The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-09-05


iul again under the hand Of intalIirant
culture 1 know that itcannot be done
save under the protection of law and
order and good government. But I
know as Wen twill not be done. and
cannot 1e done, IL the care OF the Com
InonWealth, OF OF the Republic either,
Is placed IN the keeping. Of those men
who without cofufable excuse stFncJz
hands to tear down the fabric OF Gov
eminent and blot out forever the last
refuge OF afflicted humanity on the
earth. Why. TO commits the Govern
ment Of the United States which is dear
to us all, and essential to the hap
pIness OF Us all, TO the keeping OF
traitors who are red with The blood of
our murdered sons and brothers, would
be as wild and guilty a fantasy as il
would be for the mothers Of the land
to commit their little children 20 the
keeping Of the Tavenons wolf. I have
no patience with the man who proposes
TO do it.
And vet that is the issue and the sole
issue before the American people to-
day The Congress OF the United States
was charged by the American psOple
in the Constitution of the United States
with prescribing, subject always 10 the
VIII of the whole people, such rules and
conditions "a would secure the failure
safety of the Republic-and speedily re-
store 70 their proper place in the Union
the late insnrreetionary States. / know
there are men amongst you who pre-
tend to dispute to-day the right of
the American people 70 sit in
Judgment upon this question. Why,
il that great people who saved
born Of their house a sacrifice for the
life Of the nation, have not the right
now thht the battle by the bayonet has
been fought and won, TO decide the
final status OF those States in the future,
in common with the other States, by
the majesty and power of the ballot,
which is the ultimate force of the Re
public, then il has been in vain they
made this sacrifice at all. And yet such
is positively the position assumed by
your recreant President and that mis-
cradle party Of sympathizers north, and
Of rebels South, who muster this day in
his train
Who is "Andy'' johnson, or any 9th
CT man anywhere within the limits OF
the Republic that he would thus dare to
insult the common understanding of
the American people7 Talk 70 those
people who are the sovereigns Of
the land, about any limitations being
imposed on them by the Constitution
which their faihers gave them. Why
that Constitution would not have
been the matches instrument is is IL It
had not embodied in il the plain, sim
pie words declaring the right OF the
people at their pleasure to alter, to
amend 1t. i remember, my friends, the
grand words of Washington, uttered in
the hearing of his listening country
men, and to be repeated to the genera
tons AFTER them, who would riseup and
hail him as Father of the Republic,
when he was about to depart from
amongst them and cease to be seen any
longer amongst the living. In his Fare
well Address he notified the American
people that the basis of their system is
the right to amend their Constitution OF
Government. II is the basis, the
foundation stone, the rock upon which
the whole structure was built.
Now what has your Congress done
Being charged by the Constitution of
the United States expressly with the
duty of proposing from tune to time
amendments to the Constitution,
TO be submitted TO tbepeople of the sew
eral States, and by them ratified or re-
jected through their State Legislatures,
they have simply submitted 10 the
American people as q condition essen
tial 10 the restoration of these States
and the future safety of this Republic,
a single amendment TO your Constitu-
tion. The Congress has passed it and
sent IT 70 the people for their adoption
or rejection That amendment may be
summed up very briefly and very
plainly in these Words=
First, that no State shall hereafter
deny 10 any human being within its
limits the equal protection of the laws
IT does not Interfere with any OF the re-
served political powers Of the States.
II touches not the question of the elee- !
tive franchise. It leaves that where it /
always was, under the exclusive care I
and control Of the majority OF those
voting in a State; but Is declares I
Oh
exercised by States, in which they de-
nisd the equal protection OF the laws, 4
Or any protection of the laws Whatever
70 some OF the nobIest men in the Re
public. Why, history would cease to
repeat itself IL after such a feud as that
which shook the nation four y ears, there
would not be in the rebel majority in
very one OF those eleven insurrecfion-
Try States disposition and purpose to
ieDy any right whatever to men guilty
If the crime of fidelity TO the flag and
idelity to the Constitution. If we are
o have this Constitution restored, and
he great body of the men lately in arms
within those States against the
IatiOn'S life are 10 be restored to
political power and permitted to have
! voice in the concerns of the nation,
md that is what is cOntemplated-t
[ necessarily results that the whole
Ieople of the United States must put
INTO their Constitution the power to
protect the life and liberty and proper
, OF every man within the limits of
very one of those States, and especial
y OF those men who were faithful
through good and through evil report
Q the cause OF the republic. Gap
,lause.)
Why, my fellow citizens, there was
u argument made in thestTeets of New
lrleans &C the close Of the month of
uly, 1866, that ought TO settle all con-
Toversy on this subject. The State of I
lreedy reOrganized. 4 legislature had
zen elected by its people. a civil Coy
rnor had been chosen by its people.
Is courts OF Justice had been opened
nd established by its people, and vet il
urned out, on tho last Of July OF this
ear, that a Convention peaceably as
embed IN the city. OF New Orleans,
Fas broken up by an ARMED band OF /
onsplrators appointed pray by
Thom3 Not by the Governor OF Llouis-
ana Not by the authority OF a Iegis-
alive enactment Of the State of Louis
ana But blythe Ordero the mayor of d
be city OF New Orleans-l man named
lonrOe, who was found in that city
nth rebel arms in his hands when
teneral Butler entered on the control
nd government Of IL; who was seized 4
8 a traitor, and incarcerated in Fort 4
phillips as Rtraitor by tho Opderof that
ommander. a voice, tthey ought to
ave hanged him l''1 This man to-day
) Mayor Of tho city of New Orleans.
Why 2 Because three ourths OF the
citing population of New Orleans were
hemselYes traitors against the country
nd Government. There was q peaca-
lle. Convention, Tho State having
zen organized il was their right as
stizens Of the Republic peaceabiy 70
ssemble and petition the Government