Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-07
SPEECH EX-SENATOR DIXON. OF CON-
NECTICUT, AT THE STATE CONVEN-
TION


NECTICUT, AT THE STATE CONYEN-
TION.
The following extract from the speech Of
Senator DIXON, of Connecticut, before the
Convention, in that State, assembled at New
Haven. for the purpose of appointing dele
gates to Philadelphia. It is sensible, states
manlike and patriotic:
Having survived the terrible shock of
civil war to which il has been exposed the
great fundamental question which now agi-
tates the public mind is, how shall peaceful
and constitutional relations between its sew
eral parts be restored and confirmed?
This is the great question 20 which / de-
sire to call your attention. Matters cf de-
tail are unimportant. The work of the
statesman is 10 harmonic the different and
discordant parts Of a distracted country.
How is it TO be done? While there are
many minor details Of policy and numerous
individual schemes Of adjustment there are
only two great commanding systems of re-
construction. The plan proDosed by Con-
gress is before you. 1t proceeds on the
ground Of compelling the States lately in
rebellion to submit TO humiliating and de-
grading terms. 1t proposes to perpetuate
the memory Of this degradation and humil-
iatiOn by inscribing il in indelible record on
the pages Of the Constitution of the United
States 1t is not, / admit, as strong in its
terms Of humiliation and degradation rs the
individual propositions Of some Of the lead
ing members Of Congress. Mr. THADDEUs
STEVENS, for instance, has propOsedan entire
conhscation Of rebel property and the re-
duClion of the entire white race of the South
10 utter and abject poverty and actual star
vation, and in a prepared, written speech
delivered in the House Of Representatives,
he has uttered his impious prayer that they
might all be consigned to the Penitentiary
Of He'll"
Mr. boutwell, and Mr.. SUMNER have a
different plan: They, with Mr.. Brown, Of
Missouri, and other gentlemen whom l
personally respect, have a theory Of elevat-
ing the black race Of the South by giving
them the ballot If there is thought TO be
anything noble or generous in their plan Of
reconstruction, l may be permitted to say
that to them alone, and the few who sustain
them, the honor belongs, for Congress has
shown no desire to enfranchise the black
race, but satisfies itself with fruitless efforts
10 disfranchise a white race. Vengeance,
and not justice, seems 10 be their leading
impulse. And thus it is that the plan pro-
posed by Congress has not one noble and
generous characteristic. II is despised and
rejected by the ultra Radicals of the school
of Wendell PHMLIPs, as it richly de-
serves to be. 1t is marked only by a pur-
pose Of degrading portion of our common
country, while it absolutely, in my judg-
ment-and here / agree in opinion with
such men as Mr.. SUMNER and Mr.. Brown
an Mr.. PmLLIPs-dOes nothing for the
cause Of human rights. 1t is a scheme
which may possibly save party from des-
truction. IL cannot commend itself to the
appreciation Of any generous advocate of
the dignity of human nature without dis
tinction of race or color; for while it is cruel
and vengeful toward the white race of the
South, il leaves the black man 10 his fate.
Yet IL comes from men who claim for them
selves the honor Of being the exclusive
friends Of the black. Their love for the
freedman is only shown by their hatred Of
his former master. All this is perfectly ap-
parent to any thinking mind Hence it is
that You see daily the scorn and contempt
Of such Radicals as PHILLIPS poured out
upon the Congressional plan of reconstruc-
true object What now is the plan Of the
President and Of those who support him
You have seen what Congress proposes.
On the other hand what have we the
true Union men Of the country, to offer? ? We
base our policy and our actions on the Con-
-titution Of the United States This is a safe
and sure foundation. We cannot err III
adopting that as our guide. We desire to
preserve and perpetuate our federal system
OF govemment-the wisest system ever de-
vised by the wit Of man, and the only system
by which a continental republic is rendered
possible. We oppose As one of the greatest
Of political evils, a central despotism. En-
thusiastic cheers.) We look, therefore, with
Jealous eyes upon this disposition so strong.
lv manifested Of late 20 obsOrb all the powers
of the State Governments in Congress. The
necessities of the war led many wise and
thinking men TO tolerate this for time-but
as the necessity has ceased, we desire 10 re-
turn TO the spirit of our institutions and tC
| legislate in accordance with the genius O
| our Government The great question which
| now ab-orhs the minds Of our people is moi
| one Of mere details-whether a single Stat'
or any number of States SHALL this year ol
next, be represented in Congress? This Is g
matter Of importance but that is not all
| The question has larger and more general
1 aspects. lt involves, as | have inumated
| the existence Of our federal system, and j
/ also involves the harmonious and traterna
! relations Of the people Of all the States du
| ring our entire existence as a nation. Shai
! we be hereafter truly one people? Shal
| our Union be a union In heart and in feel
ing. or In name only2 Shall mutual regar'
| and respect bind us together in per
petual amity, or shall force compel
] union which hatred may only wait al
| opportunity 70 destroy These are question
| which no wise man viii fail to consider
| And since the discovered State; are, sOone
or later. % be in all respects reunIted-sinc
we are 20 be one people, what folly, wha
! madness is it for the stronger portion 20 I'M
pose degrading terms upon the weaker
il thus that true fraternal unity is 90 be rC
stored and pcrpetuated? The statesman ha
something better now 20 DO than 70 keel
alive the memory Of past errors OF crimes
There Is enough in the past TO regret am
condemn. Let il have some better use tha
TO perpetuate hatred between the North an
the South. Its teaching may be so improve
as 20 give us a purer government, NOR
| fraternal Union; or they NAV be peTverte
90 the base and wicked end 81 insuling
the hearts Of the people Of the different 50,
tions of our country bitter and eternal ami
mostly. Viewed in this light, the mode an
manner Of reconstruction may have bearing
on our future a. a nation Of immeasurabl
importance. In adopting or rejecting eithC
plan proposed, We are to adopt or REJECT han
mony, cordiality fraternity, a true and heaI
ty Union founded on mutual regard and n
spect, and bound together by the golde
chains Of mutual advantage.
We see from the history Of other nation
how hatredsare reperpetuated-ho the mem'
ry Of ancient wrongs. real or imaginary, d.
scends from sire to son, from generation
generation. Shall we scatter still MOI
widely the seeds Of sectional hatred, OF sha
/ we attempt % eradicate those already plan
+ ! cd, There is now possibility Of perie,
, restoration Of kindness and good viii b
| tween an the States oC our Union. Va
! has not necessarily made perpetual cnemie
! A spirit Of Christian forgiveness may, wit
! the blessing Of God, breed a spirit Of Chris