Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1866-05-03

protested against inc uoctrlnc, culieu IL III Ill
able manifesto, which was an appeal to the
people against it, but their veto ratified it at
the polls. 1t was brought up at the last
session of Congress for practical application
in the admission of Louisiana, and was only
defeated by sort of revolutionary tactics on
the part of Mr.. Sumner and five other Sem
a,ors, who, when the bill was on its passage,
took the floor and announced the determina-
tion to speak out the session and lose the bills
necessary TO support the government and
carry on the war.
Now, the whole radical party have assum-
cd, as their party principle, the anti-con-
stitutional doctrine that the States put in
allegiance by rebellious usurpation shall only
be recognized as in the Union when submit
ting to terms prescribed by an act of Con-
grcss. Thi, attains the point at which the
Essex .iunto--the high-hying tederalsts of
the North--would, at the beginning of the
Government, have fixed the power of the
general government The whole policy of
this aristocratic body of politicians has ever
been, and is now, the consolidation of the
supreme power i'll the hands of Congress-
supplant that Of their Legislatures. They
make full manifestation of their designs in
their Frccdmcns Bureau bill and their Civil
Rights bill, by which they undertake to
establish Il nation Of negroes among n nation
Of whites. and render them independent of
the laws and courts Of the State in which
they reside, and in contempt Of all sense of
justice and humanity, their revolutionary
measures invading the rights of the States,
and annulling their municipal laws, by cx-
Gliding them from their rights in the Union,
and their representation from the halls of,
Congress, and governing shcm as England
once governed Ireland, refusing to hear her
voice in tho Imperial Parliament. AS Ire
land was governed by laws sent 10 her from
England, SO the eleven States of the South.
still excluded from representation in Con-
gress, although they have giucn prr Of of
entire submission to the laws and Consttu-
ton, and acquicsccnce in all the issues de- !
tcrmincd by the war, are governed by laws |
shaped in a caucus, and passed by Con-
grcss representing another section Of the
country exclusively
The Constitution expressly provides that the Presi.
dent ofhc Cnited States and congressional representa-
yl,o hp chpe Nv ,ho ~
State authorized by it to elect the popular branch ofs
Legislature. This right is expressly reserved to each
State, to prevent the consolidation " all power
Congress Of the United States. II that body had the
right to make the votes empowered to elect it, the Brit
ish Parliament would not be moe omnirotcnt. The
leaders in the present Congress have repeatedly de-
curcd that the only oyalmon in the South arc the ne
groes, and they insist that they shall be entitled to uni
vcrsal suffrage, while every white man should be ex-
cluded who cannot take the esoath denying that he
had ever sympath1cd with any engaged in the
belon. Congress has not yet venturcd to annul the
clause in the Constitution, giving the creation of electors
to the several states hut Mr. Sumner who speaks for
the Senate, has asserted that, the late emancipation
amendment to the Constitution warrants the concession
Of suffrage 10 the negroes and measure has been in
oduccd in the House of Representatives to deny II
al white people disqualified by the tes.-oath Blu,
neither of these eYpedcnB need be resortd to now
Congress by excluding from the national legislature the
whole race in the South that fought the battle for our
independence. and who contributed largely in founding
what has hitherto been locke upon ms the white mans
government established by his courage intelligence
and labor as his freehold and the inheritance Of
lis children, renders any further disfranch.semcnt
snpeIfuous, and his degradation is completed by putting
the negroes upon higher ground than the white race
in other respects, educating their children the nation
al expense feeding. clothing and shcterng the hundred
thousands who reject the tempting wages which invite
them to return to employment in the South-according
TO them seats in the galleries Of the two houses the
males ahir,d in every variety of costume the females
TAT least the better looking of thcm) rusng in silks
lit is to be hoped not at the expense OF treasury y
men rcpaying by bouquets the planccs with which they
honorcd from below. 1t is reasonable indeed that
they should occupy positions in the chambers from
which mutudes Of men and women of our kindred are
turned away daily. The legislation being directed for
tho most part to put up the blacks, md degrade the
white race in the prosbtcd States it is proper that the
fvo'ites who take the deepest interest in the de-
bates. should be preferred as the audience.
This preference Of race is exhibited, it is true In the
Of perfect equality The phrase is thin disguise
The measures proposed to produce this equality are all
fausht with injustice and violation OF Fundamental law
The Freedmens Bureau bill proceeded on coniscs,ion
oftbe lands Of the South, without trial and conviction of
the owners in violation Of the express terms of the Con-
Eituo'i established tribunals and created munich
pal code multudes Of judicial and executive officers TO
execute it in dtrogaion Of he rights Of the States and
for the benefit Of whole people to whom the courts Of
the States were OPEN but which cutaiGd in their
rightul jurisdiction by the intervention OF Congress
which the army was to be called to carry :n,o effect
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