Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-07

rection of their debauched, dead par.
ty. Life and supremacy to that par
ty would be death and Humiliation to
the country. They have laid in the
grave long enough to stink, but not
long enough for their corruptible
part to slough off. The worm and
the sepulchre have yet a mortgage
upon them. When their full claims
are Cancelled but little will be feft for
immortality.
But, sir,we admit there are tangled
questions in this matter of recon
struction. Abstrusities and compli-
cations there in all the ranges of hu-
man thought. Theology has it's un-
fathomable depths, science it's com
plexities, and the adjustment of Gov
ernment its difficulties.
At the same time, in all sciences
and PHILOSOPHERS, whether human, di-
vine,or governmental, there are great,
primary, Interchangeable principles
which serve as keys to the innermost
chambers, and like lantern lights will
guide the inquirer through all laby-
rinths, though way marks he remov-
ed, and finger posts obliterated. No
more difficult task was ever imposed
upon human wisdom than the forma-
ton and adjustment of Constitut tional
Government. Said Washington, aft
er laboring assiduously for four
months with the best intellects of the
age, in forming our present Constitu-
tion, "Our work is not perfect we
have made it as good as we could,
and provided in the instrument itself
for its own amendment, as future
emergencies may arise" Authority
must be lodged somewhere, but un-
der such check and balances as not
to be abused with impunity. Justice
must be maintained, but mercy must
not be forgotten. The evil inclina-
tions of all must be restrained, but
the rights of none impaired. The
people must submit to the admins
tration of law, but both administrator
and law must be subject to the will
of the people. Government must be
strong, that it may command respect,
but it's strength must not become a
tyranny. 1t must be lenient, that il
may be loved, but it's leniency must
not degenerate into weakness, for
this challenges contempt and not af.
fection. Government must be servant
to the man, and not the man slave to
the Government-its provisions must
be conformed to his rights, and not
his rights to it's provisions. In a
word, the whole texture of the Gov.
ernment must be so woven as to hang
loosely yet firmly upon the body poll
tic, affording protection to all, being
a burden to none, never CALLING the
innocent, but with hoops of iron en-,
girding the guilty.
If these principles were faithfully
applied, there could be no cause of
complaint. Upon the general subject
of reconstruction there is DISPOSE
tion to higgle upon technicalities.-
Multitudinous questions are PROFOUND
ed and discussed. Had the rebel
States right to secede-are they in
the Union or out of it-are they SOW
ereign commonwealth or subjugated
provinces--have they a right or have
they not to immediate and full repre-
sentation in Congress Ny friend
on the left declares them sovereign
and entitled to such representation.
He lays down an axiom-no people
should be taxed without representa-
tion We tax the South, therefore
the conclusion. We also tax State
prison convicts, at least their proper
ty, but l am not aware that we allow
them to vote. l wish to ask the SEN
ator from Fayette Mr.. SEARIGHT one
question. We tax the colored people
all over the land, North and South !;
will you allow them representation !?
Mr.. SEARIGHT. l spoke of white
people.
Mr.. LANDON. l understand the
distinction, sir. According to the gen.
tleman's ideas the whites, however
degraded, can be called persons or
people, while the blacks, no matter
what their redeeming qualities, must
be denied even this poor compliment
During the last years of bloody car
mage, when the Senator and his
friends, and your friends and mine
were drafted, and the colored man
went as our substitute, to fight and
die in defense of the country, who
were people then?
Aye, sir, when General Butler, at
at the head of a colored regiment,
looked upon the frowning battlements
of a rebel fortifcation, and said ::
"Boys, that stronghold must be tax
enI; remove the caps from your mus
kets, use only the bayonets, and you
have my consent to go over those
walls" they went over like a flash of
lightning, leaving four hundred of
their number upon the ground silent
yet sublime in death 0, sir, as /
reverence God and honor the brave,
the heroic men who died for the coun-
try, for me and my children, shall not
be branded as too low to receive the
appellation of "person." If taxation
is title claim to the ballot and rep
resentation, then must the gentleman
give both to the colored man, for he
is everywhere taxed. This is the log.
ical conclusion of his premises. |
know it pinches, but whe n he chooses
his position between the upper and
neither milestone, he must submit to
the flattening, though it leaves him
so thin that mooubeams would shine
through him. Passing from this ]
call attention to some plain PROPOSE
tions, which, to my mind, open clear
path through this whole subject Of
ranon 81 runtion