Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-27
mr. VaIlandigham,s speec CHI.

SRoCSAs
Mr.. Vallandigham followed, discussing
the Constitutional Amendments as affirm
ed by the Republican platform at their re-
cent Convention IN Columbus. He rejoiced
that at last they had presented a square
issue upon the question of Negro political
and social equality. The Democrats had
tried for years to bring them to own up to
it, and now they had done it at last. An
other square issue also they had made
The President had declared a policy
''myo ypolicy"-of the immediate and
unconditional restoration of the Sc
ceded States. Congress had pronounced
against it and for remote or impossible
Union. The Democrats had, consistently
with their ancient principles, accepted the
Presidents policy on this question. The
Republicans the other day, had adopted
and ratified the Congressional, Thad. Ste
vens-Sumner plan of +" Obstruction" Thus
we had a direct issue, and were TO have a
square fight-Union and White Mans Gov
ernment on the one side, and perpetual
disunion or Negro political and social
equality on the other, enforced by
hcan platform, adopting the Con-
stitutional amendment, rendered fair is
sue. He had only time to enumerate
them. The first declared ''all persons"
born in the United States or naturalized, to
be citizens of the United States, and en-
titled to all the privileges and immunities
of citizens. Now negroes were certainly
persons or chattels. But slavery had been
abolished. and they could not be chatJels
Therefore they must be persons" and con-
seuuently citizens with all of white mems
rights. Moreover the States were for
hidden now to make any dlscrimi-
nations on account Of color, and Congress
was by appropriate legislation" to enforce
this negro social and civil equality in ev-
cry State, North and South, East and
West. ~
The next amendment pretendedto "make
treason odiOus;" to "punish traitors" II
disfranchised all who having ever taken an
oath to support the Constitution, went into
rebellion, or gaze aid and comfort to tt, Now
of course the lately Confederate States
were included; and as the trainers OF the
amendment were to interpret it, and as
they and their partizans, and as they
had denounced all Democrats as guilty
of giving "aid and comfort" 70 the "reb-
els" he (Mr. w was not sure that they
would not under it, attempt some day U
disfranchise all Democrats.
1 Mr.. v. did not oppose amendments tC
the Constitution simply because they wer'
such. No. When we should have re-
stored Union, he might be glad to see som'
amendments guaranteeing aohite man.
| rights--habeds corpus, tree speech, fre'
press, &c. Also, II representation were Il
be changed, he would, perhaps, want th'
six New England States consolidated int
one, 80 that 100000 OF Yankees might no
any longer have twelve Senators, whil
1900 1000 Of Buckeys badgonly two. d,
| Mr.. V. referred next to the amendmen
declaring that stthe validity Of the publi
debt should not be Questioned Nobod.
was asking for repudiatlon. Why rails
the question, and thus cast doubt on th
public faithp What would European capi
talists thinl? The only repudiatoTs wer
those who insisted that the 7souther