Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-11
QDblo Statesrrrart.
[From The N. Y. Times. April7.l

announced that an immense edition OF
senator Trumbul's speech would be issued,
for use as an electiOneering document
against the President. The Radicals pro-
fess to be delighted with the Senator's effort
and confident of the effect of his reported
oratory upon the people. Will they not
make the document complete by append
ing to the speech the Message it criticises?
If not, we recommend the friends OF the
President to circulate the Message and the
speech together, that the country may
Judge of the relative cogency and con-
clusiveness of their respective arguments.
We are confident that the Presidents pro-
dUction will gain by the comparison.
Upon one point and that the starting
point of the argument Mr.. Trumbull may
be said to beg the question. The Presieent's
objection is that the bill discriminates
against the newly-arrived white immigrant,
howsoever intelligent and in favor of the
ewly-emancipateds slave, howsoever ignor-
ant. The one is required to undergo five
years. probation, and to produce testimony
as to his fitness for citizenship; the other
is to be deemed citizen by reason of his
| BIZ th, although all the conditions that have
surrounded him, from then till now, have
tended to unfit him for the immediate dis
charge of the higher duties of citizen.
Mr.. Trumbull alleges that measure
designed to do away with distinction on
account of color cannot be called invidious.
But the contrast between the privilege TO
be conferred upon the black freedman, and
to be denied to the white immigrant, re-
mains precisely as stated by the President;
and to this extent, therefore, there is dis
elimination.
Mr.. Trumbull admits that the suffrage is
not more necessary to the liberty of freed
man than to that of the nOn-voting white;
and we trust that the admission will be al
| lowed to stand, unmutilated and unquall-
fled, in the hundred thousand copies with
which the West is to be flooded. 1t is the
truth, and we are glad to have it so indors-
ed. But is it not also evident that, bya
parity of reasoning, the freedmen may be
protected in all essential rights and liberties
without the wholesale process of citizen
making? Weappeal to Mr.. Trumbull for
an answer. For he cites the dcta of COM
mentators and the decisions of Courts to
show that lawful evidence implies protec-
tiOn, and the capacity to sue anC be sued."
True of aliens, this is also true of freed
men; the sole proviso needed being the
doing away with all distinctions on account
of race or color by the States whose Courts
take cognzance of matters concerning the
protection of person and property.
And this brings Us to the fundamental
point at issue between the President and
Mr.. Trumbull-namely, the right of Con-
gress to legislate for the States in matters
which the Constitution has left subject to
their control. "Hitherto," says the Presi-
dent in his Veto, "every subject embraced
In the enumeration of the rights contained
in the bill has been considered as exclusive
ly belonging to the States; they all relate
to the internal policy and economy of the
States" What does Mr.. Trumbull allege
ir reply? In his speech, as reported, we
find nothing. There is general denial of
ncOnstitutionality, but no attempt to
prove that the statement of the President,
that the provisions of the bill mainly relate
to matters which in each State concern
the domestic condition of its people," is
erroneous. Upon this, the basis of the
whole controversy, the Senator appears to
have been silent. Instead of showing, as
he was bound to show, that Congress may
lawfully legislate on subjects which, ac-
cording to the President, have hitherto
been considered as exclusively belonging
to the States" he contents himself with
asserting, firstly, that negroes born in the
country are already citizens; secondly, that
to this extent the bill is merely declaratory
thirdly, that inasmuch as citizenship is
Federal, the Federal Government has Juris-
diction of all questions affecting the pro-
lection of citizens as such On these asser'
tions we will merely remark, that the first
implies that so much of the bill as relates
to citizenship is supererogatory that th'
second arrogates to Congress right OF eX'
position and Interpretation which, under
the Constitution, belongs exclusively TO the
Supreme Court and that the third affirm!
: principle so pregnant with danger to tht
rightful authority and Jurisdiction ofStates
that it more than iustities the position as
sumed by President johnson. Instead o
overthrowing the vital objection urged il
the Veto message, Mr.. Trumbull in reality
comedies all that it involves.
;, The idea that during the exclusion of the
Southern States from Congress necessary
legislation" shall be abstained from, il
secuted by the Senator as preposterouS
But his eloquent plea for the right ant
dignity of States always loyal scarcely
meets the question. The President doe!
not object to necessary legislation" prop
erly so-called. He maintains simply tha
upon uues ions pertaining principally, mo
exclusively, to the South, the South being re
constructed and loyal,is entitled to be heard
He opposes legislation for the South unit
the Southern States are readmitted to thell
J places in the Capitol. Aside from the III
Justice of sectional legislation, its ineXped
iency should be sufficient to prevent thu
: passage of measures applicable only Il
States whose Representatives are rudely
, and indiscriminately denied admission.
D Mr.. Trumbull's observations upon this
head present gratifying contrast. both il
scope and temper, to views which arr
vehemently insisted upon by certain OF his
associates. He gives no countenance 20 tn
doctrine of State suicide. He does not In
dulge in disquisition to prove that tn
States, as such, are oblterated, and that tn
whole South is conquered territory, to b.
!, disposed of according to the pleasure
the conuuerors. For so much we are great
full to the Senator from Illinois. He re
ouires to be satisfied, however, that tn
parties claiming to have been elected wer
lawfully elected, and next that they ar
eligible to admission as loyal men. We'll
/. these are the very considerations which tn
President asks Congress to look into. Inc!
are considerations of which Congress ant
Congress alone may take cognizance. Wha
'' he complains of is the refusal of the ruling
majority to address itself to the question
i'm sny shape. He has proved himself a
anxious as Mr.. Trumbull can be to hav
|. none but loyal men, lawfully elected, ad
mitted to the vacant seats; while the ma
iority, of whom Mr.. Trumbull is one, pas
by the entire subject and go on wit
legislation as though the South had n
- constitutional existence.
The Senator must have been sadly Il
want of an argument when he sought 3
: instifv the invasion of the rights of State
nv the General Government by referenc
= to the Presidents interference with Stat
~ ~ 0-N tIa +lo xtynrL of Yaororo nj tio