Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-08-09
AUGUST 8, 1866. !

~kn0Wledged constitutional defect In the
Civil Rights bill, so called. And come to
the third section, known as the disiranchis-
ing clause. AS the amendment came from
p the House to the Senate, the third section
o provided for the virtual deprivation of the
entire thinking and Influential portion Of
o the Southern people of the right of suffrage
y for the period of four years. So universal
was the public disapprobation of this Sec
: tion that in the Senate it was stricken OUT.
y and now let us see what was adopted In its
place. will read it to you:g a. ....... ....
"SEC. 3. No person shall be Senator or
u Representative in Congress, or Elector of
President or Wice-President, or hold any
office, civil or military, under the United
States, or under any State, who, having
% previously taken an oath as member OF
Congress, or as an officer OF the United
3 States, or as member of any State Legls-
lature, or as an executive or Judicial officer
of any State, TO support the Constitution OF
. the United States, shall have engaged in
ihsurrection or rebellion against the same,
or given aid or comfort to the enemies
p thereof But Congress may, by vote Of
two-thirds of. each House, remove such dis
ability" H. lr....... .. .... .a'' .
D. This, fellow citizens, is what the South
ern States are called upon to accept. This
is the condition on which they may be al
lowed the right of self-government. They
have only to consent that the entire culti-
vated and educated mind of the South
should be forever prohi bited from holding
any office either under the United States or
under the State Government, whether ju-
dicial, legislative or executive, and thus
conseDting they are to be allowed represent
alton in Congress--provided they also give
their consent to other propositions which
such men as Mr.. Boutwell, have declared
/ their purpose to offer. They cannot hold
even the Office of constable, for every civil
Office is included, and to this they are asked
to give their consent. Now / ask in all
sincerity, If any man acquainted with hu-
man nature and the motives which in
tluence human conduct, can expect peO-
pie to consent to such degradation. Does
any member of the majority in Congress
expect the south to place in the Constitu-
ton of the United States, there to remain
while human government shall exist on
earth, clause declaring and perpetuating
their own legacy of dishOn-
or to descend to their children's children to
the latest generations? Ask yourselves,
fellow citizens, would you consent thus to
stamp yourselves and your pOsterity with
infamy, and that intamy to be written in
indlible characters in The Constitution of
your country? Can you demand of the
people of any portion of your country
what you would not yourselves consent to !?
Is it not plain, then, that Wendell Phillips
was right when he said that Thaddeus
Stevens did not intend or desire the accept
ance of these disgraceful and degrading
terms by the South, andrthat he would de-
plOre nothing more than such an accept
ance? rn..l r.r ...r.. ..
What was the object then of this pro-
posed Constitutional Amendment, called
by the Radicals their plan of reconstruct
tion? If l were to tell you what, in my.
opinion, is its object, it might seem dis
respectful to the body of which l am a
member. Not wishing to bring railing
accusations" against them, l will let Mr.
Wendell Phillips state its object. He
knows their inner hearts as well as any
mainland in this regard | agree with him
fully He says the object is not to restore
the Union, but to bridge over the Fall cleo
tiOns and save the Republican party. 1t
was necessary to do something, and it was
also necessary to keep the Southern MEM
bers out of Congress until after the Presi-
Dental election. To accomplish this, the
terms offered must be such as the South
would be certain to Teject-yet they must
be such as would, to inattentive minds, on
a cursory examination, seem tOlerably fair
and reasonable. Andso eight long months
were spent in concocting this scheme. And
here it is | ask the peopleof Connecticut
to say whether its object is reconstruction
or whether its intent and purpose is OBJ
lection. l appeal to them as candid,
thinking, just people, to decide whether it
is-right TO say in the Constitution of the
United States that every man who, under
the circumstances mentioned in the pro-
posed amendment, took part in the rebel
ion, should be forever disqualified from
holding even the petty office of constable?
Is it necessary? Is it honorable on our
part! Is it wiser Is ii good statesman
ship to create an immense class-and that
class controlling and governing the intellect
of that part Of the country, who are forever
prohibited from any share in the adminis-
tration of public business? What then can
be its object? Is it to degrade portion of
our tellow-citizens? Is it to perpetuate
discord and enmity? Is it forever to sep
arate our people and their feelings and
their hearts? Let the people judge.
Yetwe are told that Tennessee has ac-
cepted the proposed terms, and is to be al
lowed the privilege of representation. Cen
tlemen, ii | needed confirmation in the
belief that Wendell Phillips had correctly
stated the intentions of the contrivers of
the Congressional plan OF reconstruction, L
should find it in the action of Congress on
the question of the admission of the Ten
nessee members. What has Tennessee done
to give her greater rights than she had eight
months ago, or greater rights than any,
other State lately in rebellion? Letus look
at it. A telegram was received by the Sec
retary of the Senate, announcing in terms
of coarse and vulgar blackguardism, unfit
to be received by the Senate, that the Legis-
lature of Tennessee had ratified the pro-
posed Constitutional Amendment. sa Ipail
The Senate officially receives dispatch
from Brownlow, in which Ire says to that
body, ''Give my respects to the dirty dog
OF the White House." To such state of
feeling are honorable andhigh4minded men
brought, that they are ready to act on such
a document, and admit members to their
body on the strength of it. And now, ad-
mitting what is knownto be untrue, that J
the Legislature of Tennessee actually rati-
fled the Constitutional Amendment in a |
legal and proper manner, what was the eff
feet of such ratitication9 What differ |
ence did it make in the right of Tennessee
to be represented Did it change the Con-,
stitution of Tennessee? Ofcourse it did not.
That instrument remains as it was before, |
Notwithstanding the action of the Legisla-
ture of Tennessee, and that State is TO be |
admitted to its right of representation un-
der the Constitution as it is--Witll only the |
possibility that the remaining States may
give the proposed amendment the necessa-
ry ratification, and make it a part of the
Constitution. dU r8 o1 8u31 H ,.aHi. |
Now, gentlemen, WHY is this p Whv is
Tennessee declared worthy of restoration to
her rightsp Was IL Parson oBrownlow's |
telegram announcing the ratification of the
an1annf1nnt xrhinh NJ ,.ni,osIt fbi,nl, .sl. ~