Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-09-12
GOVERNOR HELMS INAUGURAL


said: ~ i ,,.-i-a
1t is my fondest wish, most ardent
hone and earnest prayer that all the
States may DO restored to their eqHal
rights under the Constitution, and
that the Union may be as lasting as
time itself.
Thanks to God, the tread Of hostile
armies is no longer heard; the roar OF
cannon and the peals Of musi1etry are
hushed, and peace-blessed, glorious
peace-sheds her benignant and efful-
cent beams throughout the entire
length and breadth Of the Republicl
Now, my countrymen, is the proper
time to calm the troubled waters, to
heal all wounds and dissensious, to re-
store concord and fraternity, and no.
]blysto redeem the pledges which we
voluntarily and frankly made at tho
commencement of our late and un-
happy civil war.
As early as 1861, Congress adopted,
almost unanimously, the celebrated
Crittenden resolution, in which they
proclaimed to the world" That this
war is not waged, on our part, in any
spirit of oppression, nor for any pur-
pose of overthrowiug or interfering
with tho established institutions OF
the States, but to defend and maintain
the supremacy of the Constitution,
and to preserve the Union with all the
dignity, equality and rights Of the
several States unimpaired; that, as
soon as these objects are accomplished,
the war ought to cease" Fortunately
for us all, the war is now over, the
authority of the Federal Government
is everywhere fully restored, and it
is full time that the faith of the nation
so solemnly plighted, should be re-
deemed. Let us forget the bitterness
! Of the past.
Let us forgive its errors, remembering
that to err is human, to forgive, divine, and
then, when we no longer keep the heel O.
military despotism upon the people of tel
sister States, we may cry out against th'
oppression of England against Ireland,
Russia against Poland, of Austria agains
Hungary; but the world will think that W
may we'll be silent till then.
Referring to the exclusion of the delega
ton, he says: The people Of Kentucky hav
lust cause to complain of the action of Con
gress, in excluding from their seats the rep
resentatives from the State, who were dul,
elected in accordance with the forms and re
: ouirements of law, and who had all tn
qualifications prescribed by the Federal Con
I stitution. Nothing can be more explicl
than the Constitution upon this subject, un
: der article first, section second, we find tn
following:
|. The House of Representatives shal b
, composed of members chosen every secon
4 year by the people of the several States an'
, 1.-The electors Of each State shall have tn
, Qualifications requisite for electors Of tn
r most numerous branch Of the State Legisla
: 4
/ ture.
: 2. No person shall be ReprrsentatlV
Q who shall not have attained the age Of twer
: ty-fiye years and been seven years citize
: of the United States, and shall not whe
: elected, have been an inhabltant OF tf
:, State in which he shall be chosen.
These are the sole and entire qualification
Q which are required by the Constitution, On
: Congress has no Constitutional power to ad
to or subtract from them. This is the funt
amental law, and it is admitted, by bot
friend and foe, that our Representatives wei
G all elected by the duly qualified voters Of tn
State, and that all of them had the Const
ttutional qualifications above enumerate'
. Knowing that these things are fully s1scep
!. ible of proof and can not be successfully Col
? tradicted or refuted, the foes Of Constitution
j al liberty point us to another article OF IL
r Constitution, which Gays: "Each HOu'
i shall be the judge Of the election returns or
o. qualifications of its own members" and III
Il dsf this clause. claim that Congress is on
l. nipotent upon this subject, and can depfi'
IS free people Of representation. Notnli
% can be more absurd or at war with comm'
J sense and reason. This clause in the 20
q stitution is as plain as those frat cited, oil
1, is based on justice, for II was both necessal
,, and proper that Congress should see that q
y its members were elected by the voters Pr
= scribed by the Constitution, and that tn
= possessed the qualifications required by 1t.
!. This is the beginning and end Of the 70
q stitutional discretion and power upon u
"a subject, and if Massachusetts, or auoth
# State sees proper to send Turks or Mormon
J. Chinese, or Arabs, to Congress, and they .
n elected by the qualified voters, and are tive
,eI ty-hve years old, and citizens Of the Unit
d States, they would undoubtedly be on'isl
If 10 their seats. Kcntucky fully accorus
A. every State the right to choose its own re