and the interests of the
| State were ntrusted to safe hands,
4 And now that the Democratic party is the only
| one that stands upon the Constitution of the Uni
ted States-the only one that takes that insrument
/ for its guide-the only one that defends the inde
structible principles of the Union and the poltca
4 equality of the States, are the people of New
| York to be Influenced by the idea that the negroes
4 OF the South will be unsafe if the Democratic
party should happen to return to power in tht
national government? What can the Democratic
4 party do or permit to be none, to the freedmen o.
the South, that can endanger their condition
Undoubtedly it is "a cardinal feature of the Demo
cratic creed that no State shall be interfered with
in what concerns its domesti affairs; and the peo
\ pie of this country must either act upon thai
principle, or they must act upon its opposite. We
must either abide by the principle of the Union
| or we must have consolidated government
Il through which all the conditions OF society every
where may be regulated by one central authority
4 Now the Democratic party has made it perfectly
plain in this canvass that the present Congress, il
4 excluding the Southern States from representa-
alton, and in using that exclusion as means o
compellng these States TO alter their laws Of suf
frage, are acting without any warrant from tht
Constitution. II has been shown beyond the pos
sihility of contradiction, that there is no grount
on which those States can be kept cut of Con
gress, excepting the theory that they are con
quered foreign countries. This theory we meal
to put down byall lawful and constitutional means
BY all lawful and constitutional means we inten
to uphold the Constitution, and to have the righ
Of unconditional representation acknowledged
We say that it is just as much violation of tn
Constitution to refuse that right until the Const
tuition has been altered, as it would be to refuse
permanently and forever without proposin
amendments.
Wesay, further, that this Congress has given n
guarantee, offered to the country no pledge, Ell
tered into no stipulation, that the Southern State
shall be represented after the proposed amend
! ments are adopted. We say that this Congress
trying an experiment on the South for the purpos
of seeing how far those States can be compelled, j
their present situation OF distress, to submit t
schemes for disfranchising all their leading whit
Z citizens, and for making the eOlored pOpnlatio
the predominating and governing power. If
I were in my power TO make another public al
!, dress during this canvass, should desire to direC
public attention to one Of the constitutions
amendments which has not been commented on o
I it deserves. That which relates to the changes
the basis of representation has been much d
: cnssed, and is now fully understood. But the di
franchising clause must also be taken into view
1t proposes two things: First, to disqualifY ever
man for either national or State office who hayin
previously at any time in his life taken an oath
7: support the federal Constitution, has taken an
: part IN the late rebellion: Secondly, to vest
g Congress the power to remove this dsqualfcS
2 ton in individual cases.
Y Now, If you will cast your eyes around you,
reference TO any community in this country, an
, observe how many men in the course OF the
lives must have taken an oath to support the feds
raj Constitution, you will see that this is necei
j gariy an enormous disfranehisernent: and that n
greater oppression could fall upon people the
to deprive them of the services, in every possibl
position, Of the very Glasses Of men who will
affected by this prescription. II comprehends nc
only those who made the rebellion, but all thOs
who from the highest and purest motives, afte
the Confederate government was formed, di
what every patriot might well do, labor to Great
/ q country for himself and his children and his fe
/ low-citizens. But this is not all. This amen,
melt is an invitation TO the American people to d
4 whas they have always denounced as wrongtula an
!, wicked, and which is not practieed by any decei
9 governmental the world, Inall our constitution
nau9nal and State, the elegisative power is PR
hlblieaIrom enaetng laws which aifiX to efienst
I pnhshfaenfs that did not exist when the Oifenst
Y were committed. This prohibition is fully nn q
& preston Of principeof jurisprudence which tll
y. moral sense OF civilized mankind everywhere at
y hgeWIedges. Bat here is an invitation to The pei
Y PIE % 40 what they forbid TO their legislatare
10 ana Ehat they s9lemnly covenant in their eonst
e. 9uttons shall not be ttone, namely; 10 create
9e punishment after the otiense has been committed
~ Bnl look al 1t further, If this amendment
e carried out, Congress is to have power 70 renog