The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-06-28

every dishonest paymaster or disburs
. Ing officer who has been convicted OF
squandering the public money 81 the
gaming table or in gold gambling
operation-ever officer in the army who
was dismissed for co~srdce or dIsloy-
altv. calls himself Democrat. Every
wolf ia Sleeps clothing, who pretends
TO preach the Gospel, hnt proclaims the right
eoueue>s Of man selling and slavery one
wno shoots Down negroes IN the streets, burns
negro Schooihou>eS, and murders women and
children by the light Of their own flaming
dwellings, calls himself Democrat. Every
New York rIoter IN 1853 who burned up little
children in coIored orphan asyiumS-who rob
bed. ravished ahd murdered indiscTmnat Y
IN a blazing city for three days and nights,
called himself Democrat. In short the Dem
ocratc party NAV be described as common
ever and Loaf thSome receptacle. into which is
emptiei every element Of treassn north and
south. and every element of Inhumanty and
bar barSm which has di>honrred the age.
And this party composed Of the men and
elements have described, in defiance of truth
and deccncy, asserts itself the special cham
pion of the Constitution and the Union, which
but short sixteen months ago It VAS IN arms
to destroy; and proclaim to an astonlshed world
that the only effect of vanqui>hlng armed reb
els in the field Is TO return them To Congress.
And restore them to political powor. Having
failed to deS roy the Constitution by force, they
seek to do 1t by construction. and assume to
have made the remarkable discovery that reb-
els who fought to destroy the Constituti
were its friends, and that the men who
shed their blood and gave heir substance 10
preserve It were its on4y enemies.
REcoNsrRUCrIoN.
II Is impo sible to adopt plan ofreconstruc-
,J, ~ T,fI, 81
men, and approximation Is the utmost that
can hc hoped for
II would in nv opinion, have been both lust
and polite to- have limited to their seats Sen
ator> and Representatives elect from Eeuues-
see A. an early period in this session Such
action by Congress would have saved much ex-
ASPIRATION of feeling. ard given general salts
faction to the country and should be glad
vet tn see it taken before the final adoption Of
snr legislation N connection wUh which the
constitutional amendments NAV toe submitted
10 the StatcS They are loyal. have b- en- prop
erly e c cd have a Lnvaj Constituency b-hlnd
them and honestly take he oath pre-
Scrihed hv law.
Congress hs~ passed A Joint resolution. By
majority of TWO th;rd> IN each 'inu>e, cor tain-
lng fnur sections amen.iio! the Con~titu''on of
the United States. which when It shall have
been ratified bv three tnurthS ofthe States will
become part of the fundamental law Of the
land.
The first -ec,ion Of the amendment declares
that All persons horn in the United States
and sUhiect :" the jurisdiction thrrenf. citi-
zenS of the United States and of the States in
which they reside. AID no State shall make
or enforce any law which shall abridge the
urjvi eyes or immuntieS of citizens Of the Uni
ted States; nor shall Srate deprive
oerSon Of life liberty or property. without due
process of law, nor deny to any person within
Iur he t4l tee. gpp a thp
aw~
Opao~c this section who car2 cannot
-fmpr"hend Aow any right minded man, who
.~ u"' a believer IN monarchy or slavery, can
aEe '>>H" with any pootren Of it. 1t estah
i~he~ the Fundamental principles upon which
he rn.on Is based, and * an expression of
pure ard uuall we'd Democracy.
The second section cQnajizts representation
n Congress and in the Electoral College, by
a ing from the white people lately in rebellion
he right To represent in Congress more than
our millions Of negroes living in their midst
whom they deprive OF all political rights what
ver. A. the natter sands. the white
eope ct the Southern States have sixtv per
cn'. more of political power in the House Of
Representatives and IN ell citing the President
I'D Wee President. th,n an equ,l number nf
white people in the North hern States This n
gross and unr,ghteouS inequality. and an alb
olue injustice TO the Northern people Even
the Southern people were all LOYAL, they could
at have the shgn'eSt clatus such af-
anrage But when come 10 consider that
early all Of them Denncr-tIc rebels ard
,ut few months ago waced a haoiy war A.
sinSt the Government, the idea of th"Ir
aiming such eHor nous and unhclv s3van-
age i too moostrous to be calmly ~o"~ red.
II all were equally loyal, North and
south. the proposed amendment would
,e a measure Of simple but imperative
nstice; but when we consider the char
cter Of the Southern people and Of their
Northern allies. and the terrible calami-
,ies they have brought upon the country
he claims of Justice are intensified, and
ongcr submission to the Inequality on
rur part becomes an humiliation. The
Democratic leaders in Indiana have de
clared themselves against the amend
ment and their mpmhers of Congress
opposed il hv their votes The person
nj degraIation which they suffer phici
elci one # item suffers. in being pTacti
caIlE treated as sixty per cent less Of R
man than his fellow Democrat OF Geor
4jN thee care nothing about They will
swallow with avidity this or any otber
iudI4uItv that NAV he thrust upon them.
provided il comes from men who have
t,ecn shareholders and rebels in arms.
and who give reasonable assurance that
they Will vote the Copperhead ticket. A
greater political degradation towards
the people OF one section OF the coun-
t-v than that which now exists in tae
Inequality OF representation, carnot he
imagined and the cheerful submission
to II hv Northern Democrats for the low
and selfish purpose OF seeking q lttle
political gain. presents spectacle which
1t i not pleasant TO contemplate. The
ratification OF this amendment is one of
the most important issues submitted to
the people Of Indians st the next cleo
uon The justice Of It, and the neces
>Ity for it lie upon the surface. and are
too plain for argument. We might as
we'll -ue that two and two make four.
ar that whole is equal to all its parts
The third section provides in sub
stance that every person who as a mem
Der of Congress, officer Of the United
States. members of the State Legi,la
ture, OF a judicial officer of any State.
hai taken an oath TO support the Con